there's something really profound and beautiful about these videos, that isn't just the marvel of incredible insects. it's the relaxing visuals of slow motion, the delicate music, and the writing too. something about: "this family is named after their famous inch-worming caterpillars, that seem to measure the earth with each one of their looping steps" moved me almost to tears. i love your stuff. thank you
Moths are tragically underrated creatures. So docile and lovely. Full of personality. I've made many friends over the years, with many different species. I've only ever seen one of these once in my whole life. It was here in Southern Vermont, 2019. I'll never forget it. I was outside on my porch around 10pm smoking a cigarette and it landed right on my knee. I froze, as I wasn't sure WTF it was, I didn't realize moths so large live around me or even existed. Biggest moth I had ever seen up until I his point was a Luna. In my frozen state I began observing it. As it made its way up my thigh from my knee I could FEEL its weight. I was blown away by how chill and beautiful it was. Once the shock wore off I gently rested my finger in front of it and it happily climbed on and I brought it up to my face to further study it in the porch light. Fascinating. Again it was actually so heavy. It had a slight shimmer and its markings were breathtaking. I placed it back on my leg and it spent a further 30-40 minutes with me. Observing me just as much as I was observing it. Once I was ready to go back inside I invited him or her on my hand once more and gently placed it on the porch railing. I bid my farewells and thanked it for honoring me with its visitation and he flew away. Life altering experience for me. The one I made contact with was nearly the length of a soda can, and it flattened its wings for me at one point, I'd say its wing span was at least 6 maybe even 7 inches. Absolutely incredible experience. ❤
@karlmuster263 Iirc atlas moths, a closely related species (both are in the family Saturnidae) might have been used as inspiration, but Mothra herself was more inspired by domestic silk moths iirc.
YES! I've been hoping (and asking in the comments) for a plume moth for ages! The shots are awesome, regardless of a missing leg and the paintbrush. Thank you for more lovely moth content!
I love Cecropia moths! We found one in September of 2019, and overwintered it until it emerged in May of 2020. We named her Randelle, and she became our CoViD-19 spring home science project.
things i have learned from these videos: -insects lift their legs (and sometimes jump!!) to prepare for flying -wings move in a complex, circular pattern when in the air (maybe to take advantage of air vortices and give them more lift?) -moths are adorable and i love them
Hey Doc, love your work, the critters you've captured and shared for us to see are truly breathtaking. I wanted to suggest adding sequences of moths/insects flying in normal speed so we can more easily appreciate how much detail is elucidated in the slow motion footage Cheers
I really appreciate your efforts, I never get to see those breathtaking creatures that close. Thank you so much. I wish we had a closer look at the ailanthus wings, it seems to have a very cool pattern on its wings, and I’ve never seen one in Saudi Arabia (where I live).
When I first came to North Carolina over 50 years ago, I worked 3rd shift in a cavernous building with doors open to the outdoors and nearby woods. I saw the cecropia moths all the time, but I also saw luna moths often as big as a piece of typing paper. I never see them that big anymore.
My friend... The work that you are doing... It is special... Thank you for the work you are doing, revealing how artistic and wonderful the Creation is... They are so beautiful... But Sphingidae are still my favourite😊
Thank you for all your beautiful videos! For some reasons I was thinking that only male moths have feathered antennae, but 0:50 showed me I was wrong. I'm glad to refine my knowledge
I have been on youtube for as long as i can remember and you are 1000% one of my favurit channels ever! SO much AMAZING fotage and amazing facts! I love when other people see the beauty of the littel things🤩🤩
I wait to watch these videos until I desperately need a pick-me-up. This was on my watchlist for 5 months. I am now going to watch it again. I still have the Beetle in Flight video to watch. OH, JOY! OH, RAPTURE! Thank you.
Love moths ill never forget finding a polyphemusnmoth caterpillar on the sidewalk as a kid...it immediately made a coccoon in an enclosure..and i was surprised after i forgot about the container and checked it just in time some time later!
Your videos are always fascinating, and this one really highlighted the jaw-dropping beauty of these gorgeous moths. I recently moved to NC, and hope to visit the Museum this year!
Primitive lineages of moths are so interesting to me…for example how many basal lineages are still around, and how they represent relics of past periods of geologic history. You should try to film a kauri moth!
