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Originally Posted by Lincs Yellowbelly  moths don't all look the same, some look very butterfly like in appearance  |
And vice-versa! A couple of weeks ago I photographed something that I was convinced was a moth and spent a fruitless few hours searching through the more than 500 moth species illustrated in "Complete British Insects" before giving up. A few days later I was flicking through the butterfly pages and there it was - large skipper. (I know, I know, but I'm a complete beginner when it comes to Lepidoptera
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Quote from page 28 of the book: "There is no single difference between all butterflies on the one hand and all moths on the other and the division has no scientific basis. As far as the British species are concerned, however, the form of the antennae is a good guide: all our butterflies have clubbed antennae, although the club is not always well developed, whereas the majority of moths have hairlike or feathery antennae."
Dave P.