There are some 160,000 species of moths in the world, compared to 17,500 species of butterflies.

Moth scales are complex, fragile, structures that cover the wing of the insect. To remain attached, each scale snaps into an individual pocket-like slot. While the scales do assist in flight, some can be lost without a major effect to the moth's ability to fly.

Moths don't waste time once they reach adulthood. They emerge from their cocoons ready to mate and content to die soon afterward. Since they won't be around for very long, they can get by on the energy they stored as caterpillars. Many species, like the Luna, Polyphemus, Atlas, and Promethea, don't even have mouth parts.

Caterpillars eat voraciously to transform plant material into the tissues that they will need for changing into moths. Butterfly larvae are also called caterpillars.

A Brazilian specimen of white witch (Thysania agrippina) holds the world record with a wingspan of almost 30 cm (12 in). The white witch occurs from Uruguay to Mexico, and appears as a stray as far north as Texas.

A male promethea silkmoth (Callosamia promethea) holds the moth record for tracking a scent through the air. He flew an astounding 23 miles in the hope of mating with the girl of his dreams and was likely disappointed when he realized he'd been tricked by a scientist with a pheromone trap.

The beautiful wood nymph (Eudryas grata) rolls up its wings at rest, creating a pattern that looks like bird droppings.

Moth enthusiasts use a few tricks to lure moths closer. First, many moths will come to lights at night, so you can start by observing the moths that visit your porch light. Other moths might not come to lights but can't resist a mixture of fermenting sweets. You can mix up a special moth-attracting recipe using ripe bananas, molasses, and stale beer. Paint the mixture on a few tree trunks and see who comes for a taste.

The conspicuous patterns on the wings of the garden tiger moth (Arctia caja) serve as a warning to predators that it's body fluids are poisonous.

One species of moth in Madagascar, the Hemiceratoides hieroglyphica, sucks the tears from underneath the eyelids of birds while they sleep. Their mouth parts are shaped like a harpoon, and are used to suck salt-rich liquid from the birds' eyes.