Butterflies & Moths

Some butterflies and moths can be hard to tell apart. Both are pollinators in the sense that they can transfer pollen from one plant to another when it attaches to their bodies. There are 22 types of butterflies listed as threatened or endangered by the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Monarchs are probably the best known and most loved butterfly. They are being threatened mainly due to a loss of habitat and particularly the loss of their host plant, milkweed. Monarchs lay eggs exclusively on milkweed plants and as caterpillars they feed on only that plant. The easiest way to help Monarchs is to plant milkweed in your yard.

There are thousands more moths than butterflies in North America. Many moths only come out at night, so they are especially important pollinators for night-blooming plants. The Sphinx or Hawk Moth, as pictured here, is sometimes mistaken for a hummingbird due to its size, rapid wing beating, and hovering ability. They tend to feed at dusk or dawn.