One of the moth species most commonly seen is the Tomato Hornworm Moth, although it is noticed in the caterpillar stage as it devours tomato foliage in the garden. Opposite to the habits of butterflies, moths usually fly during the night to gather nectar at flowers. However, there are many day-flying moths, and many of them are brightly colored. The insect that is often considered as the most beautiful insect in the world is a day-flying moth, The Sunset Moth, from Madagascar. Day-flying moths are often noticed feeding at flowers.
Caterpillars are the name given to the larvae of both moths and butterflies.
They are usually very distinctive, and in some cases may be identified more easily than the adults. Caterpillars eat voraciously to transform plant material into the tissues that they will need for changing into moths. Migration in the Lepidoptera is not limited to butterflies such as the Monarch. There are many migratory moths, including the day flying Hummingbird Hawkmoth, which migrates from southern parts to northern parts of Europe as temperatures rise in early summer. Moths with salt and pepper colored wings are not detected on bark that contains lichens of similar colors and patterns.