SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — It's National Moth Week and in South Carolina we have plenty of moths we could enjoy.
National Moth Week is a citizen science project that is celebrating it's 11th year this week. From July 22nd through July 31st, people of all ages are urged to document the moths they see in their area.
Moths are some of the most diverse organisms on earth. Scientists estimate there could be more than 500,000 different moth species. Some are colorful like butterflies and others are heavily camouflaged.
The National Moth Week website has resources to teach anyone about moths as well as useful tips to help you see a few of those 500,000 species.
The easiest thing you can do to see some moths this week is to leave a porch light on and quietly observe which moths fly up from a small distance. If you want to make them easier to see, consider hanging up a white sheet for them to land on. You can then take pictures to submit to participate in the celebration.
To become a more expert "moth-er" you can try "sugaring." Mix sugar, some fruit, and a little beer and brush it on trees near your home. Moths can smell the mixture and will land to get a taste of the snack you made them.
For an idea of what you might see, you can check out National Moth Week partner iNaturalist. There are over 1,400 species of moths documented in South Carolina including the Luna Moth and Rosy Maple Moth.