Differences between butterfly, skipper, moth
| True butterfly | Skipper | Moth |
|---|---|---|
| Larger | Smaller | Smaller |
| Antennae thin, with club-shaped tips | Antennae thin, with clubbed and hooked tips | Antennae feathery or comb-shaped, or filamentous and unclubbed |
| Usually brightly colored | Usually dull orange, tan, gold, or brown | Usually drab: brown, gray, black, white, or combination; often a camouflage pattern |
| Active in daytime | Active in daytime | Active at night |
| At rest, wings usually held upright and together | At rest, forewings upright and together and hindwings held horizontally | At rest, wings held flat out to the sides or folded atop the body |
| Body smooth, slender | Body stout | Body plump, hairy, or funny-looking |