Not quite. This winsome winged creature is a moth, a Loepa oberthuri to be exact, a type of silkmoth. It"s the star of our homepage because today marks the start of National Moth Week, which shines the porch light on this unlikely hero. Unlike their showier cousins, butterflies, moths get a bad rap from time to time, and that"s fair, as caterpillars of some moth species are agricultural pests. But before you break out the mothballs, consider this: Scientists estimate that there are some 160,000 species of moths worldwide, many just as stunning as our silkmoth today, and tracking their health often helps us gauge the health of entire ecosystems. So we encourage you to investigate moths this week right in your own backyard. All you have to do: Turn on the porch light—and the moths will come calling.
Pretty, pretty…butterfly?
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Have you turned off your electronic device?
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Ski touring in Austria
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The (Inca) empire strikes back
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The Badlands celebrates a milestone
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Computer Science Education Week
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It s Teacher Appreciation Week
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Bluebells in Hertfordshire, England
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Twas a night just like tonight
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Trevi in bloom
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First day of summer
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A Christmas market with a long history
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The wild heart of Tasmania
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Mooncake time
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A new park with a new mission
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Bridges to the past
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Old Town in Prague, Czech Republic
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Mountain hare hopping into Lunar New Year
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A swim in the sky
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Old Fortress, Corfu, Greece
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Beaver achievers
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Oymyakon, Russia
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Engineering an artificial harbor in Normandy
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Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Diving into the underwater nirvana
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50 years of World Heritage Sites
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Entoloma hochstetteri mushroom at Lake Mahinapua, New Zealand
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Welcome to El Cervantino
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It’s National Walk to Work Day
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The Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic
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’Chess on ice’