Moths of India: A Field Guide
Contents: Species Accounts. 1. Bombycidae and Endromidae (Bombycids). 2. Eupterotidae (Monkey Moths). 3. Saturniidae (Emperor and Silk Moths). 4. Brahmaeidae (Brahmid Moths). 5. Sphingidae (Hawkmoths). 6. Callidulidae (Callidulids). 7.Cossidae (Leopard and Goat Moths). 8. Drepanidae (Hooktip and False Owlet Moths). 9. Epicopeiidae. 10. Geometridae (Geometer Moths). 11. Uraniidae (Swallowtail Moths). 12. Lasiocampidae (Lappet, Eggar and Snout Moths). 13. Erebidae. 14. Subfamilies Arctiinae, Aganainae, Anobinae, Boletobiinae, Calpinae, Eulepidotinae, Herminiinae, Hypeninae, Pangraptinae, Scoliopteryginae, Lymantriinae Noctuidae (Cutworm, Armyworm and others). 15. Euteliidae (Euteliids). 16. Nolidae (Tufted Moths). 17. Notodontidae (Prominent Moths). 18. Zygaenidae (Burnet and Forester Moths). 19. Limacodidae (Slug Moths). 20. Crambidae (Grass Moths). 21. Pyralidae (Snout Moths). 22. Thyrididae (Window-Winged Leaf Moths). 23. Other Families. Common Moth Caterpillars. Glossary. Index of Scientific Names. Index of Common names.
Moths are close relatives of butterflies, both belonging to the group Lepidoptera. Globally, there are between 150,000 to 180,000 species of moths, almost 10 times as many as butterflies! In India, it is estimated that there are over 12,000 species of moths, with many species still to be described. Just in the Eastern Himalayas, a reasonable guess could be that there are 6000 to 7,000 moth species!
Moths in India are very poorly studied. An Englishman, G.F. Hampson, wrote the last comprehensive books about Indian moths. Hampson wrote four volumes of books on moths, as part of the Fauna of British India series, between 1894 and 1898, more than a hundred years ago!
Moths, just like butterflies, are cold-blooded invertebrates. Most moths fly at night, which makes them difficult to study. By flying at night, moths are able to protect themselves from diurnal predators such as birds. In addition, moths feed on flowers that bloom at night, getting nectar from the flowers, and in turn, assisting the plants in pollination. However, not all moths feed on nectar; some feed on rotting fruit and tree sap, while there are others that do not feed at all, as adult moths! Of course, not all moths fly at night. There are many day-flying moths as well, many of which mimic distasteful butterflies.
