Butterflies & Moths

If you ever saw a butterfly or moth that looked like the one on the right, it would be a rare speciment indeed! Like most insects, butterflies and moths are symmetrical, which means that one half looks exactly like the other. If you have a small, flat mirror, place the edge of it along the dotted line to see the complete butterfly on the left, and the complete moth on the right.

Can you tell the difference between butterflies and moths?

See if you can guess which insect best fits each sentence below.

1. Butterflies / Moths like to fly during the day.
2. Butterflies / Moths prefer to fly at night.
3. Most Butterflies / Moths have antennae that look like feathers.
4. Butterflies / Moths have knobs at the ends of their antennae.
5. Butterflies / Moths have bodies that are usually fatter and furrier than the bodies of Butterflies / Moths.
6. Butterflies / Moths are usually more colorful than Butterflies / Moths.

Answers: 1. Butterflies; 2. Moths; 3. Moths; 4. Butterflies; 5. Moths, Butterflies; 6. Butterflies, Moths.

The butterfly in the activity above is named the "tiger swallowtail." Can you guess why?

Answer: Swallowtail butterflies are a family of butterfly with "tails" on their lower wings that look like the tail of a swallow. The tiger swallowtail has yellow wings with black stripes that make it look like – you guessed it! A tiger!

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