Moths in Fact and Fiction Trivia Quiz

Answer: lepidoptera

So, you see, they're just butterflies in dowdy clothes. Sort of. Or butterflies are posh moths. Whichever, it doesn't endear them to me.

Answer: Arthur

When The Tick was trying out battle-cries (he settled on "SPOOOON!"), his partner in insectile crimebusting, Arthur, came up with the intimidating "Not in the face!". Imposing, no?

Answer: Yes

While they fly straight when aiming at the moon, when faced with a central light source such as an electric bulb they will fly in a spiral pattern. More usually, however, they end up flying into your face or coffee.

Answer: The male releases a scent to attract females

Usually it's the other way round, with the female attracting males. Ghost swifts clearly like cologne.

Answer: Buffalo Bill

The most famous character in the movie is undoubtedly Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter, played by Anthony Hopkins. The real focus of the story, however, is Jame Gumb, nicknamed Buffalo Bill, the killer-at-large Lecter is asked to help profile.

Answer: True

One of the most common species of moths in the British Isles, the female winter moths resemble spiders. That's right, moth spiders. It's like some kind of nightmare, isn't it?

Answer: Markings on its wings make it look like an owl's face

It is actually the elephant hawk caterpillar (not a moth) with the eye markings on its thorax. No moth, as far as we know, actually uses the "Look at that thing over there" defence, but it might be worth their while learning it.

Answer: Don Marquis

Sadly largely forgotten these days, Don Marquis was a humorist and playwright of the early part of the last century. His most enduring creations, first appearing in his column for New York's "Evening Sun", were Archy the cockroach (a poetic soul who couldn't actually reach the shift key of the typewriter he used for his blank-verse expressions) and Mehitabel the alleycat, who could trace her lineage back to Cleopatra herself. "The Lesson of the Moth" is in print in the collection "Archy and Mehitabel".

Answer: Honey

With a 5 inch wingspan, the death's head is the largest species of moth you're likely to see in the UK, which presumably accounts for why it feels confident enough to wander into beehives and steal honey without worrying about being covered in bees.

Answer: Mothra

Robert Smith (singer in The Cure) took on the aspect of this terrifying moth-monster in the first season "South Park" episode "Mecha-Streisand". He emitted a high pitched squeak to defeat the Streisand menace, much like Mothra herself, and, of course, certain varieties of moth. Actually, moths aren't that interesting, when you look at it, are they?