Their shapes and colors vary with the area they call home. They are colored to camouflage their presence from enemies. When frightened it is possible for 600 flaps per minute to take a moth or butterfly a distance of 30 miles in an hour. Some butterflies and moths hibernate, while others migrate to avoid cold weather. During warm days, they rest under rocks or on branches staying very still to avoid losing precious water.
Butterflies keep their wings moving to keep their flight muscles warm.
At the beginning of the day, it is not uncommon to see butterflies opening and closing their wings while standing still. They are letting the sun warm their flight muscles before taking off for the day's activities. The bright colorful beauty of many butterflies is seen during warm summer days, but some are active at night. Often moths are plain with little color and are active at night, but some are colorful and can be seen during the days. Some moths wings remain apart when they land, while others stand upright.