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Moths and butterflies

Moths and butterflies

I am learning how to look very carefully.

I will know I can do this when:

I notice if feelers (antennae) are long, feathery, or have knobs at the end.
I notice if wings are lying flat or sitting up.
I use what I notice to decide if I am looking at a butterfly or a moth.
I only use evidence I can see.

Butterflies and moths are very alike.

But if you look carefully, you can tell them apart.

Butterfly-face TRANSPARENT.png

Butterflies have long, thin feelers (antennae) with knobs at the end.

A butterfly's head

Moths' feelers can be feathery.

Or they can be thin like a butterfly's, but without knobs at the end.

A moth's head

butterfly with folded-wings

Butterflies rest with their wings together.

moth with wings flat

Moths rest with their wings flat.

Question

What do you notice? (Choose as many things as you can see.)

- Its feelers have knobs.
- Its feelers are thin with no knobs.
- Its feelers are feathery.
- It is sitting with its wings together.
- It is sitting with its wings flat.

Question

What do you notice? (Choose as many things as you can see.)

- Its feelers have knobs.
- Its feelers are thin with no knobs.
- Its feelers are feathery.
- It is sitting with its wings together.
- Its sitting with its wings flat.

Question

What do you notice? (Choose as many things as you can see.)

- Its feelers have knobs.
- Its feelers are thin with no knobs.
- Its feelers are feathery.
- It is sitting with its wings together.
- It is sitting with its wings flat.

Question

butterfly or moth?

What do you notice? (Choose as many things as you can see.)

- Its feelers have knobs.
- Its feelers are thin with no knobs.
- Its feelers are feathery.
- It is sitting with its wings together.
- It is sitting with its wings flat.

Question

butterfly or moth?

What do you notice? (Choose as many things as you can see.)

- Its feelers have knobs.
- Its feelers are thin with no knobs.
- Its feelers are feathery.
- It is sitting with its wings together.
- It is sitting with its wings flat.

Question

What do you notice? (Choose as many things as you can see.)

- Its feelers have knobs.
- Its feelers are thin with no knobs.
- Its feelers are feathery.
- It is sitting with its wings together.
- It is sitting with its wings flat.

Diagnostic and formative information:

Trialled with 19 Year 2 students, October 2016

Most of the trial students correctly classified moths and butterflies. The two most difficult were the common blue and the puriri.

More students used just one feature to classify than two. The exception was the common blue, where more students selected both features. Most who chose one feature were not consistent, sometimes choosing the antennae and at other times choosing the wings.

Next steps:

Observation

Encourage students to be careful with their observations. In some of the examples it is difficult to see the details of the feelers/antennae (e.g., the white butterfly) or to identify which bit is the antenna (e.g., the puriri). Ask students to point out the details. Promote the idea that in science we need to be really sure about what we see, and details we can't see shouldn't be used as evidence.

Discuss the puriri moth, which doesn't have its wings flat or together. Again, it is also not easy to see the position of the wings. Students are likely to try to use criteria even when they don't fit. (Some moths do sit with their wings draped over their backs, as in this example.) This example was deliberately included to provide opportunities to discuss examples where it is difficult to make a decision. Encourage students to think of observation as more than just looking. They also need to be thinking about what they are looking at.

Compare butterflies and moths (real or photographs) to see if they can notice other differences (e.g., moths are often furry and dull coloured). Can they also find exceptions?

Classification

Promote the idea that, to fit a particular classification, all the relevant features should be present. However, structural features (e.g., feelers) are more reliable than behavioural (e.g., wing position when sitting).

Use the example below to investigate this question.

red admiral

This red admiral's feelers have knobs at the end, but its wings are lying flat. Which would be the most important evidence to use to decide if it's a moth or a butterfly? The feelers or the wings? Why do you think this?

Example of a student response to this question:

The feelers, because it doesn't matter how you sit, it matters what you look like.