Moth Week is a citizen science initiative that invites the public to go outdoors, observe, document, and learn about moths – the mysterious and diverse night-lovers that surround us year-round, but usually remain in the dark.
Moth Week is divided into two annual events: International Moth Week in July and Israeli Moth Week in October. Each year, a dedicated project is opened on iNaturalist, where observations are collected.
To Israeli Moth Week
Moth Week is here!
left until the end
Moth Week has ended
See you next time!
The last full week of July
The project began as a local initiative in New Jersey in 2012 and has grown into an international event, with citizens documenting moths across the globe (in over 90 countries) during one focused week. The goal of Moth Week is to expand scientific knowledge of moths and encourage new audiences to appreciate them and report observations. During the week, hundreds of events take place worldwide, such as lectures, light-trap activities, local bioblitzes, and more.
International Moth Week was first marked in Israel in 2012, led by Oz Rittner, Curator of Mollusks and Lepidoptera at the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University. Since 2023 it has been held in collaboration with the Israel Center for Citizen Science. The international week takes place at the end of July, during the peak of Israel’s summer. At this time, moth activity is relatively low, even at night, because of the heat. By contrast, autumn is a peak period for moth activity, with a much greater variety of species observed. This is why Israeli Moth Week, held in October, was created.
The last week of October
The initiative was launched for the first time in 2025. In October, as temperatures drop and days shorten, many moth species take these as cues to emerge from pupae and begin activity that includes mating and egg-laying before the first rains. Larvae usually hatch with the first flush of vegetation, creating an opportunity for many species to secure the next generation. Autumn is therefore a peak time for moth activity in Israel, when a remarkable diversity of species from different moth families can be observed, including flagship species such as large lappet moths and tiger moths (whose caterpillars are known as “woolly bears”). Light traps at this time also attract an impressive variety of other nocturnal insects.
| Year | Article Title |
|---|---|
| - | - |
| Year | Video Title |
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| 2025 | News 12 – Youth Edition (4:21) |
Whether you’re on the scientific side or the citizen side, we can’t do it without you!
Moths are insects of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies. The distinction between moths and butterflies is not always simple. Butterflies, for example, are active by day, while moths are usually active at night (though not all – many moth species are also diurnal). The most visible difference between the two groups is the antennae: most butterflies have club-shaped antennae, while moths have a wide variety of forms – threadlike, serrated, comb-like, and more. Over 160,000 moth species are known worldwide, and about 1,200 species have been recorded in Israel, though the true number is thought to be much higher.
Familiar moths include clothes moths that damage fabrics, as well as the silk moth, which produces silk fibers. Some moths are agricultural pests (mainly in the larval stage), but others are beneficial species.
Moths play a central role in ecosystems: they are pollinators, a food source for many species, and an important indicator of environmental health.
More than 1,200 moth species have already been recorded in Israel, and every additional observation helps complete the picture.
No prior knowledge is needed – the photos will help experts identify the species, and we’ll all learn together!
For everyone! Students and university students, families and nature enthusiasts, researchers, gardeners, volunteers, and local communities – anyone who enjoys looking up (or shining a flashlight) at night. Organized events are intended for ages 16 and up.
During Moth Week, or in the days leading up to it, events take place such as webinars and online workshops with experts, as well as gatherings for setting up light traps and monitoring moths.
