Notice that these are all moth caterpillars; butterfly caterpillars are almost never furry or fuzzy! This is by far the most common furry caterpillar that you’ll encounter in your garden.

For those of you allowing some of your grass to grow long over the next few months, here are some of the top grass-loving butterfly and moth species to look out for in your new wildlife-friendly lawn.

Few places host more species than California’s Mojave Desert, a center of biodiversity for lepidoptera, the insect family encompassing roughly 180,000 known moth and butterfly species.

Comparison of over 200 high-quality butterfly and moth genomes reveals key insights ... to genetic diversity within these insects. This can guide efforts to protect and preserve specific species ...

When folded in rest, the Mission blue butterfly’s wings are grey and dotted with black — no more special than a common house moth’s. Unfolded, this furry insect’s wings are iridescent and azure, ...