Can you tell the difference at first glance? Perhaps you pick out a butterfly because of it's pretty colours and it's seemingly endless motion-flitting from flower to flower,settling for a moment, with it's wings flicking up and down, then nervously moving to its next source of food. What a test of patience for any keen photographer! Another distinguishing feature is the threadlike antennae that terminate in a knob.
But then, what about the moth?
Well, you don't see many of those in the daytime. They are primarily nocturnal creatures. Their colours are usually darker. Their bodies are thick, and their antennae are feathery, which helps them to locate the scent of a female even at a great distance. A moth's wingspan can be anywhere from 3.5 to over 6 inches.
There are more than 180,000 known species of butterflies and moths. Their wings are covered (above and below) with very small SCALES that produce the magnificent colours and patterns often seen.
As any LEPIDOPTERIST (one who studies butterflies and moths) will tell you, their design, variety and incredible metamorphosis makes them worthy of study!
