Comparison of butterflies and moths

Other taxonomic schemes have been proposed, the most common putting the butterflies into the suborder Ditrysia and then the "superfamily" Papilionoidea and ignoring a classification for moths.

There are, however, exceptions to this rule and a few moths (the families Castniidae, Uraniidae, Apoprogonidae, Sematuridae,[4] and some members of Sphingidae) have clubbed antennae.

Most butterfly caterpillars, on the other hand, form an exposed pupa made from a hardened protein, also termed a chrysalis.

The plume winged moths of the family Pterophoridae also pupates without a cocoon and the pupa resembles the chrysalis of the pierid butterfly.

Nocturnal moths on the other hand are usually plain brown, grey, white or black and often with obscuring patterns of zigzags or swirls which help camouflage them from predators as they rest during the day.

These diurnal species evolved to locate their mates visually and not primarily by pheromone as their drab nocturnal cousins.

Moths tend to have stout and hairy or furry-looking bodies, while butterflies have slender and smoother abdomens.

This difference is possibly due to the need for moths to conserve heat during the cooler nights, or to confound echolocation by bats, whereas butterflies are able to absorb sunlight.

A few species, such as the male European/North American spongy moth, fly during both day and night in search of the females, which are flightless.

However, some butterflies, like the skippers, may hold their wings either flat, or folded, or even in-between (the so-called "jet plane" position) when perched.

These moths have thin bodies and large wings like many butterflies but may be distinguished easily by structural differences in their antennae (e.g. bipectinate).