November 10, 2022

Moths: The story of the butterfly of the night

39 minutes

The moth is an insect that’s almost 200 million years old. Throughout human history, its attraction to light, its amazing ability to camouflage, and its nocturnal activity have given rise to myths, spiritual beliefs and been the inspiration for art and literature – especially the genres of horror and the supernatural.

In the natural world, moths also play a hugely important role in promoting global diversity as prolific pollinators. Yet, this ancient insect is often regarded as little more than the poor relation of the butterfly, an annoying creature that feeds on our favourite clothes and eats crops. Today, the moth is under threat from light pollution and climate change. So is it time we re-evaluate our views on moths?

Rajan Datar is joined by Professor Matthew Gandy, from the Department of Geography at the University of Cambridge in the UK; Dr Alma Solis, research scientist on moths for the US department of Agriculture, and curator at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC; Dr Franziska Kohlt, a post-doctoral research fellow at the University of York who has studied the history of insects in literature and science; and the Estonian artist Liina Lember, creator of a moths art installation. With the contribution of Shirley Camia, whose poetry collection is called “The Significance of Moths”.

Producer: Anne Khazam

(Picture: The Death's-head Hawkmoth, with its characteristic skull-shaped pattern on the thorax. Credit: Choia/Getty Images)

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