A very specific question: In Dutch Caddis Flies are called "Schietmotten" (literally shot moths or shock moths) because they're supposedly slow flyers and make jitterish shocking movements while flying. This isn't a very clear description and in the video it seems to not fly in an exceptionally noticeable way so I wonder if they truly have such a distinct flying pattern (as compared to other moths and dragonflies, which is to which they are compared in Dutch and got their name from)
🤔 I wonder about whole video of just flight and music. Clearly it is a major event for them to take off that said my whole existence calms down watching this beautiful spectacle. I appreciate all the facts learning about them is wonderful.
My grandma found a Cecropia Moth on a shrub in her flowerbed here in Oklahoma! I’m not entirely sure why it was there since these things like to hang out in wooded areas…and I live in a neighborhood with pasture land right behind my house…
In San diego I once saw a huge piece of wood clinging to the wall. I noticed legs underneath it and when I went to lean in to get a look, the whole thing took off and flew away. It wasn't a huge piece of wood after all, it was a huge moth, and each wing was about the size of a man's hand. I couldn't believe it.
Disappointed that cecropia wasn't shown flying in real time (can't seem to find other videos depicting this either). It looks so huge that I imagine flight must be clumsy if not difficult.
Hey, I know its higly unlikely but, do you have fotage of a male strepsipterid?, they are really cool insects and those weird wings could make for an entire video.
I used to get mad about ailanthus but in fact there used to be Ailanthua native to North America. Thus I find it much less offensive and invasive compared to something like eucalyptus and Brazilian peppertree in Southern California
You are 100% forgiven for not moving the paint brush... that plume moth was fabulous!
As an artist, these videos are fascinating and inspiring. The way the wings move is just amazing. I'll never get tired of watching these ❤
Those moths are so wonderful!
And, the paintbrush didn't bother me. It helped to show the size of the moth. 😊
there's something really profound and beautiful about these videos, that isn't just the marvel of incredible insects. it's the relaxing visuals of slow motion, the delicate music, and the writing too. something about: "this family is named after their famous inch-worming caterpillars, that seem to measure the earth with each one of their looping steps" moved me almost to tears. i love your stuff. thank you
The paintbrush did not deter. Absolutely beautiful!
If I was ever going to ' be something', i would be an Entomologist.
Thank you for all your wonderful work .
Moths are tragically underrated creatures. So docile and lovely. Full of personality. I've made many friends over the years, with many different species. I've only ever seen one of these once in my whole life. It was here in Southern Vermont, 2019. I'll never forget it. I was outside on my porch around 10pm smoking a cigarette and it landed right on my knee. I froze, as I wasn't sure WTF it was, I didn't realize moths so large live around me or even existed. Biggest moth I had ever seen up until I his point was a Luna. In my frozen state I began observing it. As it made its way up my thigh from my knee I could FEEL its weight. I was blown away by how chill and beautiful it was. Once the shock wore off I gently rested my finger in front of it and it happily climbed on and I brought it up to my face to further study it in the porch light. Fascinating. Again it was actually so heavy. It had a slight shimmer and its markings were breathtaking. I placed it back on my leg and it spent a further 30-40 minutes with me. Observing me just as much as I was observing it. Once I was ready to go back inside I invited him or her on my hand once more and gently placed it on the porch railing. I bid my farewells and thanked it for honoring me with its visitation and he flew away. Life altering experience for me. The one I made contact with was nearly the length of a soda can, and it flattened its wings for me at one point, I'd say its wing span was at least 6 maybe even 7 inches. Absolutely incredible experience. ❤
fantastic work! and I love the color backgrounds, the way they are gently lit to compliment these flying beauties!
OMG I was just re-watching all your butterfly and moth videos the other day, and now there's a new one!!! YAYYY, you are the best!
That first one is literally Mothra
I looked up a picture, and they do have the same abdomen pattern. I wonder if they used this species as inspiration.
@karlmuster263 Iirc atlas moths, a closely related species (both are in the family Saturnidae) might have been used as inspiration, but Mothra herself was more inspired by domestic silk moths iirc.
