Is It a Butterfly or a Moth?
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly |
We love watching and learning about butterflies, and moths too! But identifying the differences can be difficult.
Butterflies and moths belong to a group of insects called Lepidoptera. Like all insects, butterflies and moths have a head, thorax, abdomen, two antennae, and six legs.
There are many more species of moths than butterflies. Butterflies and skippers make up about 10% of the Lepidoptera order, while moths make up 90%. There are an estimated 160,000 species of moths.
While there is no single feature to distinguish a butterfly from a moth, there are some characteristics common to each.
![]() White-lined Sphinx Moth |
Butterfly (l) and moth (r) side-by-side comparison![]() |
Butterfly or Moth? No single feature distinguishes one from another! Sign at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson, Arizona (Staff Photo) |
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Common Moths
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Polyphemus Moth Promethea Moth Salt Marsh Moth Snowberry Clearwing Moth Spiny Oakworm Moth Tersa Sphinx Moth White-lined Sphinx Moth |
Need More Help in Identifying Butterfly and Moth Differences?
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