What is the difference between a Moth and a Butterfly?

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

(updated 19 March 2007)

A healthy Caterpillar can turn either into a moth or a butterfly depending on its species. Butterflies are members of just a few of the families of the insect order Lepidoptera. The members of the other families are all called moths. There are about 416 species of butterflies in Australia. There are estimated to be about 10,000 species of moths. The adults of the butterfly families have some features in common:
  • they fly in the daytime (most moths fly at night, except those in the two subfamilies Agaristinae and Ctenuchinae),
  • they have a naked pupa (most moths have cocoons),
  • the adults have filamentary antenna with a knob on the end
    (most moths, especially the males, have feathery antennae), and
  • they fold their wings up vertically above the body when at rest
    (most moths fold them over like a tent shape).
    • Butterfly:
    Belenois java
    Moth:
    Helicoverpa armigera

    Link to
    Frequently Asked Questions about Caterpillars

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