I was asked a seemingly simple question by my eight year old daughter while we were visiting a park – “What is the difference between and butterfly and a moth?” I had to confess that I didn’t know the exact differences, but I could tell them apart when I saw one. She didn’t think that was good enough, so we did some research when we got home.
Here’s what we found out:
There are approximately 140,000 species of butterflies and moths worldwide. There’s no hard and fast line that divides butterflies from moths, but in general:
-Butterflies generally rest with their wings held upright; moths spread them out.
-Butterflies have knobbed antennae. Moth antennae range from straight filaments to feathery or branched antennae.
-Butterflies have smooth, slender bodies and moths tend to be plump and fuzzy.
-Most butterflies fly during the day; most moths fly at night.
If you want to learn more about butterflies and moths, you can visit one of the amazing butterfly gardens and conservatories across the country. You can wander through an outside garden and see dozens of different species of butterflies on native plants. There are also conservatories to visit where you wander through a tropical greenhouse filled with spectacular moths and butterflies. Here are a few to consider:
Butterfly Kapers, Douthat State Park, VA
Butterfly Bungalows, Douthat State Park, VA
Children’s Colonial Garden, Leesburg, VA
Butterfly Pavilion, Washington D.C.
Salisbury Zoo and Park, Salisbury, MD
Butterflies:
Moths:
