a butterfly
The moth and the butterfly belong to the order Lepidoptera, the second largest class of insects. However, the moth is not scientifically classified as a separate group from the butterfly. Occasionally, butterflies classified as Rhopalocera can be seen, referring to the thudding noise of the horns on the tips of their antennae. The moth can be classified as Heterocera, which means that the horns at the end of its antennae vary depending on the species.
colorful butterfly.
While many distinctions can be made between most moths and butterflies, there are always exceptions. For example, a moth in the family Castniidae has antennae that end in apples. The same can be said of virtually all distinguishing factors. Some moths and some butterflies will interbreed and defy general distinctions.
Still, it is valuable to understand the distinguishing factors, realizing that not all moths or butterflies fit the profile exactly. As mentioned above, the shape of the antennae is a distinguishing factor. Moth antennae show considerable variation and often look like feathers or fine fibers. Butterfly-shaped antennae tend to have a straight appearance, with small rounded tips.
moths
Both species of moths and butterflies spin in cocoons. The moth cocoon can be close to the ground and is made of moth silk. The butterfly’s cocoon is usually more resistant and can be hung from trees. In fact, the distinction between most species of moths and butterflies is that the moth spins a cocoon while the butterfly spins a chrysalis, the term most often used for the butterfly cocoon.
butterflies
Wing colors show greater variation across butterfly species. However, some moths can also have amazing bright colors. These moths tend to fly during the day and can display color patterns of bright red and brown. One group, called the tiger moth, is actually made up of 10,000 different species, all displaying a variety of colors. Some butterflies can defy the rules and have very simple colors, like the cabbage butterfly, which is usually white.
In general, moth species are considered to be most active at night, which is called nocturnal. Most butterfly species are diurnal or active during the day. Once again, there are exceptions. Tiger moths tend to be diurnal, atypical for moths.
Inchworms are the larvae of the geometer moth.
One could distinguish a tiger moth from a butterfly by examining the structure of the body. Moths tend to have plump, hairy bodies. Butterflies generally have a long, straight body. Moth species also tend to have wings made up of larger scales, making the wings appear thicker and hairier.
Many species of moths remain with outstretched wings. Butterflies can rest with their wings open for a short period of time, but longer rest periods usually involve closing their wings. This is the perfect camouflage for butterflies because they can resemble a leaf or flower petal in the wings closed position.
The silkworm forms a cocoon in which it metamorphoses into a silken tooth.
There are no species of butterflies that are considered pests, however, there are many species of moths that are difficult to live with. Some species of moths can consume natural fibers such as wool or cotton. Others can get into different grains and destroy the food. They can be tenacious and unwanted hosts. However, most of the large nocturnal moths we see are fairly harmless and should not be confused with grain- or fiber-feeding moths, which are usually about the size of a normal fly.