National Moth Week in the RGV 2025

National Moth Week is just around the corner, one of my favorite times of the year.  Moth Week celebrates the beauty, life cycles, and habitats of moths. “Moth-ers” of all ages and abilities are encouraged to learn about, observe, and document moths in their backyards, parks, and neighborhoods.  The heat of a July afternoon keeps me indoors. Evening and nighttime explorations are much nicer and that's when the moths come out. It's 82°F right now and I turned on a couple of my UV lights tonight in my backyard and I'm excited to see what will show up when I go back out in a few hours. I haven't been mothing in way too long. With all the rain we've been getting and less extreme temperatures, I'm hoping for a fantastic showing for this year's National Moth Week, which runs from July 19-27, 2025.

Why Moths?

Moths, like butterflies, belong to the order Lepidoptera. While butterflies are the daytime darlings, moths outnumber them.  iNaturalist reports over 900 known moth species in the Rio Grande Valley alone, nearly three times the number of butterfly species that can be spotted in the Valley.

Moths pollinate night-blooming plants, and a recent study suggests they’re even more efficient than bees, completing more visits in fewer hours.

Moth caterpillars are a major food source for baby birds, while adult moths fuel the nightly flights of bats. Just one Mexican Free-tailed Bat can eat up to a quarter of its body weight in insects each night!

Moths are a barometer for the environment. Because they have short life cycles and their caterpillars often rely on specific host plants, their diversity and numbers provide a rapid snapshot of an ecosystem's health. A decline in moths can signal a loss of native plants and a future food shortage for the birds and bats that depend on them.

Mothing in Your Own Backyard

One of the best things about mothing is you can do it in your own backyard! Mothing is an easy, low-cost, and rewarding activity for all ages.  A perfect backyard science adventure for the whole family.  For a detailed guide to getting started with your own mothing setup, see my past blog post on Mothing.

Moths of the Rio Grande Valley

Living in the RGV, we are in a unique subtropical corridor, which means we can see moth species that are rare or non-existent in other parts of the country. With your lights on, be on the lookout for some of these local moths:

Lantana Moth (Diastema tigris) - A small moth with a pretty pattern.  As you can guess from the name, their host plant is Lantana. More common in the Fall, but likely to see during Moth Week.

Indomitable Graphic Moth (Melipotis indomita) - These are one of the more common moths you will see most any time of year at a moth sheet.  As caterpillars, they feed on Mesquite.

Coffee-loving Pyrausta Moth (Pyrausta tyralis) - A small diurnal moth, but they are sometimes attracted to moth sheets, gets its common name from one of its host plants, a wild coffee that grows in Florida.

White-lined Sphinx (Hyles lineata) - One of the larger moths you might see. There are more than ten species of sphinx you might spot this time of year according to iNaturalist.  But they tend to show up late.

Local Moth Week Events

If you'd like to experience the excitement with fellow nature lovers, you're in luck. It’s a great way to learn from naturalists and moth enthusiasts and see a wider variety of species. Bring a flashlight. Here are some fantastic moth events happening across the RGV before and during Moth Week:

South Texas Ecotourism Center

After Dark - Mothing, Hike, Presentation, etc.

July 16 - 6:00pm to 10:00pm

Resaca de la Palma State Park

Nocturnal Marvels: Moth Madness

July 18 - 8:00pm to 10pm

National Butterfly Center

Moth Photography Presentation

July 19 - 10:00am to 12:00pm (Day Time)

South Padre Island Birding Nature & Alligator Sanctuary

Moth Night

July 19 - 7:30pm to 10:30pm

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park

Moth Week Moth Night

July 19 - 8:30-11:00pm

Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center

Mothing by Moonlight

July 19 - 9:00pm to 12:00am

Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park

Morning Moth Walk for Beginners

July 20 - 9:00-11:00am (Day Time)

National Butterfly Center

Smores & Moths

July 25 - 6:00pm to 9:00pm

Estero Llano Grande State Park

National Moth Week

July 26 - 8:00pm to 10:00pm

From Backyard Hobby to Conservation

Your mothing efforts can make a difference. Every photo uploaded to the citizen science project, iNaturalist, helps scientists track moth populations and range shifts.  It is also a great place to help identify what species you are seeing.  With moths facing increasing threats from habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change, your observations matter.

Whether you're setting up a sheet in your own backyard or joining a public event, National Moth Week is the perfect time to discover the secret world of moths. So turn on a light and see what creatures of the night come to visit.

Happy Mothing!