When the sun goes down the horizon, the nocturnal pollinators come alive!

Butterflies are often known for their coloured wings, graceful flight and daytime pollination. But what about their close relatives who take over when the darkness falls?

Meet the moths!

Both butterflies and Moths belong to the order Lepidoptera, which means “Scaly wings” in Greek. Despite their similarities,  they are very unique from each other. Butterflies usually have slender bodies, club-shaped antennae, and form a chrysalis during pupation. Moths are often stouter and hairier, with feathery, thread-like or spindle-shaped antennae. Many also spin a silk cocoon around their pupae.

But the real magic begins when the sky turns dark. The moths are well prepared for the night. They possess highly developed sensory systems that help them survive in the darkness. Their well-developed vision allows them to navigate light, while their powerful chemosensory perception helps them find mates through pheromone communication, locate food sources and detect harmful predators.

Some moths can even sense bats. When bats use echolocation to hunt, certain moths respond by producing high-frequency clicking sounds. These sounds can act as warning signals, telling predators that the moth may be unpleasant or distasteful. This is a remarkable example of predator-prey adaptation.

Moths are far more important than they appear. They are food for birds, bats and other animals. They pollinate flowers under the cover of darkness. Their populations can also respond quickly to changes in climate and vegetation, making them useful indicators of environmental change.

Yet not all moths sip nectar from flowers as a food source. Some feed on tree sap. Some are attracted to fermenting fruits. Some do not feed at all as adults. And among these diverse feeders are the fruit-feeding moths —a group that holds particular importance for both ecology and agriculture.

Many fruit-feeding species belong to the family Erebidae. These moths are masters of deception. Species of the genus Erebus are known for striking eye-like patterns on their wings that can confuse or startle predators. Thyas species can blend into dry leaves, while species such as Eudocima use their wing patterns to camouflage themselves among vegetation.

To a predator, what looks like a leaf may suddenly fly away.

But fruit-feeding moths are not just fascinating; they can also be troublesome.  Some species feed on cultivated fruits and may cause damage to agricultural crops such as grapes and citrus, as they puncture the fruit wall and lacerate the fruit juices as food, which reduces the economic utility of these fruits.

Do you wonder what attracts them?

The answer lies in the smell of fermentation.

The rotting and fermenting fruits release aromatic aldehydes and alcohols that act as powerful chemical attractants. Among the various fermented fruits,  a study showed that Banana highly attracts the fruit-feeding moths because of its texture, sugar content, fermentation rate and the aromatic chemicals released during fermentation, making it more appealing to the moths.

This attraction could offer an interesting solution.

Instead of eliminating moths from the agricultural landscapes, can we divert them?

Attractive fermented baits placed away from the valuable crops can potentially divert them towards the baits. This strategy can reduce crop damage while avoiding unnecessary harm to these ecologically important insects.

Next time you see a moth resting near light or fluttering at night, take a closer look. Behind those dusty wings lies a story of evolution, survival and ecological importance.

Butterflies may steal the spotlight during the day,  but the moths own the night.

Article by Amrutha Shenoy