Difference between Butterfly and Moth | Butterfly vs Moth

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Paper : Animal Differences FAQs | Platform : Vs or Differences FAQs | Category : General FAQs

Both species are closely related as they belong to the same order Lepidoptera.

Butterfly 

They are bright in colour, flies during the day and are found all around the world. Approximately 180 species of butterfly are there in the world. The beautiful pattern that we see on the wings are due to the pigments found on the scales. Pygmy Blue is the smallest butterfly in the world and Queen Alexandra's birdwing is the largest in the world.

They mostly feed on plant-based diets like pollen and nectar. The life cycle of a butterfly has 4 stages:

  • Egg
  • Larva
  • Pupa
  • Adult

Moth 

They're not bright in colour and is active mainly during the night. They do not have bulbs at the tip of their antennas. They are also herbivores in nature and animals like rodents, reptiles, spiders and birds feed on them. They also have 4 stages in the life cycle

Let’s study the key differences now.

Butterfly

Moth

It has a thin and less hairy body.

It has a thick and hairy body.

Wings are bright and colourful.

Wings are dull in colour.

The antenna is thin and has club-shaped tips.

Antennas are feathery and do not have bulbs at the tips.

Diurnal in nature.

Nocturnal in nature.

When in resting position wings form a right angle to the surface.

Wings usually are parallel to the surface in the resting position.

Exposure to the sun gives them warmth.

Wing movement helps them to warm their bodies.