Butterflies and plants evolved in sync, but moth ‘ears’ predated bats
Butterflies and moths rank among the most diverse groups in the animal kingdom, with nearly 160,000 known species, ranging from…Read More
New South American butterfly species named for Florida Museum’s Andy Warren
Researchers have discovered a common butterfly genus from South America previously believed to contain just three species actually has 12….Read More
25,000 moths from one Florida backyard show how insects change with the seasons
It may seem as though the same brown moths circle your porch light each night. But a two-year survey of…Read More
Four new species of plume moths discovered in Bahamas
Deborah Matthews hunts for plume moths in darkness, waiting for the halo of her headlamp to catch a brief flicker….Read More
Meet the butterflies breaking into the brewing business
The frosted elfin is a small brown butterfly about the size of a nickel. Despite its unremarkable appearance, this rare…Read More
Akito Kawahara named UF Research Foundation professor
The University of Florida Research Foundation has named Florida Museum of Natural History researcher Akito Kawahara a UFRF Professor for 2019-2022….Read More
New butterfly named for pioneering 17th-century entomologist Maria Sibylla Merian
More than three centuries before initiatives to increase the number of women in STEM fields, 52-year-old Maria Sibylla Merian sailed…Read More
Florida monarch butterfly populations have dropped 80 percent since 2005
A 37-year survey of monarch populations in North Central Florida shows that caterpillars and butterflies have been declining since 1985…Read More
Hollow trees host massive moth slumber parties
Unlike social insects such as bees and ants, moths are generally loners. So, when Florida Museum of Natural History lepidopterist…Read More
Moths with larger hindwings and longer tails are best at deflecting bats
Each night, dramatic aerial battles are waged above our heads, complete with barrel rolls, razor-sharp turns, sonar jamming, cloaking devices…Read More