I had a pet Polyphemus moth that I named Mothra she is such a bug cutie I have a video of her go to my channel if you want to see her❤
I knew I wasn't the only one
I think the first omega looks more like volcarona, one of the moth Pokémon.
YES! I've been hoping (and asking in the comments) for a plume moth for ages! The shots are awesome, regardless of a missing leg and the paintbrush. Thank you for more lovely moth content!
I love Cecropia moths! We found one in September of 2019, and overwintered it until it emerged in May of 2020. We named her Randelle, and she became our CoViD-19 spring home science project.
Your (incredible) footage demonstrate the FLEXIBILITY of moth wings! I had NO idea!
I love the fact that you don't play loud music w/your films...let the pictures & your words tell the story...bravo!
So beautiful. Moths are so underrated.
YEAHHH CECROPIA MOTH!!! What a beautiful creature, easily my favorite saturniid! Thank you for the lovely footage!
So cool seeing many of my favorite backyard moths in such high quality :0
I clicked on this video so fast, I love moths and very much enjoy seeing others marvel at their beauty too!! Thank you for filming this video!
Brilliant video, thanks for sharing your knowledge. Must have taken forever to create.
things i have learned from these videos:
-insects lift their legs (and sometimes jump!!) to prepare for flying
-wings move in a complex, circular pattern when in the air (maybe to take advantage of air vortices and give them more lift?)
-moths are adorable and i love them
So happy about this new video ❣
🦋
Hey Doc, love your work, the critters you've captured and shared for us to see are truly breathtaking.
I wanted to suggest adding sequences of moths/insects flying in normal speed so we can more easily appreciate how much detail is elucidated in the slow motion footage
Cheers
My wife hatched a cecropia moth from a cocoon in her office! Huge, and hugely cool to see! (Then it was released outdoors.) 😎✌️
5:36 caught myself whispering “wooow” out loud at the light flashing off this moth’s wings. your vids bring out my inner child ❤
That pepper moth is an absolute UNIT, it's amazing to me that it's even able to get airborne.
Holy moly! The wings of the plume moth are gorgeous. Very angelic. I legit thought that it had more than four wings when it start flying.
I very much enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up
The Moth Lab is my favorite science channel
Dude, the plume moths look like actual angels there beautiful
I really appreciate your efforts, I never get to see those breathtaking creatures that close. Thank you so much.
I wish we had a closer look at the ailanthus wings, it seems to have a very cool pattern on its wings, and I’ve never seen one in Saudi Arabia (where I live).
I watch almost all videos at 2X speed..... except yours, which I languish in.
Me toooooo
My atenshon span is 😢
I have more appreciation for my backyard moths now! Something whimsical about them in slow motion
I have seen a lot plants growing and flowers opening in slow motion. Never seen butterflies. FANTASTIC job! Thank you!!
As always, amazing macrophotography. Thanks
When I first came to North Carolina over 50 years ago, I worked 3rd shift in a cavernous building with doors open to the outdoors and nearby woods. I saw the cecropia moths all the time, but I also saw luna moths often as big as a piece of typing paper. I never see them that big anymore.
thank you for this video 😄😅😅❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you for these wonderful videos. To see things, in detail, which we cannot ordinarily see is so special.
Really cool & good shots thank you for sharing have a great weekend
moths are some of my favorite insects, such a nice treat to see this today ❤
Thanks for your wonderful content. I see some of these species in my backyard too and it is great to see them slowed down for viewing. Well done!
The big fluffy one is giving Mothra vibes.
Oh, these are so pretty whilst demonstrating principles of lift in insect flight so well...more moths please!
Wonderful! insects are so cool and beautiful! it's amazing to get these closeup shots of them in flight, thanks for all your hard word!
The White Miller Caddisfly was my favorite! Your narratives are great too!
your work altered a lot my respect for those who choose for different lifeforms .thank you very much
Super cool! ;D
I can never have enough of pretty slow motion moth flight
I so love watching your channel. You do amazing work. Thanks
My friend... The work that you are doing... It is special... Thank you for the work you are doing, revealing how artistic and wonderful the Creation is... They are so beautiful... But Sphingidae are still my favourite😊
So graceful and adorable
Thank you for all your beautiful videos!
