Loepa oberthuri moth

© Robert Thompson/Minden Picture

Info. Loepa oberthuri moth

Moths are often dismissed as dull brown insects, but there are many bright and colourful species around the world, as you can see on our homepage. This winged creature is called a Loepa oberthuri, a beautiful yellow silkmoth from China. Moths and butterflies are closely related insects. But unlike their flashier cousins, moths get a bad reputation as some of them, particularly their caterpillars, can be major agricultural pests. Scientists estimate that there are about 160,000 species of moths in the world. They play an important role in telling us about the health of our environment.