How do you know the difference between a moth and a butterfly?

Butterflies usually have ‘club-shaped’ antennae while most moths have feathery or tapering ones. No UK butterflies have feathery antennae, but some butterflies and moths have rather similar shaped antennae (e.g. Dingy Skipper and Six-spot Burnet).

What are 3 differences between butterflies and moths?

General Appearance. Widely speaking, moths tend to be stockier and have furry bodies, whereas butterflies are smooth and lean. This difference in appearance is due to scale size; butterflies possess far smaller scales.

Is there a difference between moth and butterfly caterpillars?

One of the main differences between moths and butterflies is how they reach their adult stage. Both go through a metamorphosis from the pupae stage, but what they’re in differs. Butterfly caterpillars become a chrysalis as their pupae stage. Moths, on the other hand, make a cocoon.

What’s the difference between a moth and a butterfly?

What’s the Difference Between a Moth and a Butterfly? Queen Alexandra Birdwings are the largest butterflies. Males grow to 6.7 to 7.4 inches (17 to 19 cm). (Image credit: Wtolenaars | Dreamstime) Moths and butterflies both belong to the order Lepidoptera, but there are numerous physical and behavioral differences between the two insect types.

Is there a higher taxonomy among butterflies and moths?

Even more perplexing is the state of higher taxonomy among butterflies and moths. Generally speaking, the inter-relationships between species are very well known for the butterflies and moths that occur in the UK.

Are butterflies Macro or micro moths?

Instead, the evidence suggests that Pyraloids (Pyralids and Crambids), normally considered micros, are more closely related to the main macro-moths families (e.g. Noctuids, Geometrids, hawk-moths etc.) than butterflies are. So, if they are not ‘macros’, butterflies must sit somewhere among the micro-moth groups.

What is the color of a moth’s wings?

Coloration of the wings. Most butterflies have bright colors on their wings. Nocturnal moths on the other hand are usually plain brown, gray, white or black and often with obscuring patterns of zigzags or swirls which help camouflage them as they rest during the day.