For some reasons I was thinking that only male moths have feathered antennae, but 0:50 showed me I was wrong. I'm glad to refine my knowledge
I have been on youtube for as long as i can remember and you are 1000% one of my favurit channels ever! SO much AMAZING fotage and amazing facts! I love when other people see the beauty of the littel things🤩🤩
I wait to watch these videos until I desperately need a pick-me-up. This was on my watchlist for 5 months. I am now going to watch it again. I still have the Beetle in Flight video to watch. OH, JOY! OH, RAPTURE! Thank you.
Toujours des images fantastiques👍
Amazing as always, thank you very much
I've captured these moths multiple times. They're my favorite just from their sheer size.
Magnificent! How about a lab tour showing your workplace and how you make the awesome videos? Thanks!
Beautiful 😍 😘 😍 tk ❤ for all your work and uploading🎉😊😊
you my sir are a gift to society
So cool! I love moths💕 You got some amazing shots.
Love moths ill never forget finding a polyphemusnmoth caterpillar on the sidewalk as a kid...it immediately made a coccoon in an enclosure..and i was surprised after i forgot about the container and checked it just in time some time later!
Seus vídeos são sensacionais!
Absolutely brilliant !!!
Your videos are always fascinating, and this one really highlighted the jaw-dropping beauty of these gorgeous moths. I recently moved to NC, and hope to visit the Museum this year!
I have a moth obsession this makes me so happy
While doing radar research I started looking into bats and eventually how moths have adapted to combat bat sonar. Gnarly lil critters for sure
Primitive lineages of moths are so interesting to me…for example how many basal lineages are still around, and how they represent relics of past periods of geologic history. You should try to film a kauri moth!
Very nice!
i just like seeing lil bugs flap around :)
Awesome content as always!!
A very specific question:
In Dutch Caddis Flies are called "Schietmotten" (literally shot moths or shock moths) because they're supposedly slow flyers and make jitterish shocking movements while flying. This isn't a very clear description and in the video it seems to not fly in an exceptionally noticeable way so I wonder if they truly have such a distinct flying pattern (as compared to other moths and dragonflies, which is to which they are compared in Dutch and got their name from)
🤔 I wonder about whole video of just flight and music. Clearly it is a major event for them to take off that said my whole existence calms down watching this beautiful spectacle. I appreciate all the facts learning about them is wonderful.
I wish this was shot in 4K
It probably was but it’s insanely zoomed in so definition gets losted
Thems some TripleBs: Beautiful biomechanical beasts
What a treat :)
So cool! Great work!
My grandma found a Cecropia Moth on a shrub in her flowerbed here in Oklahoma!
I’m not entirely sure why it was there since these things like to hang out in wooded areas…and I live in a neighborhood with pasture land right behind my house…
Wonderful!
beautiful!
Amazing video!
beautiful.
very cool thank you!
In San diego I once saw a huge piece of wood clinging to the wall. I noticed legs underneath it and when I went to lean in to get a look, the whole thing took off and flew away. It wasn't a huge piece of wood after all, it was a huge moth, and each wing was about the size of a man's hand. I couldn't believe it.
Disappointed that cecropia wasn't shown flying in real time (can't seem to find other videos depicting this either). It looks so huge that I imagine flight must be clumsy if not difficult.
Hey, I know its higly unlikely but, do you have fotage of a male strepsipterid?, they are really cool insects and those weird wings could make for an entire video.
Lovely!
Thank for this great video but How they land too is important
Pretty!!
more moth!!!
so pretty
omgggg flying floofs!
Dr. Ling…we have lost contact with MONARCH….Dr LING!!!
The white Miller Caddisfly looks like a kaiju
Please photograph a sphinx moth sometime.
I used to get mad about ailanthus but in fact there used to be Ailanthua native to North America. Thus I find it much less offensive and invasive compared to something like eucalyptus and Brazilian peppertree in Southern California
I wonder why my mother + grandmother never liked moths but yet butterflies were ok?? They acted like they were a huge threat?
Mothra.
Awlet? I thought awlets were butterflies?
Edit: oh... Owlet... Sorry moths are much less loved than butterflies :')
Wait, moths have scales??
yep! i suggest looking at pictures! they're so cool.
Ant lab goated