Plant Societies Botanical Gardens Hort. The adults have two pairs of wings covered with tiny overlapping scales which rub off easily, but give the wings their striking colors, although a few moths are wingless. Moths usually fly at night and have wings of dull colors, while butterflies fly during the day and usually have brilliant colors. Butterflies can be distinguished from moths by their slender bodies and slender antennae with small clubs on the ends.
Moths have stout bodies and antennae without clubs.
Neither butterflies or moths are harmful in the adult stage and many are indeed beneficial. They feed on flower nectar with a long coiled tongue, and are a minor aid in pollinating some flowers. A few butterflies and moths lap up tree sap or juices from rotting fruit, carrion, or animal droppings. The caterpillar, or immature stage, has chewing mouthparts, which makes some of them serious pests of plants, stored foods and fabrics. Butterflies and moths lay their tiny eggs singly or in groups, usually on the plant or other food that the caterpillar eats.