They all generally have leaf-munching larvae we call caterpillars that then pupate into flying adults.
While adults of most species feed, they generally only suck up liquid (such as nectar from flowers) through a normally curled up proboscis.
The primary aim of flying adults is to have sex and make babies.
Butterflies are considered by many taxonomists to be merely unusual day-flying colourful moths.
Besides their daytime activity and brighter colours, butterflies tend to have clubbed antennae rather than filamentous furry antennae, and they tend to rest with their wings held together upright (rather than flat out like most moths).
The lowlands of the Daintree are one of the best places in Australia for spectacular moths and colourful butterflies, especially in the hotter and wetter times of the year.