#lepidoptrids

Careful not to sneeze on the Peppered moth! This species gets its name from its distinctive speckles-- black spots on a white background. The pattern helps it blend in with the trees it rests on, and varies greatly according to the average color of trees in a population's territory. In fact, the distinct differences have often been used as an example of natural selection and evolution! At the turn of the century, the light-colored trees this species used became blackened by soot, and so naturalists were able to observe the population's colouring shift over time to reflect their new surroundings.

(Images: Two peppered moths (Biston betularia) one light morph and one dark morph-- against a light and dark tree background by John S. Hayward)

Although they're most commonly known as clothes moths, members of the family Tineidae do much more than chow down on your sweaters! The caterpillars of these species feed on keratin, a protein found in natural fibres, and are often found chowing down on many different clothing materials such as silk, wool, and leather! Others may prefer more organic food sources such as fungi, detritus, and even guano.

(Image: A common clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella) by Andrey Ponomarev)