Why moths are better than butterflies

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more. Skip to main content Skip to acknowledgement of country Skip to footer On this page Differences between moths and butterflies. This wing-locking structure is absent in all other butterflies and skippers, and in some families of moths.

This structure does not occur in butterflies, and only in one species of skipper. These are used to detect minute quantities of airborne sex pheromones produced by the female moths. They are often mistaken for butterflies. The adults are usually active from dusk to early evening. This lichen moth makes an elaborate open mesh cocoon using the shed hairs from the hairy caterpillar which are held together with silk.

The pupa is suspended in the middle. Moths : Have simple thread-like or 'feathery' antenna without a club Butterflies and Skippers : Have a thickened club or hook on the tip of the antenna, never 'feathery' Exceptions : Several families of moths have antenna with clubs, most notably the Castniidae Sun Moths. The next step is to point out the useful rules of thumb. No UK butterflies have feathery antennae, but some butterflies and moths have rather similar shaped antennae e.

Dingy Skipper and Six-spot Burnet. Butterflies normally fold their wings vertically over their backs while most moths hold their wings horizontally when at rest although quite a few Geometrids, such as the Thorns, hold them vertically or at an angle.

The fact that in English at least, society has different words and, indeed, very different attitudes to them is largely a cultural concept rather than a scientific one. All moths and butterflies belong to the group Lepidoptera, which is one of the great, mega-diverse insect Orders on the planet, comprising some , species worldwide of which only c.

A similar situation exists in Britain where we have only about 60 butterfly species but over 2, recorded moths. Even more perplexing is the state of higher taxonomy among butterflies and moths. Generally speaking, the inter-relationships between species are very well known for the butterflies and moths that occur in the UK. We know which ones are closely related to each other i. These inter-relationships tend to feel familiar and stable, although changes do take place from time to time.

And if none of this has convinced you, know this: butterflies are actually just a minor subset of moths. This article was originally published on the Conversation. Read the original article here. This article includes content hosted on counter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as the provider may be using cookies and other technologies.

To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Environment Climate crisis Wildlife Energy Pollution. Guardian Comment Network Insects. This article is more than 6 years old. The fear and contempt around moths is unfair. Some are as beautiful as butterflies, and they are arguably more useful.

Mon 22 Dec Moths are vital pollinators But beyond their beauty, moths also perform vital roles in the natural communities to which they belong.