What moths live in Indiana’s wetlands?

By: Susie

Read time: 5 minutes

National Moth Week is celebrated during the last week of July to raise awareness of moths and celebrate their ecological importance. Secretive and often overlooked when compared to the showier butterfly, moths are an incredibly diverse group of insects that serve as pollinators, food sources, and ecological indicators of habitat quality. 

As part of the Hoosier Environment Council’s ongoing effort to promote wetland education, we’re going to be looking at a few months that are dependent on wetland ecosystems to thrive.  

What is a moth?

Moths are a group of flying insects in the order Lepidoptera (the same order that butterflies are in) that are found worldwide. It is estimated that there are around 160,000 species of moths (as compared to around 17,500 species of butterflies).  

The major distinction between moths and butterflies is that moths have feathery antennae, whereas butterflies have thin antennae with a club like feature at the end. Although there are some exceptions, moths are also generally nocturnal, meaning they emerge at night. 

Moths begin their lives as an egg, which grows into a larva, or a caterpillar. In this phase they serve as a food source for birds, mammals, and predatory insects. Once they form their cocoon and emerge as moths as we know them, they are in their final stage of life and begin looking for a mate to carry on the next generation. In this phase, moths serve again as food source, but also as important pollinators and indicator species. 

Wetlands and moths: What’s the connection?

You might be wondering how wetlands and moths are connected. Several species of moths are wetland dependent, meaning they rely on wetland ecosystems to thrive. This is because of the relationship between moths and plants. Moths rely on plants to reproduce and feed – so without plants, life for a moth would be impossible. 

Some species of moths rely only on plants that thrive in wet conditions, also known as wetland plants. These moths are therefore completely dependent on wetland ecosystems to live. Other species may rely on a combination of plants that can thrive in both wet and dry conditions, which underscores the importances of protecting both types of ecosystems. Even for those moths that aren’t entirely dependent on wetlands, the plant diversity found in wetlands can benefit moth species by increasing the amount of larval host plants available. 

The more wetlands we protect and the greater plant diversity we foster, the more moths we can support. In return, the moths provide us with benefits such as supporting populations of birds, mammals, and insects and providing pollination services. In fact, a recent study conducted in 2023 estimated that when compared to bees, moths pollinate flowers at a faster rate than insects flying during the day. 

Wetlands, moths, and Gene Stratton-Porter

Without wetland ecosystems, many species of moths would not have a place to live and breed. In a true testament to the diversity of moths that can occur in large wetland habitats, Indiana naturalist Gene Stratton Porter details one of the best accounts of moths living in the now fragmented Limberlost Swamp in her book Moths of the Limberlost.

Stratton Porter lived near the Limberlost Swamp, which is located within the headwaters of the Wabash Rivers in present day Adam and Jay counties in Indiana. She dedicated her life to detailing the beauty of the Limberlost Swamp as it was actively being drained for development. Stratton-Porter was fascinated by moths, and her Moths of the Limberlost book paints a true picture of the relationship between wetlands and moths beyond what can be explained here.

Nonetheless, below are just a few examples of moths that we know of today that rely on wetlands for their life cycles in Indiana.

SPARTINA BORER MOTH (Photedes inops)

The Spartina Borer Moth, also known as a Cordgrass Borer, is a small, tan moth that lives in herbaceous wetland habitats like wet prairies and tidal marshes. Its larval host plant is prairie cordgrass (Spartina pectinata), which grows in wet meadows, drainage ways, and floodplains. 

EUPATORIUM BORER MOTH (Carmenta bassiformis)

The eupatorium borer moth, also known as the ironweed clearwing moth, is a small moth with translucent wings and yellow and black striped body. Its larval host plant is spotted joe-pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum), which grows in wet sand prairies, sedge meadows, marshes, and fens. Other reported host plants include ironweed.

GOLDEN BORER MOTH (Papaipema cerina)

The Golden Borer Moth is a medium sized moth with yellow wings and brown markings. It is found in wetland habitats such as emergent marshes and wet prairies. It can also survive in high quality wooded areas but prefers a mosaic of wet and dry habitats. It has several host plants, including ironweed, aster, coneflower, cow parsnip, blazing star, sensitive fern, and mayapple.

REGAL FERN BORER MOTH (Papaipema speciosissima)

The Regal Fern Borer Moth is a large moth with orange-brown wings and brown and white markings. It is found in wetland habitats such as floodplain forests, shrub swamps, prairie fens, and wet prairies. Its larval host plants include the regal fern and cinnamon fern. 

How you can help moths and wetlands

• Support wetland conservation: Preserving and restoring wetland habitats helps protect these moths and encourage greater moth and plant diversity. 
• Report moth sightings: You can support wetland conservation by reporting moth sightings on apps and websites such as iNaturalist. Be sure to include a photo and location! 
• Get educated: Learn more about wetlands and moths and the threads that connect them. 

Have a question or comment, or know of any other moths that rely on wetlands in Indiana? Email the author, Susie McGovern, Water Science and Sustainability Specialist at smcgovern@hecweb.org.

Categories: Sustainable Development and Green Infrastructure, Water & Wilderness Protection, Wetlands