Is it a Butterfly or a Moth?

Is it a Butterfly or a Moth?

Whenever we see an insect with wings flying around, we tend to call it a ‘Butterfly’. Considering the fact that there are almost 20,000 species of butterflies around the world, we feel there is a great possibility that the one we have spotted is amongst those 20,000 types.

But there is a specie that looks like a butterfly, has wings, but is not a butterfly. What is it? It is a moth! There are nearly 1,60,000 species of moths in the world. And even though it looks like a butterfly prima facie, there are a lot of differences between the two.

First and the foremost difference is that a butterfly is active in the day, while a moth is active at night.

Secondly, a butterfly usually has bright colours, while a moth has dull colours.

A butterfly has a thin body, whereas a moth has a thick body.

When a butterfly is resting, it’s wings are together and upright, but a moth rests with it’s wings at sides.

And finally the antennae of a butterfly are clubbed while the antennae of a moth are either feathered or pointed.

Now it will be fun to recognize a moth apart from a butterfly at dusk, when both the species are likely to be out.