Most (but not all) moths also tend to work the night shift, whereas butterflies flutter about during the day.

Neither butterflies or moths pollinate plants intentionally. They’re simply seeking nectar, and in the process pollen winds up attached to their legs or body or proboscis and is transferred inadvertently from one flower to the next. Moths are mostly attracted to white or dull-colored flowers that are highly fragrant. They’re especially fond of Datura, Gardenia, honeysuckle, morning glory, Nicotiana, Tuberose, and Yucca (see below).

Not all moths are welcome. In the house, clothes moths can be troublesome and destructive, eating animal-derived fabrics such as wool, fur, silk, and leather. Traps (available online) are your best defense. In the garden, the larval form of several moths can be particularly destructive, especially armyworms, tobacco hornworms, cabbage loopers, corn earworms, and cutworms. Bt, an all-natural biological insecticide, does a great job of controlling them.

Yes, you can still find folks who recommend mothballs to repel rodents, squirrels, bats, and snakes, but they don’t work. Moreover, they can contaminate soil and water, and pose a threat to young children and pets. Their active ingredients, whether naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, are toxic.

If you rely on outdoor lighting for security, consider using motion-sensor lights only. Bright light at night seems to attract and disorient moths (there are conflicting theories as to why), making them vulnerable to bats.

Sphinx Moths and Hawk Moths (numerous species) are awesome, and with wingspans of up to three inches, they’re two of the largest moths in North America. They pollinate both day and night, being attracted to cardinal flowers, Columbine, primrose, honeysuckle, lilac, penstemon, and phlox. Both species produce the rather ominous-looking but harmless tomato hornworm caterpillars, which are anything but harmless to tomatoes. Handpicking is the best control method.

Hummingbird Moths are relatives of Sphinx Moths, and are so named because they hover in the air over flowers, using their long tongues to probe for nectar and looking remarkably similar to hummingbirds. They flock to honeysuckle, bee balm clovers, phlox, thistles, and vetches.

This is an almost indescribable beauty with its enormous wingspan (up to five inches!), distinctive emerald green color, and unmistakable “tails.” Once you see one, you’ll never forget it. In fact, it was a Luna Moth that prompted my interest in entomology as a kid. It’s about as cool as they come.

Fact is, there are dozens of really cool moths in Oklahoma. Among my favorites are the Abbreviated Button Slug Moth, the Beautiful Wood Nymph, and the Bird Dropping Moth (yep, it lives up to its name). To see them in all their splendor, check out this site:
https://www.butterflyidentification.org/moths-by-state-listing.php?reach=Oklahoma

The Giant Hawk Moth was discovered in Madagascar in 1882. But its existence was predicted by Charles Darwin 20 years earlier and 5,700 miles away. While examining a Star of Bethlehem orchid, Darwin noticed its foot-long nectar spur and wondered what could possibly reach the pool or nectar at the bottom. He wrote to a friend, asking “What insect can suck it?” He predicted that one day scientists would discover the orchid’s partner, and two decades later they did just that, documenting a subspecies of African Hawkmoth with a foot-long proboscis.