An Evening with Moths

Nature Nugget (noun: a small piece of nature knowledge shared with friends) 

Most people are astonished to hear that there are around 3,000 moth species in Ohio compared to about 140 butterfly species! Since most moths are active only at night, many of these winged beauties go unnoticed. Moths are most active on warm, humid nights however a few species can be seen during the day. The caterpillars of moths provide a very important food source for many species of birds throughout the year, but especially during the Spring when baby birds are growing rapidly.

On August 20th at Towner’s Wood Park near Kent, The Portage Park District conducted “An Evening with the Moths” program to introduce attendees to some of the moths that call Portage County home. White sheets were illuminated with lights to attract the moths and other rarely seen nocturnal insects.

Check out the Things to Do page for more great programs at YOUR Portage Parks!

Here are a few of the many moths spotted that night: