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3 Common Misconceptions About Butterflies and Moths

Hi all!

      I'm back for another topic on butterflies. Today I'm going to go over some of the most common misconceptions about butterflies.

1. Butterflies are beautiful and moths are not

      While it is true that butterflies generally have more color and a greater range of it, some moths are very colorful. Take, for example, the Sunset Moth. This moth flies only on the island of Madagascar and it looks very much like a butterfly, but it is a moth. It has all the colors of the rainbow and is one of my personal favorites. The plume moths are also favorites of mine. They have long, feather-like wings that are divided into 2 or 3 different "plumes". These butterflies fly in many places including England, Germany, and Italy. Its genus has over 40 sub-families which have are colored either white or brown.
This is the Sunset Moth, which is common in Madagascar
This is Pterophorus pentadactylus, the White Plume Moth
2. If you rub a butterfly's wing, it won't be able to fly

      When a butterfly's, or moth's, wing is rubbed, you will damage the wing, but only the slightest bit and the butterfly will still be able to fly. If you break or damage a vein, It would be like breaking a human's bone, except the vein won't heal. Still, the butterfly would probably be able to fly using its 3 usable wings. 
This butterfly probably was swatted at by an animal which is why it is missing part of its wing

3. Moths eat clothes

      No moths eat your old clothes. Never. Ever. Moths do not have the mouth parts needed to eat fibers like that. There is a moth that is commonly called the Clothes Moth, but it does not eat clothes. There is also a certain kind of caterpillar that can eat some clothes, but it only eats animal fibers, not cotton or man-made fibers.
Tineola bisselliella, A.K.A The Common Clothes Moth

     There you have it! 3 common misconceptions about butterflies and moths. I'll be back soon with more new posts on butterflies. So until next time...

                   -Jack, The Butterfly Guy

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