20 Fascinating Moth Quotes about the Nocturnal Insects

Whether you admire or fear the stout bodies, dull-colored wings, and furry antennas of moths, our moth quotes below are like lamps attracting your desire for knowledge.

Although moths have numerous similarities with butterflies, they are still unique creatures we should learn more about. Besides, there are nine months for every butterfly and 160,000 species of moth compared to 17,500 species of butterfly. 

So, whereas they might not receive the same adoration, moths are an important part of our ecosystems. More than their attraction to flames, moths are nocturnal pollinators and are bioindicators of a healthy environment.

Quick links to our selection of moth quotes:

Best Moth Quotes About The Underrated Pollinators In The Wild

To physically distinguish a moth from a butterfly, look at three things - wings, antennas, and bodies. First, moths rest with their less vibrant wings laid horizontally, while butterflies fold their colorful wings. 

Also, most moths have feathery antennas with no bulb at the end, while butterflies have thin and curved ones with bulbs. Finally, commonly moths have stockier and furry bodies, while butterflies are smooth and skinnier. 

Furthermore, both flying insects are vital pollinators. Butterflies work during the day, while moths are diurnal or active at night.

However, these are just the rule of thumb, and many exceptions exist. So, the next time you spot these creatures, take a picture and consult the vast sources on the internet to determine your pollinator. 

Check out the pictures with our moth quotes below to spot the physical characteristics we mentioned, or read more about the different types of moths.

You might also like our butterfly quotes that celebrate a moth’s more colorful near relative and our compilation of bug facts for more from the insect world.  

"The moth prefers the moon and detests the sun, while the butterfly loves the sun and hides from the moon. Every living creature responds to light. But depending on the amount of light you have inside, determines which lamp in the sky your heart will swoon."
- Suzy Kassem

"Nature is always lavish of her gifts even to the most insignificant forms. The butterflies and moths are richly dowered in this respect."
- Annie Besant

"The moth settled onto the curtain and sat still. It was an astonishing creature, with black and white wings patterned in geometric shapes, scarlet underwings, and a fat white body with black spots running down it like a snowman's coal buttons. No human eye had looked at this moth before; no one would see its friends. So much detail goes unnoticed in the world."
- Barbara Kingsolver

"Nature is full of by-ends. A moth feeds on a petal, in a moment the pollen caught on its breast will be wedding this blossom to another in the next county."
- George Iles

Moth Quotes And The Creatures' Attraction To Flame

When I was young, I stared at moths and insects that threw themselves at candle fires or lamps. This attraction by nocturnal insects is called positive phototaxis. Since they are active at night, they evolved to depend on the moon's light to navigate. 

As we created artificial lights which are more noticeable than the distant glow of the moon, the insects tend to have an exaggerated reaction to this superstimulus. Like entomologists, you can look closely at moths by assembling a DIY moth trap with white sheets, flashlights, and patience.

After reading the quotes below, hang your sheets in your backyard and see what moths inhabit your local area.

"Be the flame, not the moth."
- Giacomo Casanova

"The weeping of the candle is not in mourning for the moth: the dawn is at hand, and it is thinking of its own dark night."
- Saib Tabrizi

"The moth don't care when he sees the flame He might get burned, but he's in the game And once he's in, he can't go back He'll beat his wings till he burns them black No, the moth don't care when he sees the flame The moth don't care if the flame is real 'Cause flame and moth got a sweetheart deal And nothing fuels a good flirtation Like need and anger and desperation No, the moth don't care if the flame is real."
- Aimee Mann

"The moth unwitting rushes on the fire, Through ignorance the fish devours the bait, We men know well the foes that lie in wait, Yet cannot shun the meshes of desire."
- Bhartrhari

"I wish to drown in my pain, alone, just like a moth dancing to its death in the flame!"
- Nishta Kochar

Other Metaphorical Quotes About Moths To Think About

Like butterflies, moths undergo a complete metamorphosis, making them symbols of transformation. Many cultures, like Native Americans and Chinese, believe moths bring a message from family members who have already passed away. 

In Central and South American folklore, the Black Witch moth signifies death. But, at the end of the day, these are just beliefs humans have made throughout the centuries to explain the unexplainable.

So continue to appreciate our flying friends despite some of their negative connotations after reading the following metaphorical moth quotes below.

"I have a little brown cocoon of an idea that may possibly expand into a magnificent moth of fulfilment."
- Lucy Maud Montgomery

"You know what rumors are like-like a jar full of moths. Once they escape, they're all over the place."
- Rhys Bowen

"Judge the moth by the beauty of the candle."
- Rumi

"Life continues in lots of places, and life is a magical thing."
- Laurel Clark

"Life is a frail moth flying, Caught in the web of the years that pass."
- Sara Teasdale

"The atoms become like a moth, seeking out the region of higher laser intensity."
- Steven Chu

Noteworthy Quotes About Moths By Authors And Poets

Due to their abundant population, small size, and sensitivity to environmental change, many insects, including moths, are perfect bioindicators of a healthy ecosystem. Studies on Mongolian grasslands have shown how moth population and diversity can reveal if livestock plots are overgrazed².

Another research study performed on Brazilian savannahs also proved how the persistence of giant moths could indicate vegetation and climactic conditions¹.

Keen to learn more about moths? Then, read the rest of our moth quotes below to seal your appreciation of these flying creatures.

"She was drawn to damaged souls like a moth to a flame."
- Anna McPartlin

"Between our birth and death we may touch understanding, As a moth brushes a window with its wing."
- Christopher Fry

"Words betrayed her: beautiful butterflies in her mind; dead moths when she opened her mouth for their release into the world."
- Glen Duncan

"Change itself is what fascinates me. I am drawn, as a moth to the flame, by edge situations, by situations of metamorphosis."
- Annie Proulx

"Light attracts light. But sometimes your light attracts moths and your warmth attracts parasites. Protect your space and energy."
- Warsan Shire