Butterflies and Moths
Order Lepidoptera
The Butterflies and Moths (Order Lepidoptera) includes 11,813 species across 112 families and 2,787 genera in our directory.
About Butterflies and Moths
Lepidoptera includes approximately 180,000 described species of butterflies and moths. Moths outnumber butterflies roughly 10:1. The monarch butterfly's eastern population has declined by more than 80% since the mid-1990s, and the western population by over 95% since the 1980s. The IUCN lists the migratory monarch as Vulnerable.
Economic Impact
Lepidoptera are critical pollinators. In Europe, grassland butterfly species have declined by almost 50% since the early 1990s. In the UK, three-quarters of butterflies are in decline. In the U.S., five butterfly species have gone extinct since 1950, with 29 listed as endangered.
Ecological Role
Butterflies and moths are essential indicators of ecosystem health. As caterpillars, they are a primary food source for birds - a single nest of blue tit chicks requires ~10,000 caterpillars. Adult moths pollinate many night-blooming plants.
Families in Lepidoptera (112)
Species in Lepidoptera (11,813)
Ponometia megocula - Hodges#9117
Ponometia megocula
Ponometia parvula - Hodges#9083
Ponometia parvula
Ponometia phecolisca - Hodges#9098
Ponometia phecolisca
Ponometia pulchra - Hodges#9104
Ponometia pulchra
Ponometia sutrix - Hodges#9119
Ponometia sutrix
Ponometia tripartita - Hodges#9118
Ponometia tripartita
Ponometia venustula - Hodges#9087
Ponometia venustula
Porcelain Gray
Protoboarmia procelaria
Pork Vine Plume Moth - Hodges#6160.1
Adaina ipomoeae
Porphyrosela desmodiella - Hodges#0843
Porphyrosela desmodiella
Posturing Arta Moth
Arta statalis
Povolnya quercinigrella - Hodges#0627
Povolnya quercinigrella
Primrose Cochylid Moth - Hodges#3848
Atroposia oenotherana
Primrose Moth
Schinia florida
Prionapteryx Moth - Hodges#5336
Prionapteryx serpentella
Prionapteryx achatina - Hodges#5334
Prionapteryx achatina
Prionapteryx yavapai - Hodges#5332
Prionapteryx yavapai
Prionomelia spododea - Hodges#6613
Prionomelia spododea
Privet Tortrix Moth
Clepsis consimilana
Prochoerodes amplicineraria - Hodges#6978
Prochoerodes amplicineraria
Prochoerodes olivata - Hodges#6983
Prochoerodes olivata
Prochoreutis extrincicella - Hodges#2632
Prochoreutis extrincicella
Prochoreutis palinura - Hodges#2629.1
Prochoreutis palinura
Procymbopteryx belialis - Hodges#4803
Procymbopteryx belialis
Prodoxus aenescens - Hodges#0208
Prodoxus aenescens
Prodoxus coloradensis - Hodges#0202
Prodoxus coloradensis
Prodoxus decipiens - Hodges#0200.1
Prodoxus decipiens
Prodoxus mapimiensis - Hodges#208.7
Prodoxus mapimiensis
Prodoxus phylloryctus - Hodges#0202.2
Prodoxus phylloryctus
Prodoxus y-inversus - Hodges#0201
Prodoxus y-inversus
Projecta Gray - Hodges#6595
Cleora projecta
Prolata Melipotis - Hodges#8606
Melipotis prolata
Prolita barnesiella - Hodges#1883
Prolita barnesiella
Prolita dialis - Hodges#1885
Prolita dialis
Prolita geniata - Hodges#1886
Prolita geniata
Prolita incicur - Hodges#1887
Prolita incicur
Prolita invariabilis - Hodges#1888
Prolita invariabilis
Prolita jubata - Hodges#1889
Prolita jubata
Prolita pagella - Hodges#1893
Prolita pagella
Prolita rectistrigella - Hodges#1897
Prolita rectistrigella
