The Chinese-language edition of Encyclopedia Americana says plainly: "Ecologically, butterflies and moths are extremely important because their larvae consume large quantities of plant matter, the adult insects transfer pollen when they visit flowers to drink nectar, and they also serve as food for many other animals."
《大美百科全書》寫的直接明白：「對生態系而言，蝶與蛾非常重要。因為幼蟲會大量攝食植物，成蟲訪花吸蜜達到花粉的傳播，同時它們也成為其他動物的食物。」