Can moths and butterflies eat?
Don Herbison-Evans (
donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley
(updated 21 February 2008)
Most Butterflies and Moths have no mouth for chewing,
so cannot eat solids.
All their eating is done earlier in life when they are a caterpillar.
Just a few moths have developed mouthparts and eat a few
things such as pollen, but most butterflies and moths only have a
haustellum,
which is like a hollow straw,
with which they can suck fluids such as nectar, water,
tree sap, fruit juice, etc.
The moths that CAN feed in this way include many of
those in the families and subfamilies:
CRAMBIDAE,
NOCTUIDAE,
which includes the well known
Agrotis infusa : the Bogong Moth,
CATOCALINAE,
which includes a number that attack and damage fruit
by penetrating the skin to obtain the juice,
PYRALIDAE, and
SPHINGIDAE,
which includes a number that hover
in front of flowers when feeding like a Humming Bird,
Agrius convolvuli moth sipping nectar
through its extended haustellum while hovering
(Photo: courtesy of Linda Kay, Berrigan)
Many moths CANNOT feed at all as they have no haustellum.
They must rely totally on the
nourishment in the food eaten by the Caterpillar earlier
in its life. These moths that cannot feed include many of
those in the families:
ANTHELIDAE,
BOMBYCIDAE,
which includes the well known
Bombyx mori : the Silkworm,
COSSIDAE,
which includes the well known
Endoxyla leucomochla : Wijuti Grub,
EUPTEROTIDAE,
LASIOCAMPIDAE,
LIMACODIDAE,
LYONETIIDAE,
NOTODONTIDAE,
PSYCHIDAE,
SATURNIIDAE,
which includes the well known
Opodipthera eucalypti : the Emperor Gum Moth,
and TINEIDAE.
Link to
Frequently Asked Questions about Caterpillars
