1: 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.
2: Do butterflies have any of our five senses?
To some extent, adult butterflies have all five senses. They have huge eyes so they see very well. Between the eyes they have antennae. They use their antennae to smell. The sensors on their antennae are highly attuned to odors. So, by far the most important sense for butterflies is smell.
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.There are special hairs on a butterfly's feet to taste through. Wow! Imagine being able to taste through your feet! A butterfly's main food is nectar.The mouth is a long tube under the head. It's called a proboscis. It's used for sucking. It's a bit like a drinking straw. When not feeding, the proboscis is curled up under its chin.
3: How do butterflies communicate?
Adult butterflies communicate with one another mostly through chemical cuesthe. Males produce chemicals called pheromones to seduce the females. Additionally, a few species communicate with sound. The male Cracker butterfly (Hamadryas) can make loud noises with his wings.
4: 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.