Do you like moths?

No they're horrible things.
The reason people like butterflies is because butterflies flap their wings gently and have thin bodies.
Moths wings move really quickly in a vibrating whirring way and they have these fat hairy disgusting bodies
And whereas a butterfly will stay out of your way a moth will dive bomb into you.
And if you accidentally squash one they are full of dust.

Can you tell I don't like moths?

Oh snowberryZ, watch the film and you'll be moved. The young lady felt the same as you!

I might.
But I have a bit of a phobia about them

I haven’t seen the video but I don’t mind moths too much. Not in my face, though. ?

Butterflies in large numbers are scary. We experienced swarms of them once when we lived abroad and it was horrible. Had to use the wipers on the car to be able to see and the walls were black with them and they left dusty imprints everywhere.

Moths? My sworn enemy in the house!

No, I hate the little b******s that ate holes in my favourite cashmere hoody.

I like the big hawk moths.

This thread is supposed to make you get all emotional when you watch the WHOLE of the video, not just the first bit. I was hoping people would get all warm and fuzzy about moths after seeing it.

I was always terrified of moths when I was a child. The thing that worries me now is that they all seem to have disappeared. Summer nights used to be a nightmare for me with assorted moths banging into the windows or, even worse, getting into my bedroom and fluttering round the light. Now I never see any which surely must be a bad thing.

Years ago I hired a sunbed and put it in a spare bedroom. Of course it got very hot beneath it, so I kept the window open. Imagine my horror when I realized a tickle on my chest was a huge moth. Sat up as fast as I could, knocked my head on the overhead tubes and fell off the bed. Do I like moths? That’s a no for me!

I love moths and if I happen to find a pupa or cocoon which is quite often digging over the garden. I put it somewhere safe so it can hatch I think they are fascinating. I am delighted if one I haven’t seen before comes into our garden.

Neutral - don't like or dislike - still, I believe that every creature, even those I dislike (like wasps) has a rightful place in nature.

Chestnut

This thread is supposed to make you get all emotional when you watch the WHOLE of the video, not just the first bit. I was hoping people would get all warm and fuzzy about moths after seeing it.

I loved it Chestnut. Thanks for posting. It just shows what giving nature a helping hand can do. I was trying to identify the species. I think it's one of the Automeris of which over 124 species have been described. They have those distinctive markings which look like owl eyes on the hindwings. Emperor moths have similar markings but their forewings are more distinctive.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automeris

The antennae (at 3:16 in the film) look like skeleton leaves.

The Natural History Museum have this fun children's project to make a moth antennae headdress:

www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-make-a-moth-headdress.html

Thanks for that. It was lovely. I’ve never forgotten on a camping holiday in Italy one year my son running up to me telling me to come and see what he thought was a Humming bird but it was, in fact a Hummingbird Hawk moth. And yes, thinking about it I don’t see as man moths as I used to. I did find a large caterpillar a couple of years ago that I put under a broken flowerpot in the garden. Someone on Facebook told me what it was. How did the lady in the video know what to feed the caterpillars on? I try to keep areas of stinging nettles in my garden for moths and butterflies. To my shame, when I was a child I used to keep caterpillars in jam jars and I bet they all died….

Chestnut

This thread is supposed to make you get all emotional when you watch the WHOLE of the video, not just the first bit. I was hoping people would get all warm and fuzzy about moths after seeing it.

I did.

It didn’t.

Seeing a Hummingbird Hawkmoth is a huge privilege. I volunteered for the RHS for several years and there was always great excitement when one was spotted drinking nectar.

If the moths in the film are Automeris they are pretty widespread though the Americas and feed on a wide variety of tree and shrub leaves.

At primary school, we had a lovely science teacher who inspired us to explore the natural world. A classmate and I would go scouring hedgerows for caterpillars to put in match boxes to show him. Despite giving them a leaf to munch on I think most died before we next saw teacher.

I agree there seem to be less moths and other insects all round which of course is a bad thing. I remember in 1950s London there were privet hedges in the front gardens which were full of caterpillars. We loved holding them and taking them to another bush for a 'holiday'. Never see anything like that on privet hedges now.

If you look closely at a moth, you will find it just as beautiful as a butterfly. It won't 'dive-bomb' you. It's attracted to light and if you get in the way, that's your problem. The only moths I won't tolerate are those little ones whose caterpillars make little holes in my best woollen jumpers, but the Lakeland shop has a fine variety of products for deterring them - no, they don't pay me a commission for the recommendation!

I also remember the prevalence of privet hedges in the 1960s which is where we did a lot of our caterpillar hunting. Nowadays the box hedge is more common and, of course, that has its own voracious caterpillar.

I thought there would be lots of people on Gransnet who are supportive of nature and wildlife and would love to watch this! I'm really surprised so few have seen it because it's a wonderful little film.

No, I really don't like them. Not at all. I don't find them as attractive as butterflies, which have the decency to stay outside where they belong.

I have no use for wasps either.

I used to be frightened of moths but I taught myself not to be. (Never had a problem with spiders, bees, butterflies, etc.) I was determined that my DC would have no irrational fears of insects - and they don't. I love the natural world - except for cockroaches..... Can't abide the blighters.

Chestnut

I thought there would be lots of people on Gransnet who are supportive of nature and wildlife and would love to watch this! I'm really surprised so few have seen it because it's a wonderful little film.

I respect nature and wildlife and would never intentionally hurt one, but still don't like them.

Awesome video! Thanks for sharing. Moths are stunningly beautiful pattern wise if you look closely. The problem is they are usually dull colours and less vibrant than a butterfly. Look at this gorgeous emperor moth! There isn't an insect, animal, bird or fish I don't like or would hurt. Some humans however........

Beautiful picture LadyStardust. I am not a particular fan of moths (even though I posted this) but their life cycle and birth are every bit as fascinating as butterflies and they are beautiful creatures.

I tend to go by whether they would harm me, so wasps are my dreaded enemy.

I also have a fear of stag beetles, having been chased by a couple back in the 1960s! There seemed to be a fair number around then (south west London) and it is terrifying to have one fly after you with their horns outstretched and their wings buzzing. They are so big! And I swear it was chasing me because I couldn't get away from it. Well, since then I have never seen one so I guess they are suffering like all our wildlife and have disappeared.