I'm embarrassed that I don't know the difference! I mean, some of these are pretty, but are the size of a moth, and could be a moth...I dunno? Of course there are some you can definitely tell are butterflies but I keep wondering about the 'flying pretties'. Here's one I got today on my spearmint-



And the verdict is...?

Thanks!

HI Mary its hard to tell it blends in real well with the blooms but my guess would be butterfly since it is on you butterfly bush.i do not see many moths out during the day.they just seem to try and get in my house at night thats a very nice photo. your friend in gardening.mike57

I think it's pretty. Don't have a clue as to what it is. But I like it.

It looks like a flutterby to me. Moths generally do the night, dusk and dawn visits while butterflies are daytime visitors.


moth or butterfly???

cool site, thanks! That definitely helps.

I can ID the moths that somehow get in the house and try to fly in my face while I'm here at night but wasn't sure about those in the yard - like sometimes I'd see an all-white one...I'm used to seeing nothing but Monarchs in NY - so I guess that's what threw me for a loop Thanks

Well right along with this tipic is my question.....I was sitting on my couch admireing the petunias on the window when this thing.....ugly as sin......looked like a cross between a hummingbird, a wasp and giant moth came flying in and was sticking a sucker down in to my petunias. It was awful looking but interesting. My mother in law said what have you dont mutated the hummers around here? She blames me for everything. :p I do not have a picture and the thing has not come back but do you all have any idea what it might have been?

Was it a cicada?

Cicada

here is a good site w/ lots of photos...

butterfly / moth ID

I looked and cannot find that bugger. I honestly think it was a mutant. lol Thanks that sight was great. It helped me identify some of the butterflies here on my bush. Found out that one of them is not common for Indiana at all. If I get a picture I can report it to them.

Gardencrazy, that link was awesome!! I had no idea about some of those things.. like there is a difference between a cocoon & a chrysalis.. I thought it was just a different name for the same thing. But nope, I learned something new today! Thanks! So, I guess the one that my kid has right now, is a moth in a cocoon!

Meg

I beleive what you saw,Karrie,was a Hummingbird Moth

Interesting little critters

G-Mom

Interesting indeed! You nailed it G-mom! He is here again today. I am going to try to get a picture of the little bugger but he moves nonstop!

Here ya go,Karrie. I took this one in my yard...

Hummingbird Moth


G-Mom

Their big little buggers arent they?

Oh yeah G-mom that link says "how to rear these moths" Why would you want to?

When moths sit still it's with both their wings out.

When butterflies sit, it's with their wings closed and straight up.