The Moth Butterfly
By sofs
@sofssu (23660)
July 31, 2016 9:04pm CST
Most people get confused between moths and butterflies.. I was one among those who did.
This picture here is of a butterfly which I had thought of as a moth until recently. I used to see this one commonly on my plants around evening time and mistook it for a moth.. until I took some close up and realized that the don't have the feather like proboscis of the moth.
Do you get confused between a moth and a butterfly?
19 people like this
19 responses
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
1 Aug 16
mopths are smaller and come out at dusks. butterflies fly around during the day. well, this is my own comparison between moths and butterflies.
2 people like this
@sofssu (23660)
•
1 Aug 16
@ridingbet There are huge moths too.. and I have a lot of moth pictures taken during the day.. But these are very generic presumptions I was also under them until I came to know that the antenna is the only way to differentiate moths from butterflies..
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23660)
•
1 Aug 16
@ridingbet True.. but you also have tiny moths like you have tiny butterflies.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
1 Aug 16
@sofssu the bodies of moths are also bigger than those of the butterflies, right? moths also get attracted with light, while the butterflies, with the nectar of flowers
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169406)
• United States
1 Aug 16
Hummingbird moths are moths that are as big as hummingbirds. They are the moths that lay the eggs that hatch into tomato horn worms.
@celticeagle (189792)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Aug 16
I do get confused some times. The moth is usually smaller. There was a huge hummingbird moth on the porch once and nearly passed out. I couldn't believe it was so big and moth.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189792)
• Boise, Idaho
1 Aug 16
@sofssu ........There are others huh? Interesting.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23660)
•
1 Aug 16
@celticeagle I have seen many other huge moths other the the hummingbird moth. I was also very surprised to see the hummingbird moth for the first time.
@sofssu (23660)
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2 Aug 16
@celticeagle Yes but those are greyish and not like the hummingbird moth.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
1 Aug 16
I would have guessed moth there too
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@sofssu (23660)
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2 Aug 16
@Jessicalynnt Many years ago I had put a similar picture of a butterfly and called it a moth online.. No one pointed out the flaw LOL
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
2 Aug 16
@sofssu no one prob noticed lol!
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
1 Aug 16
clever disguise, eh? looks like 'tis made 'f burlap :D noperz, i don't reckon i've done such 'round here, though used to back'n the hills where there were more varieties 'f both. great pic!
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23660)
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2 Aug 16
@crazyhorseladycx Please feelfree to borrow the picture posted here if you need it. I would love to see the quilt.. OMG that would be a real treat.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23660)
•
1 Aug 16
@crazyhorseladycx It does look like its made of burlap, does it? It often to get into the house through my kitchen window.. I used to have a huge window box with verbenas and phlox. there.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
1 Aug 16
@sofssu sure does to me :) 'tis e'en given me'n idea fer a quilt, so's i reckon i ought to find me a pic i can borrow 'n see if'n i can make a pattern fer such. ya know, coz winter truly aint that far off 'n a gal can jest go stir crazy with those short/cold days.
those butterflies sure do love those flowers :D
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19701)
• India
1 Aug 16
@sofssu Even as I child,I used to look at all those butterflies and damselflies on the flowers.I did not know the difference between butterflies and moth.Then I thought that moths had dull colors.Then my mother told me to look at their antennae.So then I was able to differentiate them.Good photo.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23660)
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1 Aug 16
@silvermist Your mom taught you right.. the antenna is the only way to figure out which is what. Thanks for the comment on the picture.
1 person likes this
@jillybean1222 (6406)
•
2 Aug 16
I remember reading once that butterflies rest with their wings together (like in this image) and moths rest with their wings spread out.
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23660)
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2 Aug 16
@jillybean1222 True, these are the typical resting positions of moths and butterflies. Apparently these are not really conclusive determinants.. though they are very good indicators.
@magallon (19279)
• Philippines
1 Aug 16
A butterfly’s antennae are club-shaped with a long shaft and a bulb at the end. A moth’s antennae are feathery or saw-edged.
This is a picture of the moth which always gets inside our house in the province.
This moth grows as big as a saucer or sometimes much bigger than that.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (77064)
• Philippines
1 Aug 16
Since I am not really particular with them, I always mistook a moth as a butterfly and vice versa actually lol!
1 person likes this
@sofssu (23660)
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1 Aug 16
@toniganzon Most people do .. I also used to since we have some really colorful moths and some dull butterfies.
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