Q  What�s the difference between a butterfly and a moth?

There are many differences. Adult butterflies are active in the day, while most � but not all � moths are active at night. When resting, a butterfly holds its wings together above its back; a moth holds its wings horizontally. And butterfly antennae are thickened, or clubbed, at the tips, while moth antennae are most commonly straight or feathered.

Q  How big is the biggest butterfly?

Adult butterflies vary greatly in size. One of the smallest butterflies is the eastern pygmy blue, Brephidium isophthalma, from the coastal southeastern United States, with a wingspan of about 5/8 of an inch. Among the largest are the birdwing butterflies from New Guinea, with wingspans of up to 12 inches.

Q  What makes butterfly wings colorful?

Butterfly wings are covered with tiny scales, each a single color. Most of the colors are produced by pigments, but the beautiful iridescence of some butterflies results from a reflective microstructure on the scale�s surface. Don�t touch a butterfly�s wing � the �powder� that rubs off is actually the scales.

Q  Do butterflies sleep?

At night, or when the day is cloudy, adult butterflies rest by hanging upside down from leaves or twigs, where they are hidden among the foliage. We don�t really know whether or not they are sleeping.

Q  How long do butterflies live?

Although the caterpillar may take months to develop, adult butterflies of most species live only a few weeks. Exceptions include migratory species, which may live up to 10 months. In warm climates there are continuous generations, producing butterflies year-round.

Q  Do butterflies have any of our five senses?

To some extent, adult butterflies have all five senses. By far the most important sense for butterflies is smell � the sensors on their antennae are highly attuned to odors. Butterflies can also taste. They have �taste buds� at the end of the tongue, and females taste plants to identify them by using sensory structures on their feet.