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)
Scudder's Duskywing - Hodges#3951
Erynnis scudderi
Sculptured Moth - Hodges#2749
Eumarozia malachitana
Scybalistodes periculosalis - Hodges#4853
Scybalistodes periculosalis
Scybalistodes regularis - Hodges#4855
Scybalistodes regularis
Scybalistodes vermiculalis - Hodges#4854
Scybalistodes vermiculalis
Scythris fuscicomella - Hodges#1659
Scythris fuscicomella
Scythris immaculatella - Hodges#1668
Scythris immaculatella
Scythris mixaula - Hodges#1665
Scythris mixaula
Seagrape Borer - Hodges#6082
Hexeris enhydris
Sedge Fanner
Glyphipterix forsterella
Semaeopus cantona - Hodges#7143
Semaeopus cantona
Semioscopis aurorella - Hodges#0916
Semioscopis aurorella
Semioscopis merriccella - Hodges#0913
Semioscopis merriccella
Semirelict Underwing
Catocala semirelicta
Sentinel Arctic - Hodges#4612.1
Oeneis alpina
Serene Underwing - Hodges#8779
Catocala serena
Seriated Aethes Moth - Hodges#3760.1
Aethes seriatana
Sericosema simularia - Hodges#6675
Sericosema simularia
Serrated Eulithis - Hodges#7208
Eulithis serrataria
Serviceberry Leafroller - Hodges#2821
Olethreutes appendiceum
Sesia augeri - Hodges#2543.2
Sesia augeri
Sesia pacificum - Hodges#2543.01
Sesia pacificum
Setagrotis radiola - Hodges#10976
Setagrotis radiola
Shadowed Hairstreak - Hodges#4335.5
Michaelus ira
Shagreened Slug Moth
Apoda biguttata
Shaler's Fabiola Moth - Hodges#1050
Fabiola shaleriella
Sharp-angled Carpet Moth
Euphyia intermediata
Sharp-lined Powder Moth - Hodges#6639
Eufidonia discospilata
Sharp-stigma Looper Moth
Ctenoplusia oxygramma
Shattered Hydriomena - Hodges#7229
Hydriomena perfracta
Sheathed Quaker - Hodges#10567
Ulolonche culea
Sheppard’s Plume Moth - Hodges#6091.1
Geina sheppardi
Shiny Gray Carpet Moth - Hodges#7333
Stamnodes gibbicostata
Shivering Pinion - Hodges#9904
Lithophane querquera
Short-lined Chocolate - Hodges#8764
Argyrostrotis anilis
Short-tailed Skipper - Hodges#3882
Zestusa dorus
Showy Emerald Moth
Dichorda iridaria
Sicya laetula - Hodges#6913
Sicya laetula
Sicya morsicaria - Hodges#6915
Sicya morsicaria
Sicya olivata - Hodges#6916
Sicya olivata
Sicya pergilvaria - Hodges#6914
Sicya pergilvaria
Sideridis fuscolutea - Hodges#10256
Sideridis fuscolutea
Sideridis mojave - Hodges#10260
Sideridis mojave
Sideridis ruisa - Hodges#10262
Sideridis ruisa
Siederia walshella - Hodges#0435
Siederia walshella
Sierra Nevada Checkerspot - Hodges#4492.1
Chlosyne whitneyi
Sierra Skipper
Hesperia miriamae
Sierra Sulphur - Hodges#4219
Colias behrii
Sigela basipunctaria - Hodges#8434
Sigela basipunctaria
Sigela eoides - Hodges#8435
Sigela eoides
Sigela lynx - Hodges#8435.3
Sigela lynx
Sigela minuta - Hodges#9081.1
Sigela minuta
Sigela rosea - Hodges#8435.2
Sigela rosea
Sigela sordes - Hodges#8435.1
Sigela sordes
Sigmoid Dart - Hodges#11007
Eueretagrotis sigmoides
Signate Melanolophia
Melanolophia signataria
Signate Pinion - Hodges#9895
Lithophane signosa
Silver-spotted Ghost Moth - Hodges#0018
Sthenopis argenteomaculatus
Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreis clarus
Silver-spotted Tiger Moth - Hodges#8209
Lophocampa argentata
Silver-studded Leafwing
Hypna clytemnestra
Silvery Checkerspot Butterfly
Chlosyne nycteis
Simius Skipper - Hodges#4089
Notamblyscirtes simius
Simplicia cornicalis - Hodges#8339.1
Simplicia cornicalis
Singed Pinion - Hodges#9885
Lithophane semiusta
Single-dotted Wave Moth
Idaea dimidiata
Sinoe chambersi - Hodges#1834.1
Sinoe chambersi
Sinoe kwakae - Hodges#1834.2
Sinoe kwakae
Sinoe robiniella - Hodges#1834
Sinoe robiniella
Sisyracera subulalis - Hodges#5194
Sisyracera subulalis
Six-spotted Aroga - Hodges#2187
Aroga compositella
Skiff Moth
Prolimacodes badia
Slaty Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4102
Amblyscirtes nereus
Slave Dart - Hodges#10854
Euxoa servitus
Sleeping Baileya Moth
Baileya dormitans
Sleepy Orange Sulphur
Abaeis nicippe
Slossonella tenebrosa - Hodges#4655
Slossonella tenebrosa
Small Bird Dropping Moth
Ponometia erastrioides
Small Brown Quaker - Hodges#10578
Pseudorthodes vecors
Small Checkered-Skipper - Hodges#3965
Pyrgus scriptura
Small Clouded Brindle Moth
Apamea unanimis
Small Engrailed Moth
Ectropis crepuscularia
Small Frosted Wave Moth - Hodges#7149
Scopula lautaria
Small Hazel Purple
Eriocrania chrysolepidella
Small Magpie Moth
Anania hortulata
Small Mossy Glyph Moth
Lithacodia musta
Small Necklace Moth
Hypsoropha hormos
Small Phigalia Moth
Phigalia strigataria
Small Pine Looper - Hodges#7449
Eupithecia palpata
Small Wood-Nymph Butterfly
Cercyonis oetus
Small-eyed Sphinx Moth
Paonias myops
Smaller Parasa
Parasa chloris
Smaller Pinkish Dart - Hodges#10919
Diarsia jucunda
Smeared Dagger Moth
Acronicta oblinita
Smerinthus astarte - Hodges#7822.2
Smerinthus astarte
Smerinthus saliceti - Hodges#7823
Smerinthus saliceti
Smoky Idia - Hodges#8330
Idia scobialis
Smooth-banded Sister Butterfly
Adelpha cytherea
Snout Plume Moth - Hodges#6233
Hellinsia longifrons
Snow's Skipper - Hodges#4056
Paratrytone snowi