I keep reading about moths having drab colors and butterflies having bright colors. Don’t depend on that to decide which you are looking at. There are brightly colored moths. And there butterflies that have dull colors. I also see it being said that moths are small and butterflies are large. That can’t be depended on either. There are very large moths and very small butterflies. Another point I often read: moths are nocturnal and butterflies are diurnal. But in reality there are butterflies that are nocturnal and there are also moths that are diurnal.
One thing you can depend on in looking to see if you’re seeing a moth or a butterfly is their antennae. Male moths have feathery antennae while female moths have sawtoothed antennae.
A butterfly’s antennae are long shafts with club-like bulbs at the ends. A moth’s antennae, whether a male or female, do not have those bulbs on the ends.