Think quick and name a type of butterfly. Monarch, swallowtail, painted lady, blue and hairstreak probably come to mind.
Now name a type of moth. Stumped? That might be because butterflies, and especially planting for butterflies, captivates our attention. I mean, who ever heard of a moth garden?
But there are actually 160,000 known species of moths( like miller moths) vs. 17,500 species of butterflies. Both frequent our gardens and pollinate our plants. But who takes home the gold as the better pollinator? Let’s find out.
What’s the Difference Between a Butterfly and a Moth?
Butterflies and moths belong to a diverse group of insects known as Lepidoptera, Latin for “scaly wing.” They have similar lifecycles, progressing from egg to caterpillar to pupae before metamorphosing into winged adults.
“Butterflies are essentially moths that have specialized in being active during the day, so they’re more likely to be flying around your flowers while the sun is out than moths,” says Shiran Hershcovich, lepidopterist manager at Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster, Colorado.
This evolution only recently came to light, helping explain why butterflies are generally more brightly colored than moths.
“That shift to feeding on the nectar of daytime flowering plants allowed these insects to shed their earth tones in favor of the riot of colors they’re known for today, which often act to attract mates or warn predators that they’re poisonous,” says Shubber Ali, CEO of Garden for Wildlife.
Other differences between butterflies and moths include:
- Moths tend toward feathery or fuzzy antennae.
- Butterfly antennae are always thin and clubbed or hooked at the end, and never fuzzy.
- Moths tend to have stouter, furrier-looking bodies than butterflies, helping them retain heat better during cooler nights.
- Moths can spin a silk cocoon to protect their pupae. Butterflies form a chrysalis.
- Butterflies fold their wings vertically above their backs, while moths hold theirs like a tent.
Of course, there are exceptions to some of these distinctions. Take hummingbird moths, which, like butterflies, are active during the day and sport showy hues.
Butterfly Pollinators: Pros and Cons
Butterflies certainly win in the bringing-humans-joy category, because we’re more likely to see them around in our gardens during the day. Beyond that, butterflies are generalists as nectar seekers, so they visit lots of flowers in a short amount of time. On the other hand, their larvae (caterpillars) chew on plants as they grow, making them seem destructive.
“But in reality, these plants are their host plants and are meant to be eaten,” says Ali. “Although damage to the plant can appear harmful, many of these plants recover quickly.”
