Lepidoptera found north of the Mexican border. The remainder are moths. It's true that most moths are small, mousey brown jobs only an entomologist could love. However, some have spots, bands of color, and graceful shapes to rival those of any butterfly. Butterflies have threadlike antennae with a tiny knob at the tip, while those of most moths are plumed or downright feathery.
Male moths use their fluffy antennae to catch the scent of females on the night air.
Like butterflies, moths go through a metamorphosis of several stages, the most familiar being the caterpillar, or larva, and the adult. All night long, mature moths search for mates or flit from flower to flower. Some, like butterflies, sip nectar from blossoms. Flowers that attract moths often have a long, tubular throat to accommodate the creatures' lengthy proboscis. There's a world of difference between flowers that strut their stuff by day and those that entice creatures of the night.