Some moths, particularly their
caterpillars, can be major
agricultural pests in many parts of the world. Examples include
corn borers and
bollworms. The caterpillar of the
spongy moth (
Lymantria dispar) causes severe damage to forests in the northeastern United States, where it is an
invasive species. In temperate climates, the
codling moth causes extensive damage, especially to fruit farms. In tropical and subtropical climates, the diamondback moth (
Plutella xylostella) is perhaps the most serious pest of
brassicaceous crops. Also in
sub-Saharan Africa, the
African sugarcane borer is a major pest of sugarcane,
maize, and
sorghum. Several moths in the family
Tineidae are commonly regarded as pests because their larvae eat
fabric such as
clothes and
blankets made from natural
proteinaceous fibers such as
wool or
silk. They are less likely to eat mixed materials containing some artificial fibers. There are some reports that they may be repelled by the scent of wood from
juniper and
cedar, by
lavender, or by other natural oils; however, many consider this unlikely to prevent infestation.
Naphthalene (the chemical used in
mothballs) is considered more effective, but there are concerns over its effects on human health. Despite being
commonly thought to be undertaken by all moths, only the larvae of
several moth species eat animal fibres, creating holes in articles of clothing, in particular those made of wool. Most species do not eat fabrics, and some moth adults do not even eat at all. Some, like the
Luna,
Polyphemus,
Atlas,
Promethea,
cecropia, and other large moths do not have mouth parts. This is possible because they live off the food stores from when they were a caterpillar, and only live a short time as an adult (roughly a week for some species). Many species of adult moths do however eat: for instance, many will drink
nectar. Some moths are
farmed for their economic value. The most notable of these is the
silkworm, the larva of the domesticated moth
Bombyx mori. It is farmed for the silk with which it builds its
cocoon. , the silk industry produces more than 130 million kilograms of raw silk, worth about 250 million
U.S. dollars, each year. Not all silk is produced by
Bombyx mori. There are several species of
Saturniidae that also are farmed for their silk, such as the ailanthus moth (
Samia cynthia group of species), the Chinese oak silkmoth (
Antheraea pernyi), the Assam silkmoth (
Antheraea assamensis), and the Japanese silk moth (
Antheraea yamamai). The larvae of many species are
used as food, particularly in Africa, where they are an important source of nutrition. The mopane worm, the caterpillar of
Gonimbrasia belina, from the family Saturniidae, is a significant food resource in
southern Africa. Another saturniid used as food is the cavorting emperor (
Usta terpsichore). In one country alone,
Congo, more than 30 species of moth larvae are harvested. Some are sold not only in the local village markets, but are shipped by the ton from one country to another.
Moth traps are often used by amateur collectors, entomologists, or in pest control, to capture moths. ==Gallery==