The Moth Photographers Group exists as a non-profit, self-help organization for the purpose of aiding nature photographers and others in the identification of moths. The ultimate aim of the organization is to make available on the Internet photographs of a high percentage of the moths occuring in North America.

There is no charge for membership in the MPG. Participants agree to permit their photographs to be used on this website while retaining copyright ownership.

Staff:

Steve Nanz -- Editor in Chief
Tea Montagna -- Associate Editor, Caterpillar and other early stages
Aaron Hunt -- Associate Editor, Taxonomy, Adults, Genitalia
Paul Westell -- Photo Editor
Jim Durbin -- Photo Editor
Mike Boone -- Database Design and Scripting Support

Referees:

Marc E. Epstein -- Zygaenoidea
James Hayden -- Pyraloidea
Terry Harrison -- Micropterigoidea, Eriocranioidea, Hepialoidea, Neopseustoidea, Adeloidea, Tischerioidea,
        Tineoidea, Gracillarioidea, Yponomeutoidea, Douglasioidea, Gelechioidea (excl. Gelechiidae),
        Alucitoidea, Carposinoidea, Schreckensteinioidea, Epermenioidea, Urodoidea, Choreutoidea,
        Galacticoidea, Cossoidea: Cossidae SangMi Lee -- Gelechioidea: Gelechiidae
Debbie Matthews -- Pterophoroidea
Hugh McGuinness -- Geometroidea
Erik J. van Nieukerken -- Nepticuloidea
Jonathan Pelham -- Papilionoidea
Michael Sabourin -- Tortricoidea
Chris Schmidt -- Geometroidea, Noctuoidea
Brian Scholtens -- Pyraloidea
Ryan St Laurent -- Bombycoidea, Mimallonidae, Lasiocampidae
William Taft -- Cossoidea: Sesiidae

History: On November 14th, 2004, Bob Patterson, then an amateur nature photographer who had just started his "retirement hobby" the prior year, launched MPG. At that time the Moths of Canada (Lafontaine and Truebridge), covering just macrolepidoptera, was the only comprehensive website for the moths of North America. The authors graciously shared those images with MPG. With the help of dozens of volunteers and nearly 1,000 contributors, MPG became and remains the only moth website covering all species of North America north of Mexico and laying out images of both live and pinned specimens onto easily browsed plates. For over a decade, MPG has been the go to website for both amateurs and professionals. For more information on the "early years", see About My Hobby by Bob Patterson.

How to cite this website (suggested):

Moth Photographers Group. 2026. http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu. [accessed 15 March 2026].
Moth Photographers Group. 2026. Agrius cingulata. http://mothphotographersgroup.msstate.edu/species.php?hodges=7771. [accessed 15 March 2026].

In 2019 the Moth Photographers Group Foundation (MPGF) was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the stated purpose of funding the Moth Photographers Group Website and affiliated research pertinent to North American moth classification and checklists primarily through tax deductible donations. In 2025 the boards of directors for both MPGF and the Wedge Entomological Research Foundation (WERF) voted for the subsumption of MPGF by WERF; completion of this action is set for close of 2026.

Board of Directors:

Steve Nanz -- President and CEO
Richard Brown -- Vice President
Kelly Richers -- Treasurer and CFO
Greg Phohl -- Board Member
Chris Schmidt -- Board Member