MadSci Network: Zoology |
1. Butterflies have slender, knobbed antennea while those of moths may vary in design, they are never knobbed. 2. Moths are active at night and butterflies are most active during daylight hours. 3. Butterflies rest with their wings held vertically above their bodies while moth wings are typically held rooflike over the body or against some flat support when at rest. 4. Most moths have a frenulum while butterflies do not. A frenulum is a bristle or a group of bristles arising at one edge of the hind wing. 5. Most moths have a pair of ocelli located near the compound eye. Ocelli are simple eyes in insects. A compound eye is composed of many elements each represented by a facet. Facets can be round and close together composing the compound eye or hexagonal in shape and more separated. 6. Butterflies tend to be brightly colored while most moths are rather drab in appearance. References: Borror, D.J., D.M. DeLong and C.A. Triplehorn. 1981. An Introduction to the Study of Insects. Saunders College Publishing. Milne, L. and M. Milne. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders. Chanticleer Press.
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