Moth or Butterfly - It's Still Pretty
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (381815)
Rockingham, Australia
August 5, 2017 11:39am CST
As a change from writing about our travel experiences, I thought I’d share what I’ve found out about moths and butterflies. I posted a shot of what I thought was a butterfly but I have a suspicion that it might have actually been a moth.
I tend to think the pretty ones are butterflies and the rest are moths but that’s a bit too simplistic. They both belong to the order Lepidoptera. Moths are nocturnal but butterflies are active during the day. So that’s one point in favour of the object of my photo being a butterfly. While at rest butterflies fold their wings back but moths flatten their or spread them in a ‘jet plane’ position. One point for my photo being a moth.
Moths are stout and fuzzy; butterflies slender and smooth. Another point for the moths. Butterfly antennae are thin with club-shaped tips; moths have feathery or comb-like antennae. Can’t decide on this one. Butterflies sport more vibrant colours. Moths have a ‘frenulum’ which joins the forewing to the hind wing. Again, I can’t determine this.
So whether it’s a moth or a butterfly, it is still very pretty. The photo with this post is another that we took at the same stop. I wonder if it’s a moth or a butterfly?
13 people like this
12 responses
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
6 Aug 17
Yes, it's a moth. Moths have feathered antennae, butterflies have club ended antennae (usually). I think that @LadyDuck is right. It's a Six-Spot Burnet Moth - Zygaena filipendulae. A good photo of it at rest! Not all moths are nocturnal. The ones which are day-flying tend to be more brightly coloured.
Compare with this:
Saving butterflies, moths and our environment Tags Scientific name: Zygaena filipendulaeJune - August. All over Britain, mainly coastal in Scotland. Medium-sized black moth with six red, occasionally yellow, spots. Frequents flowery grassland, woodland rid
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (97912)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
5 Aug 17
Whatever it is it is beautiful. Here's something I found which you'll like.
Butterflies tend to get all the glory, but moths can be beautiful, too.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (381815)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Aug 17
I read that there are quite a few exceptions to the general rules. For instance if these two were moths (the two photos I've posted) they shouldn't have been out in the daytime. And thanks for the link. There are some awesome looking moths there.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43567)
• Denver, Colorado
6 Aug 17
Looks like a colorful moth to me.
2 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (54714)
• United States
6 Aug 17
It looks like a moth, but I have never seen a colorful one before.
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@sueznewz2 (10409)
• Alicante, Spain
6 Aug 17
it's got lovely colouring... whatever it is... lol another nice phoho...
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19272)
• Philippines
6 Aug 17
Butterflies are more colorful and flutter around much than moths.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381815)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Aug 17
I couldn't blow up the photo enough to see what the feelers were really like.
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
5 Aug 17
I would say moth. Amazing colors.
2 people like this