Prolita sironae - Hodges#1899
Prolita sironae
Promethea Moth
Callosamia promethea
Promiscuous Angle Moth
Macaria promiscuata
Promylea lunigerella - Hodges#5727
Promylea lunigerella
Pronoctua peabodyae - Hodges#11050.1
Pronoctua peabodyae
Pronoctua pyrophiloides - Hodges#11050
Pronoctua pyrophiloides
Pronoctua typica - Hodges#11049
Pronoctua typica
Properigea loculosa - Hodges#9587
Properigea loculosa
Properigea mephisto - Hodges#9591
Properigea mephisto
Properigea niveirena - Hodges#9596
Properigea niveirena
Properigea perolivalis - Hodges#9595
Properigea perolivalis
Properigea seitzi - Hodges#9593
Properigea seitzi
Properigea suffusa - Hodges#9594
Properigea suffusa
Propertius Duskywing - Hodges#3949
Erynnis propertius
Prorasea fernaldi - Hodges#4919
Prorasea fernaldi
Prorasea praeia - Hodges#4918
Prorasea praeia
Prorasea sideralis - Hodges#4920
Prorasea sideralis
Prorasea simalis - Hodges#4916
Prorasea simalis
Prorella albida - Hodges#7614
Prorella albida
Prorella artestata - Hodges#7620
Prorella artestata
Prorella gypsata - Hodges#7611
Prorella gypsata
Prorella insipidata - Hodges#7622
Prorella insipidata
Prorella irremorata - Hodges#7616
Prorella irremorata
Prorella leucata - Hodges#7613
Prorella leucata
Prorella mellisa - Hodges#7621
Prorella mellisa
Prorella neremorata - Hodges#7616.1
Prorella neremorata
Prorella opinata - Hodges#7623
Prorella opinata
Prorella remorata - Hodges#7618
Prorella remorata
Prorella tremorata - Hodges#7617
Prorella tremorata
Proserpinus juanita - Hodges#7875
Proserpinus juanita
Prosoparia floridana - Hodges#8419.2
Prosoparia floridana
Prosoparia perfuscaria - Hodges#8419
Prosoparia perfuscaria
Prostomeus brunneus - Hodges#2256
Prostomeus brunneus
Protapamea danieli - Hodges#9454.2
Protapamea danieli
Protapamea louisae - Hodges#9454.3
Protapamea louisae
Proteoteras obnigrana - Hodges#3237
Proteoteras obnigrana
Prothrinax luteomedia - Hodges#9829
Prothrinax luteomedia
Protitame cervula - Hodges#6422
Protitame cervula
Protogygia arena - Hodges#10900.1
Protogygia arena
Protogygia enalaga - Hodges#10893
Protogygia enalaga
Protogygia lagena - Hodges#10892
Protogygia lagena
Protogygia pallida - Hodges#10692.1
Protogygia pallida
Protogygia pectinata - Hodges#10896.1
Protogygia pectinata
Protoperigea calientensis - Hodges#9643.4
Protoperigea calientensis
Protoperigea parvulata - Hodges#9643.3
Protoperigea parvulata
Protoperigea posticata - Hodges#9643
Protoperigea posticata
Protoperigea subterminata - Hodges#9643.2
Protoperigea subterminata
Protoproutia laredoata - Hodges#7093
Protoproutia laredoata
Protoproutia rusticaria - Hodges#7092
Protoproutia rusticaria
Protoschinia nuchalis - Hodges#11082
Protoschinia nuchalis
Provia argentata - Hodges#10025
Provia argentata
Psamathia placidaria - Hodges#7657.1
Psamathia placidaria
Psamatodes atrimacularia - Hodges#6328.1
Psamatodes atrimacularia
Psamatodes everiata - Hodges#6333
Psamatodes everiata
Psamatodes trientata - Hodges#6332.1
Psamatodes trientata
Psammathodoxa cochlidioides - Hodges#8529
Psammathodoxa cochlidioides
Psammopolia insolens - Hodges#10366
Psammopolia insolens
Psaphida damalis - Hodges#10015
Psaphida damalis
Psara dryalis - Hodges#5269
Psara dryalis
Psectrotarsia hebardi - Hodges#11067
Psectrotarsia hebardi