Butterflies and moths both belong to the order lepidoptera, which translates to “scaled wings.” This order includes around 265,000 different species. Out of these, butterflies comprise about 20,000. Although butterflies and moths share many similarities, there are a few key differences. One is in the antennae -- butterflies have club-shaped antennae, whereas moth antennae are feathered or tapered. Butterflies are generally diurnal insects, while moths tend to be nocturnal. Butterflies tend to be more colorful and elaborately patterned than moths, where moths have thicker scales that sometimes give them a fuzzy or furry appearance. Of course, another major difference is that butterfly larvae form chrysali during their final transformation stage, while moth larvae build cocoons.