Questions people actually ask
Short answers, each with its source. Longer ones live on the topic pages.
What’s the difference between a butterfly and a moth?
Rule of thumb: butterflies fly by day, rest with wings held together above the back and have clubbed antennae; moths mostly fly at night, rest with wings flat and have straight or feathery antennae. American Museum of Natural History: Butterfly FAQ The most consistent difference: nearly all moths have a tiny hook joining the hindwing to the forewing. Butterflies do not. Butterfly Conservation: Moth myths
How many kinds of butterflies and moths are there?
Butterflies, moths and skippers make up the insect order Lepidoptera, with about 180,000 species. Only beetles form a bigger order. Britannica: Lepidoptera · checked 30 Oct 2026
How many butterflies does the UK have?
The UK has 60 species of butterfly: 58 that live here and two regular migrants, the Painted Lady and Clouded Yellow. Butterfly Conservation: Butterflies · checked 30 Oct 2026
How many butterflies live on the Isle of Man?
The Isle of Man has 19 butterfly species to look out for. Manx Wildlife Trust: Butterfly count · checked 30 Oct 2026
How long do butterflies live?
Most adult butterflies live only a few weeks. Migratory species may live up to 10 months. American Museum of Natural History: Butterfly FAQ
What do butterflies eat?
Most adults feed on nectar, but sap, rotting fruit, honeydew from aphids, dung and carrion are sometimes used. Britannica: Lepidoptera (natural history, behaviour and ecology) The caterpillar is the main, and often the only, feeding stage. Britannica: Lepidoptera (natural history, behaviour and ecology)
Can I touch a butterfly’s wings?
The ‘powder’ that rubs off a butterfly’s wing is actually its scales, so look but don’t touch. American Museum of Natural History: Butterfly FAQ
Do moths eat clothes?
Of about 2,500 moth species in Britain, only a very few eat clothes, and only fabrics from animals such as wool. Butterfly Conservation: Moth myths
What’s the biggest butterfly or moth?
The white witch moth of the Americas is considered to have the largest wingspan of any moth, reaching 28 cm or more. Britannica: Atlas moth Birdwing butterflies from New Guinea have wingspans of up to 12 inches (about 30 cm). Queen Alexandra’s birdwing has been threatened by collectors. American Museum of Natural History: Butterfly FAQ
What’s the smallest?
The smallest moths have wingspans of about 4 mm. The biggest moths and butterflies measure nearly 30 cm. Britannica: Lepidoptera One of the smallest butterflies, the eastern pygmy blue of the south-eastern United States, has a wingspan of about 5/8 of an inch (about 1.6 cm). American Museum of Natural History: Butterfly FAQ
Where do butterflies go in winter?
Butterflies that hibernate as adults spend winter hanging still in hollow trees or among dead leaves. Britannica: Lepidoptera (natural history, behaviour and ecology) Eastern monarchs spend the winter in oyamel fir forests in the mountains of Mexico, 2,400 to 3,600 metres up. US Forest Service: Monarch butterfly migration and overwintering
How far can a butterfly fly?
Painted Ladies make a 9,000-mile round trip between tropical Africa and the Arctic Circle, in steps by up to six generations. University of York: Painted Lady migration secrets unveiled Monarchs travel 50 to 100 miles a day. The farthest a monarch has been recorded flying in one day is 265 miles. US Forest Service: Monarch butterfly migration and overwintering