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14th Anniversary: National Moth Week 2025
National Moth Week aims to raise awareness about moths, their ecology and environmental impact. In 2025, it will run from July 19 until July 27.
National Moth Week July 19 - 27
National Moth Week is an event that celebrates the beauty, life cycles, and habitats of moths. It invites all "moth-ers" to observe, document, and explore moths in their backyards, parks, and neighborhoods. Observed globally during the last week of July, this event provides a unique opportunity for anyone to become a citizen scientist and contribute valuable data on moths.
Through partnerships with major online biological data repositories, National Moth Week participants help map moth distributions and provide crucial insights into various aspects of their life cycles worldwide.
Preparing for Moth Week 2025
What have we got planned?
The preparation for National Moth Week will focus on raising awareness, training participants, and promoting citizen science. The plan will be divided into three phases: Awareness & Outreach in April, Training & Equipment Setup in May, and Mock Surveys & Community Engagement in June.
In April, efforts will be directed toward spreading awareness through social media announcements and an introductory webinar on moth diversity and observation techniques. Participants will be encouraged to read field books like the Field Guide to Indian Moths for identification purposes. Additionally, potential mothing locations such as gardens, forests, and urban spaces will be identified and shortlisted.
May will focus on training and setting up equipment. Workshops—both online and offline—will be conducted on light trapping, photography, and data recording. Volunteers will receive guidance on setting up moth observation tools like light sheets and traps. Collaborations with schools, nature clubs, and citizen science platforms will help expand participation. Social media posts will also highlight common moth species and their ecological importance.
In June, participants will engage in trial moth surveys at selected locations. Volunteers will be trained to submit moth records to iNaturalist and the Indian Moth Database. Practical tips on moth photography and ethical observation will be shared, while event schedules and logistics for National Moth Week will be finalized.
As July arrives, the focus will shift entirely to moth-watching activities, including species identification challenges, expert talks, and live observation sessions. Enthusiasts interested in participating are encouraged to join the initiative and contribute to this citizen science movement.
Get all the guidance from the Moth Lady
Author of India's first moth publication - Field Guide to Indian Moths, Dr V. Shubhalaxmi will be conducting informative sessions to prepare for Moth Week. She will personally help anyone who wishes to set up light sheets and baits to attract moths.
2024 NMW Celebrations at iNaturewatch Foundation
In 2024, our Founder Dr. V. Shubhalaxmi launched a program for school students—the Caterpillar Rearing Project. This initiative offered young explorers a unique opportunity to discover the fascinating world of moths, often referred to as the "dark dynasty" of insects. Schools actively participated in this exciting project, embracing the chance to learn more about these remarkable creatures.
To ensure smooth coordination, we appointed four regional coordinators: the iNaturewatch Foundation for the western zone, Ms. Prita Dey for the southern zone, Nature Mates for the eastern zone, and WWF-Delhi for the northern zone. A total of 281 students from 15 different schools registered for the program. Throughout the project, students successfully raised 67 moth caterpillars and 28 butterfly caterpillars.
In total, 100 datasheets were submitted, with 93 successfully documenting the rearing process. Among them, 67 students raised the highest number of moth caterpillars, while 100 students raised the most individuals overall. The Government Higher Primary School Moodmbailu in Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka, emerged as the top-performing school. There, 21 students reared 39 caterpillars (24 moths and 14 butterflies), completing 37 documented life cycles and submitting 39 datasheets.