Is it a Moth or Not

Objectives:

Visitors will be able to identify characteristics of moths and butterflies Visitors will be able to locate the parts of an insect on a butterfly or moth Visitors will comprehend the importance of butterflies and moths

Materials:

Laminated picture cards of butterflies and moths Brief description of each butterfly and moth Optional: Butterfly and moth mounts located in the green cart in What on Earth

Procedure:

Place the cards out for visitors to view. Ask visitors to organize the cards into groups of butterflies and groups of moths. - Ask younger audiences to organize the cards by similarities, color, size, shape, texture Once the audience has decided which cards are butterflies and moths, ask them what characteristics guided their decisions. Reveal a few common tips to help differentiate between the two insects, and request that the audience repeats the activity. To conclude the activity use the discussion questions.

Background Information:

Many people use the terms insects and bugs interchangeably, when in fact they are two different things. An insect is an animal with six legs, three body parts, antennae, and an exoskeleton. Animals such as spiders , centipedes, and worms, are not true insects but can be considered bugs. There is actually a group of insects that are called true bugs. These insects are determined to be true bugs because of the needle like sucking mouth parts. Common Iowa true bug insects include box elder bugs, assassin bugs, and stink bugs. True bugs are often confused with beetles. To identify a true bug verses a beetle, look at the shape the wings make when they come together. Beetles wings come together in a T-shape, while true bugs come together in an X-shape.

Box-elder true bug

Leaf-footed true bug

Many insects, including moths and butterflies, use camouflage as a defensive mechanism. The moths and butterflies that you see in drab colors are often boring looking for this purpose. Others, like the monarch, may be brightly colored to warn predators of their toxicity. Some moths may have eye spots to scare away predators as well.

Characteristics of Moths and Butterflies:

These characteristics are general tips to help identify the differences between moths and butterflies, but are not applicable to all examples. In fact, in some areas of the world moths and butterflies share many of these characteristics. Unless you are familiar with the species, it is very difficult to tell the larval or caterpillar stages apart. Antennae: Look at the antennae of the moth or butterfly. If they are large and feathery, the insect is a moth. Some moths have thin edged antennae. If the antennae appear to get thicker and have a club shape towards the tip, they belong to a butterfly.

Wings: Butterflies tend to rest with their wings folded vertically above their body, while moths often pull the wings in against the body in a tent shape. Moths also have a frenulum (where the hind and forewings attach together) to aid in flight. Butterflies fore and hind wings are completely separate. Behavior: Most butterflies fly during the day, and most moths at night. However, some moths are diurnal (active during the day). Cocoon/Chrysalis: Moth larvae create a silk cocoon. Butterfly caterpillars have a hard, smooth chrysalis. Both a cocoon and chrysalis are referred to as the pupation stage (process of leaving the larval stage and entering into the adult stage).

Discussion Questions:

Do you recognize any of these moths or butterflies? All examples are common Iowa insects! Are moths and butterflies insects? What makes them an insect? Yes, 6 legs, 3 body parts Which one is your favorite and why? What colors do you see? For younger audiences What makes a butterfly different than a moth? How are they similar? Look at antennae, wings What is the life cycle of moths and butterflies? Complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, adult Why are butterflies and moths important to our world? Base of food web, help with pollination

Resources:

Simple explanations and information on the characteristics of moths and butterflies: http:// www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/butterflymoth.html Great source to find information about different insects: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/ search/?q=%E2%80%A2%09Pieris+rapae&feature=INFORMATION A source for general information about butterflies and moths and Midwest specific examples: http://dnr.state.il.us/education/moth/