Wikijunior:Bugs/Moth
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[edit] What does it look like?
Moths are flying insects with large wings, sort of like butterflies. The wings of a moth are made up of tens of thousands of wing scales which overlap like shingles on a roof. Most moths are dull colors such as gray and brown. Moths have antennae that look like feathers.
[edit] Where does it live?
Moths can be found almost everywhere including: forests, mountains, deserts, jungles, grasslands and even Arctic regions.
[edit] What does it eat?
[edit] How does it defend itself?
Bad Taste.When a bird or other predator eats a moth which tastes terrible. It remembers what that moth looked like. It makes sure it never eats another one that looks like that one. Often moths that use this technique to protect themselves have bright colours which helps the predator to remember them and avoid them in future. Camouflage is another way that moths defend themselves.The colours of some moth's wings help the moth to blend into its surroundings. Predators are unable to see the moth and so the moth survives.Some moths have large spots on their wings that look like eyes. If a predator such as a bird sees the moth, it attacks what it thinks are the moth's eyes. However it has merely pecked at the wing and the moth can escape with its head in one piece.
[edit] What stages of metamorphosis does it go through?
All of them: egg, larva, pupa and adult phases
[edit] What special behavior does it exhibit?
Moths are attracted to bright lights. That is why you always see them gathered around street lights, porch lights, flames, etc.
[edit] How does this bug affect people?
Some moths lay eggs in clothing. Others lay them in dry food, like flour or rice. When the eggs hatch, the larvae will then eat the clothing or dried food. In the same way, larvae have damaged crops, trees and ornamental plants. Have you ever found strange holes in your clothes? They might have been made by a hungry moth!
Humans use mothballs to keep moths out of their clothing. Mothballs are round, white balls treated with chemicals that poison moths. Since the poison may also harm humans, the balls should never be tasted or eaten. You should wash your hands immediately after touching mothballs.
At the same time, moths also do things which help people. For example, moths help flowers grow by pollinating them. The downside of this is that the moths also lay their eggs in the leaves of the plant. When the eggs hatch into caterpillars, the munching of the plant begins! Have you ever seen the holes that caterpillars make as they chew on the leaves of plants?
