CONTENTS

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION

What is a moth?

What is the difference between a moth and a butterfly?

What features have made moths so successful?

Why are there so many different moths?

How well do moths see?

Why are moths attracted to light?

How do moths find mates?

Can moths hear?

Why are there so many wing shapes, patterns and colours?

How long do moths live?

Why are particular moths found in some places and not others?

Have any moths become extinct?

What use are moths?

Why study moths?

IDENTIFYING THE MOTH FAMILIES

Micropterigidae

Agathiphagidae

Hepialidae (Swift Moths,Ghost Moths)

Nepticulidae

Opostegidae

Heliozelidae

Adelidae (Fairy Moths)

Palaephatidae

Psychidae (Case Moths, Bag Moths)

Tineidae (Clothes or Wool Moths)

Clothes moths and meal moths

Galacticidae

Roeslerstammiidae

Bucculatricidae

Scribbly Gum Moths

Gracillariidae

Yponomeutidae

Argyresthiidae

Plutellidae

Glyphipterigidae

THE GELECHIOID FAMILIES

Oecophoridae

Scat Moths

The Golden-shouldered Parrot Moth

Leaf-litter moths

Xyloryctidae

Hypertrophidae

Depressariidae

Elachistidae

Ethmiidae

Blastobasidae

Cosmopterigidae

Gelechiidae

Lecithoceridae

Scythrididae

Cossidae (Wood Moths)

The Witjuti Grub

Cossids and cockatoos

Dudgeoneidae

Tortricidae (Bell Moths, Leaf Rollers)

Castniidae (Sun Moths)

Brachodidae

Sesiidae (Clearwing Moths)

Choreutidae

Zygaenidae (Foresters)

Lacturidae

Limacodidae (Cup Moths)

Epipyropidae

Cyclotornidae

Immidae

Copromorphidae

Carposinidae

Epermeniidae

Tineodidae

Alucitidae (Many-plume Moths)

Pterophoridae (Plume Moths)

Hyblaeidae

Thyrididae (Leaf Moths)

Pyralidae

Aquatic moths

Geometridae (Loopers, Inchworms)

Drepanidae

Uraniidae

THE BOMBYCOID FAMILIES

Lasiocampidae

Anthelidae

Eupterotidae

Bombycidae

Carthaeidae

Saturniidae (Emperor Moths)

Which is the largest moth?

Pollination

Sphingidae (Hawk Moths)

THE NOCTUOID FAMILIES

Oenosandridae

Notodontidae

Hairy caterpillars and skin rashes

Lymantriidae (Tussock Moths)

Arctiidae (Tiger Moths)

Aganaidae

Herminiidae

Nolidae

Noctuidae

Migration

The Bogong Moth

GLOSSARY

INDEX