What's the difference between a moth and a butterfly?

One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between a butterfly and a moth is to look at the antennae. ... A moth's antennae are feathery or saw-edged. Butterflies and moths have many things in common, mainly scales that cover their bodies and wings. read more

One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between a butterfly and a moth is to look at the antennae. A butterfly’s antennae are club-shaped with a long shaft and a bulb at the end. A moth’s antennae are feathery or saw-edged. There are many more species of moths than butterflies. read more

Moths are stout and fuzzy; butterflies are slender and smooth. And wing colorations between the insect types are generally polar opposites, with butterflies sporting more vibrant colors. Additionally, moth wings, unlike butterfly wings, have a structure called a frenulum, which joins the forewing to the hind wing. read more

The difference between butterflies and moths is a lot like the difference between frogs and toads. There are some rules of thumb you can follow to tell them apart, but there are also exceptions to those rules. Next, we'll look at exactly what makes a butterfly different from the moth and what clubs and feathers have to do with it. read more