National Moth Week shines the porch light on an 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, take a gander at winged wonders like the comet moth, shown here. Scientists estimate that there are some 160,000 species of moths worldwide, many just as stunning as our comet moth, and tracking their health often helps us gauge the health of entire ecosystems.
And you thought moths were boring
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Construction workers resting above Manhattan
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Cue up the tango music
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Sky island views
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Storm rolls over the grasslands
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Every day is Napping Day for this screech owl
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Beautiful baobabs
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National Moth Week
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Longer days mean warmer sand
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On the hunt
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Craig Goch Dam in the Elan Valley of Wales
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Aerial view of a heart-shaped field in Trittau, Germany
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From garden to table?
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World Rivers Day
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Road-trip worthy attraction in the heartland
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Spread some love with Bing
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Monet still makes an impression
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Twosday
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Here’s looking at you, teachers
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An avian predator built for the snow
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A prison fit for a count
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Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
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Point Reyes National Seashore
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High trekking season in Upper Mustang
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New beginnings
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World Oceans Day
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Petrified Forest National Park
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American Wetlands Month
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World Otter Day
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Hello, spring!
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National Park Week begins