Editing Moth (section)

{{Short description|Group of mostly-nocturnal insects in the order Lepidoptera}}
{{other uses}}
{{pp-semi-indef|small=yes}}
{{Paraphyletic group
| name = Moths
| image = Attacus_atlas_(15050883139).jpg
| image_alt = large reddish-brown moth perched on a leaf
| image_caption = Atlas moth, ''[[Attacus atlas]]''
| auto = yes
| taxon = Lepidoptera
| includes_text = Major divisions
| includes = 
*[[Aglossata]]
*[[Glossata]] (excluding [[butterflies]])
*[[Heterobathmiina]]
*[[Zeugloptera]]
}}

'''Moths''' are a group of insects that includes all members of the order [[Lepidoptera]] that are not [[Butterfly|butterflies]].<ref name=Heppner>{{cite book|last1=Heppner |first1=J.B. |year=2008 |chapter=Moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) |editor-last=Capinera |editor-first=J.L. |title=Encyclopedia of Entomology |pages=2491–2494 |publisher=Springer, Dordrecht |doi=10.1007/978-1-4020-6359-6_4705|isbn=978-1-4020-6242-1 }}</ref> They were previously classified as suborder '''Heterocera''', but the group is [[Paraphyly|paraphyletic]] with respect to butterflies (suborder Rhopalocera) and neither subordinate taxon is used in modern classifications. Moths make up the vast majority of the order. There are approximately 160,000 [[species]] of moth,<ref>{{cite web | title=Moths | work=Smithsonian Institution | url=http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/moths.htm | access-date=12 January 2012 | archive-date=2 July 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180702164937/https://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/moths.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> many of which have yet to be described. Most species of moth are [[nocturnal]], although there are also [[crepuscular]] and [[Diurnal animal|diurnal]] species.