Moths and Butterflies (and Skippers too)Updated April 2026
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Butterflies, Moths, and Skippers comprise the Lepidoptera, an Order of insects with four scale-covered wings, a curled proboscis, and which undergo a complete metamorphosis.
Lets begin with the wings. The Lepidoptera have two pairs of wings - a pair of fore wings (the “upper” wings) and a pair of hind wings (the “lower” wings). If you look at the wings through a magnifying glass, you can see the scales covering the wings, which is where the very name Lepidoptera comes from (Greek lapis = scale and pteron = wing). When at rest, some hold their wings flat, others folded. Some of the skippers do both, looking sort of like a paper airplane or vintage fighter jet.
Lets begin with the wings. The Lepidoptera have two pairs of wings - a pair of fore wings (the “upper” wings) and a pair of hind wings (the “lower” wings). If you look at the wings through a magnifying glass, you can see the scales covering the wings, which is where the very name Lepidoptera comes from (Greek lapis = scale and pteron = wing). When at rest, some hold their wings flat, others folded. Some of the skippers do both, looking sort of like a paper airplane or vintage fighter jet.
Next we will consider the proboscis. Lepidoptera have a long, curled proboscis, a straw-like mouthpart that is coiled 4-5 times at rest, and unfurls to reach deep into flowers to suck up nectar. If you watch a butterfly on a flower, you may be able to see it unfurl its long proboscis and feel around with it to find its dinner.
Next, let's talk about complete metamorphosis. Lepidoptera undergo a four-stage lifecycle. They start as an egg. Once hatched, they begin their larval stage - called a caterpillar. As they grow, the caterpillar molts its exoskeleton as it grows too large for its own skin.Each new stage is called an instar (you may see references to 1st instar, 2nd instar, etc when. looking at caterpillars in field guides). Once it reaches its full size, the caterpillar forms a pupa. In butterflies, the pupae is called a chrysalis, is hard skinned, and may be brightly colored or camouflaged to match its surroundings. Moths create a furry case around their pupae, called a cocoon, which adds a layer of protection and camouflage. Once the caterpillar is safely enclosed in its pupae stage, it begins to break down its cells into a sort of genetic soup. The special cells direct the remainder to re-orient into the butterfly, moth, or skipper.
When the butterfly emerges from its chrysalis, it must pump fluid from its abdomen into its wings to expand them, then let them dry before it is able to fly away to seek food. Most butterflies live only a few weeks after hatching, though some may overwinter and live for months. The Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), which occurs across much of the United States, can live up to 10 months as a butterfly.
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Pupa, Chrysalis, and Cocoon
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Complete Metamorphosis
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So what is the difference between a butterfly, a moth, and a skipper? The scientific division between them is a bit fluid. Traditionally, colorful diurnal (awake during the day) Lepidoptera are called butterflies, nocturnal (awake at night) dull Lepidoptera were called moths. Skippers were classed as butterflies, but genetic sequencing is finding that the old order of things (based on external characteristics) is perhaps not quite so clear cut. In common parlance we still the colorful, day-flying ones with clubbed antennae "butterflies," and the dull, hairy, night-flying ones with feathery antenna "moths." Skippers are often bright like butterflies, hairy like moths, and usually have curved hooks on the end of their antennae.
If you want to attract a particular butterfly or moth to your yard, you can plant its favorite food. For example, if you want to attract the bright orange Gulf Fritillary (Agraulis vanillae), you can plant one of the native passion vines. The Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus), as its name implies, feeds on the Ashe Juniper while in its larval (caterpillar) stage. The Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresophontes) likes Wafer Ash, Prickly Ash, and domestic citrus trees. Monarchs (Danaus plexippus) are fond of the Milkweeds. And if you are lucky enough to have the small Swanflower growing in your lawn, you may be able to attract the Pipeline Swallowtail (Battus philenor). In addition, if you know what a butterfly or caterpillar likes, you can know what species to look for when you are out hiking.
Butterflies and moths can serve as pollinators, but some species can also be harmful to trees, crops, or even your clothes. In Texas, the Yellow-striped armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli) is one of many common garden pests, stripping plants of their leaves. The Fall Webworm (Hyphantria cunea) may attack pecans, hickories, mulberries or other local trees, with the caterpillars weaving large webs and stripping leaves. Walnut caterpillars (Datana integerrima) may attack walnuts and honey locust, with caterpillars staying together and stripping leaves from branches. The oak leaf roller (Archips semiferana) can attack live oaks, potentially defoliating trees during their growth period. The Case-bearing Clothes Moth (Tinea pellionella) is one of several clothes moths that may invade your closet, chewing through your wool sweaters and socks when in its larval stage (and taking some of those fibers with it as a mobile sleeping bag).
