15 of the World’s Most Beautiful Moths

If butterflies are the beauty queens of the insect world, moths are their drab and pesky cousins—or so you may have thought.

It’s true that most moths are nocturnal, so you’re more likely to see them flitting around light sources at night than you would butterflies (which are generally diurnal). It’s also true that some moth larvae feast on the natural fibers of clothes. But the vast majority of moths aren’t chewing through your favorite sweater or pummeling your porch lamp—and many are just as stunning as butterflies.

Here are 15 especially magnificent moth species from across the globe. 

1. Luna moth
2. Cecropia moth
3. Madagascan sunset moth
4. Madagascar bullseye moth
5. Madagascan moon moth
6. Oleander hawk moth
7. Garden tiger moth
8. White ermine moth
9. Calleta silk moth
10. Spanish moon moth
11. Atlas moth
12. Elephant hawk moth
13. Polyphemus moth
14. Promethea moth 
15. White-lined sphinx moth

Luna moth

The luna moth (Actias luna) is a saturniid (a member of the Saturniidae family) found in North America. Scientists believe that it spins its ribbon-like hindwing tips to divert bat attacks: The echolocating predators target the tips, which the moths can live without, rather than more essential body parts.

Cecropia moth

The cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia) is another saturniid. It’s North America’s largest moth, boasting a wingspan of up to 6 inches. 

Madagascan sunset moth

Moths are commonly nocturnal—but the Madagascan sunset moth (Chrysiridia rhipheus), a member of the Uraniidae family, is active during the day. As its name suggests, you can find it in Madagascar.

Madagascar bullseye moth

The sunset moth isn’t the only stunner flying around Madagascar. The island is also home to Antherina suraka, a saturniid known as the Madagascar bullseye moth.

Madagascan moon moth

Another Madagascar saturniid deserves a mention, too: the Madagascan moon moth, or Argema mittrei. (Argema is Greek for “speckled eye.”) It’s sometimes called the “comet moth” because its lengthy hindwing tails resemble comet tails.

Oleander hawk moth

The Sphingidae family—also known as hawk moths, sphinx moths, or sphingids—includes the oleander hawk moth (Daphnis nerii). Though its main host plant is oleander, it enjoys the nectar of many other flowers, from honeysuckle to petunias.

Garden tiger moth

The garden tiger moth (Arctia caja) belongs to the Erebidae family. Many kinds of tiger moths originate as extravagantly hairy caterpillars known as woolly bears, and the garden tiger moth is no exception: Its caterpillar looks like a tiny, mutant porcupine.

White ermine moth

Some erebids are more impressive with their wings furled—the white ermine moth (Spilosoma lubricipeda) is one of them. True to its name, it looks like it’s sporting a white ermine fur coat fit for royalty.

Calleta silk moth

Eupackardia calleta, or the calleta silk moth, is a saturniid found in Mexico, Guatemala, and the American Southwest. Adults don’t eat at all—not uncommon for moths—but calleta caterpillars enjoy a good Mexican jumping bean (among other food).

Spanish moon moth

The Spanish moon moth (Graellsia isabellae), yet another saturniid, lives mostly in the mountains of France and Spain. It’s so closely related to moths in the Actias genus that some people think it should be reclassified as Actias itself.

Atlas moth

With a wingspan of up to 10 inches, the Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) is one of the world’s largest moths. This saturniid’s upper wing tips look curiously like the side view of a cobra head—which some entomologists think could be an evolutionary defense against predators. Both creatures are endemic to Asia.

Elephant hawk moth

The elephant hawk moth (Deilephila elpenor) is a sphingid whose name was inspired by its caterpillar, which resembles an elephant’s trunk.

Polyphemus moth

The Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus) is a large North American saturniid with captivating eyespots on its hindwings. Eighteenth-century Dutch entomologist Pieter Cramer named it after the Cyclops Polyphemus, son of Poseidon.

Promethea moth 

North America’s Promethea moth (Callosamia promethea) has a link to Greek mythology, too: Prometheus was the Titan who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans. Eighteenth-century British entomologist Dru Drury may have chosen the name because Promethea moths, like Titans, are quite large—their wingspans may reach nearly 4 inches. 

White-lined sphinx moth

The white-lined sphinx moth (Hyles lineata) is a North American sphingid sometimes mistaken for a hummingbird as it hovers over flowers, using its long proboscis to suck out nectar.

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