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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Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé!
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Swimming with the sea cows
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Let s ride! It s Roller Coaster Day
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Italy s submerged village
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Whale hello there!
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Celebrating the first day of spring
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Pantaleu
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‘The mountains are calling’
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Road to Sa Calobra, Majorca, Spain
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A cliffside harbor in Sardinia
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Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
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Frankenstein Friday
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Honoring the fallen
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Everybody loves World Turtle Day
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A temple, preserved
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Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
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Pearl of the Adriatic
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Uredd Rest Area, Norway
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Cecil Brewer Staircase, London
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Its Halfway Day!
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Ancient storage in the Grand Canyon
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Let’s go foraging
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Leap day
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Punakaiki on South Island, New Zealand
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Take this for a spin...
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Swimming into the season
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Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument, Washington
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Bioluminescence at Trwyn Du Lighthouse in Wales
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An island hopper s paradise
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It s aboat time for the Barcolana