In Texas, the state insect is the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus), a long-distance migrant that winters in central Mexico and passes through Texas on its spring and fall migration. The fall migrating butterfly that heads south is not the same butterfly that came north earlier in the year - it is a later generation. But those that fly south to Mexico are the ones that will come back north in the spring. To help the butterflies on their route north or south, you can plant plants that they like. The caterpillars need milkweeds - and in Central Texas two native ones you can plant are Antelope Horns (Asclepias asperula) and Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridis). On their spring migration north, the butterflies like the nectar of such natives as Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Texas Lantana (Lantana urticoides), and Mealy Blue Sage (Salvia farinacea). The fall Monarchs feed on Gregg’s Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii), Shrubby Boneset (Ageratina havanensis), and Frostweed (Verbesina virginica).
Despite their bright colors, butterflies and caterpillars are masters of disguise. Some exhibit something called automimicry - where one part of their body looks like another part. Many of the hairstreaks have a colored spot at the back of their wings and long thin wingtips, mimicking the head and antenna and potentially having predators attacking the wrong end, giving them a way too escape. Giant Swallowtail caterpillars mimic bird poo, but when disturbed may expose red antennae-looking osmeterium that give off an oder and startle potential predators. Several bright orange butterflies (Monarchs and Viceroys) use their color to signal that they are distasteful - a form of Mullerian mimicry. Many moth caterpillars look like twigs - a form of homotypic mimicry, where animals seek to disguise themselves as inanimate objects. Some moths and butterflies look like dead leaves (another example of homotypic mimicry), or match the coloration of their common background (camouflage). Others have odd shapes or bright color patterns, breaking up their outline (disruptive coloration). Some also have large eyespots or flashing colors used to confuse or startle potential predators.
When studying and learning about moths and butterflies in the past, we would catch and kill them, then mount them in boxes or display cases. While that is still practiced, and we will learn how to do so humanely and properly, digital cameras today make it easy to take photographs instead, allowing us to observe and study Lepidoptera without harming them. You may still want to set up night traps to capture moths to observe (setting up a sheet with a light for example) or use a butterfly net to capture and release butterflies after observing. For more active species, you may cool them down in a cooler or a container in the fridge to slow their metabolism, then take them out and get the photos before they fully warm up and fly away. Just don’t cool them too long - the point is to study without harm.
Selection Texas Moths, Butterflies, and Skippers
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Family Hesperiidae (Skippers)
Family Pieridae (Cabbage Butterflies)
Family Erebidae (Erebid Moths)
Family Lycaenidae (Gossamer-winged Butterflies)
Family Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Family Geometridae (Geometer Moths)
Family Saturniidae (Saturniids)
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Family Nymphalidae (Brush-Footed Butterflies)
Family Papilionidae (Swallowtails)
Family Sphingidae (Hawk Moths)
Family Crambidae (Grass Moths)
Family Limacodidae (Slug Caterpillar Moths)
Family Psychidae (Bagworms)
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Moths and Butterflies Honor
1. What is the distinction between moths and butterflies?
2. Define the following terms: antennae, cocoon, pupa, larva, and chrysalis.
3. Distinguish between three different cocoons as to species.
4. What causes colored powder to come off on your hands when you handle the wings of a butterfly? Examine the powder of a moth with a magnifying lens and describe your findings.
5. Name a harmful house moth and three harmful tree moths and tell during what stage of their lives they do their damage.
6. What famous butterfly follows the birds southward every winter and comes northward again in spring?
7. Do one of the following:
a. Make a collection of 25 moths and butterflies, with not more than two specimens of any one variety. Specimens should be anesthetized by using carbon tetrachloride or other chemical in a collecting jar.
b. Identify in the field, then draw or photograph 25 species of lepidoptera.
In either project, correctly label with name, date observed, location, time of day, and plant type on which it was feeding.
8. Describe the life history of a moth or butterfly. What lesson can be learned in connection with the resurrection of the righteous dead?
2. Define the following terms: antennae, cocoon, pupa, larva, and chrysalis.
3. Distinguish between three different cocoons as to species.
4. What causes colored powder to come off on your hands when you handle the wings of a butterfly? Examine the powder of a moth with a magnifying lens and describe your findings.
5. Name a harmful house moth and three harmful tree moths and tell during what stage of their lives they do their damage.
6. What famous butterfly follows the birds southward every winter and comes northward again in spring?
7. Do one of the following:
a. Make a collection of 25 moths and butterflies, with not more than two specimens of any one variety. Specimens should be anesthetized by using carbon tetrachloride or other chemical in a collecting jar.
b. Identify in the field, then draw or photograph 25 species of lepidoptera.
In either project, correctly label with name, date observed, location, time of day, and plant type on which it was feeding.
8. Describe the life history of a moth or butterfly. What lesson can be learned in connection with the resurrection of the righteous dead?
Butterflies from HMNH Cockrell Butterfly Center
These images are from the Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of Natural History. Many were taken on our January 2012 SAIL Pathfinder trip to Houston.