7 Spectacular Moths in Slow Motion!

I think all of science boils down to trying to do things in order to see and appreciate the world in a new way. Most of the time that means doing experiments, gathering data, and testing hypotheses. But sometimes I think the most useful thing I can do as a scientist is to point the fancy science cameras at some moths flapping their wings in front of a purple backdrop. I mean, who’s day isn’t going to be better after watching a pink and purple rosy maple moth flying in super slow motion. This is a polyphemus moth, a gigantic species of silk moth. What you are seeing, like all the rest of the clips in this video was filmed at 6,000 frames per second. Both of its wings have transparent windows. And if you can catch a glimpse of the top side, you’ll see how they’re circled in yellow, blue, and black to form eyespots. This is my finger, and on it is what’s called a dark marathyssa. At rest, these moths are unmistakable, they’re wings appear rolled up and held down on their sides, while their abdomens are flipped-up, held above their bodies. In flight, their abdomens still arch upwords and their unrolled wings glisten and shimmer with a metallic-like reflection. Here’s a Virginian tiger moth, these shockingly white moths are distinguished from closely related species by the splashes of yellow on their abdomen, which you can see when these raise their wings in preparation for flight. At rest, this moth tries its best to look like bird droppings. It’s common name is the beautiful wood-nymph. As these take off, especially with the one on the left, look for the cloud of dusty scales that it kicks up off it’s wings and body. While some moths might be pink and yellow, others have mohawks and fluffy leg warmers like this white-dotted prominent. And finally another big species with big eye spots: a blinded sphinx. For how big of a body this moth has, it’s surprisingly agile once it gets into the air. Going from vertically up to head-down and out of the frame in an instant. Thanks for watching. If you like this, you’ll find more slow motion insect videos on my Ant Lab YouTube channel.

Channel: Ant Lab

Views: 730,482

Rating: 4.9789495 out of 5

Keywords: Rosy maple moth, Dryocampa rubicunda, Polyphemus moth, Antheraea polyphemus, Dark marathyssa, Marathyssa inficita, Virginian tiger moth, Spilpsoma virginica, Beautiful wood-nymph, Eudryas grata, White-dotted prominent, Blinded sphinx, Paonias exaecata, insect flight, insect takeoff, slow motion flight, slowmo insect flight, bugs flying, moth flight, butterfly flight, butterfly slomo, moth slow motion, ant lab, insect slow motion, mothra, godzilla, insect monster

Id: JQL25_hoQ1k

Length: 5min 23sec (323 seconds)

Published: Tue Aug 03 2021

Reddit Comments

[u/95688it]

what this video shows is exactly what we've always thought, these fuckers are clumsy as fuck and can barely fly, thats why they always crash into shit.

[u/whole_kernel]

I saw the first moth on my door last year. It looks exactly like yellow and pink Starburst. Found the pic: https://imgur.com/a/XK6Loj4

[u/thecacti]

after playing Hollow Knight I have a whole new respect for moths.

[u/anonymousxo]

I liked the voiceover

[u/daberg]

No wonder they don't fly more, lil tubbers have a lot of work to do to get airborne

[u/Remny]

That video got me interested in what the fuzz on their bodies is actually about. Apparently they are scales made of chitin, the same stuff the wings are out of. And that it can also help against the sonar of bats.

[u/Timedoutsob]

bloody annoying powdery fuckers though.

[u/zedabyu]

Absolutely love the pink and the white moth! Butterflies aren't the only pretty ones afterall

[u/Ryuuenjin]

Who knew moths would have such big "I don't know what to do with my hands" energy when in flight