Night Shift Pollinators: Moths in the Garden

Bees and butterflies claim the spotlight, but moths earn the bronze for pollination. Certain plants rely exclusively on specific moths. Night-blooming flowers employ a distinct “pollination syndrome”: pale or white tubular flowers that glow in moonlight, emitting strong sweet or spicy scents to attract moths from hundreds of feet away—perfect for their straw-like proboscises.

Opening photo: Rothschildia lebeau forbesi (Forbes Rothschild Silkmoth / Four Mirrors). “A truly beautiful moth!!! I raise and release them every year.” —Cat Traylor

Moth Families You’ll Meet at Night

Noctuidae – Owlet Moths

Largest Lepidoptera family in North America. Includes colorful underwings—and pests like cutworms and corn earworms.

Cosmodes elegans (Green-blotched Moth), Victoria, Australia

Sphingidae – Sphinx and Hawk Moths

Large, fast fliers often active at dusk. Hover at flowers like hummingbirds. Caterpillars (hornworms) are huge—tomato hornworm becomes the five-spotted hawk moth. They seek large, nectar-rich blooms.

Geometridae – Geometer Moths

Source of measuring worms/inchworms. Adults have geometric wing patterns, slim bodies, small to medium size.

Common Magpie Moth (left), Raspberry Pyrausta (right)

Pyralidae – Snout Moths

Many common small moths; some are pests.

Maximize Moth Visits

• Plant a “moon garden”: Light colors, strong scents, tubular flowers open at dusk/night.
• Diversity: More plant species = more moth species.
• Avoid pesticides: Even Bacillus thuringiensis kills moth caterpillars.

Flowers Moths Love

Heliotrope, jasmine, butterfly bush, spiderflower, daylily, red valerian, gourds, datura, heather, nicotianas, brunfelsia, four o’clocks, gardenia, lantana, mandevilla, Petunia axillaris, honeysuckle, night-scented stock, moonflower, phlox, evening primrose, orchids, lavender, sea daffodil, Madonna lily, yucca—and more.

Moth Watching Techniques

• Dusk stroll: Warm, humid nights; start at dusk.
• Light sheet: Hang a white sheet, shine a light—classic “porch light effect.”
• Sugaring: Ferment brown sugar, molasses, overripe fruit, splash of alcohol. Paint 5-inch patches on tree trunks along a trail. Walk quietly at dusk with flashlight and camera.

Post clear photos to Dave’s Garden Insect ID Forum or BugFiles. Happy mothing!

Resources: Bugguide.net, Bioimages (Vanderbilt), Brooklyn Botanic Garden, The Catocala Website, NBII, Borror & White Field Guide. Photo credits: TexasPuddyPrint, onalee, kennedyh, DiOhio (BugFiles).