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)
Tallula beroella - Hodges#5593.1
Tallula beroella
Tampa Moth - Hodges#6028
Tampa dimediatella
Tanna Longtail
Spicauda tanna
Tanygona lignicolorella - Hodges#1500
Tanygona lignicolorella
Tapestry Moth - Hodges#0413
Trichophaga tapetzella
Tarache areli - Hodges#9159
Tarache areli
Tarache axendra - Hodges#9156
Tarache axendra
Tarache bilimeki - Hodges#9157
Tarache bilimeki
Tarache cora - Hodges#9151
Tarache cora
Tarache dacia - Hodges#9144
Tarache dacia
Tarache expolita - Hodges#9149
Tarache expolita
Tarache flavipennis - Hodges#9140
Tarache flavipennis
Tarache huachuca - Hodges#9113
Tarache huachuca
Tarache lanceolata - Hodges#9153
Tarache lanceolata
Tarache lucasi - Hodges#9148
Tarache lucasi
Tarache major - Hodges#9152
Tarache major
Tarache sedata - Hodges#9154
Tarache sedata
Tarache tenuicula - Hodges#9135
Tarache tenuicula
Tawny Emperor Butterfly
Asterocampa clyton
Tawny Eupithecia - Hodges#7605
Eupithecia ravocostaliata
Tawny-edged Skipper - Hodges#4041
Polites themistocles
Taxiles Skipper - Hodges#4061
Lon taxiles
Teak Defoliator Moth - Hodges#6088
Hyblaea puera
Tebenna chrysobalia - Hodges#2643.1
Tebenna chrysobalia
Tebenna piperella - Hodges#2646
Tebenna piperella
Tegeticula corruptrix - Hodges#0198.1
Tegeticula corruptrix
Teladoma helianthi - Hodges#1516
Teladoma helianthi
Teladoma murina - Hodges#1520
Teladoma murina
Telamoptilia hibiscivora - Hodges#0698.1
Telamoptilia hibiscivora
Telphusa alexandriacella - Hodges#1855
Telphusa alexandriacella
Telphusa fasciella - Hodges#1856
Telphusa fasciella
Telphusa longifasciella - Hodges#1858
Telphusa longifasciella
Telphusa melanoleuca - Hodges#1858.3
Telphusa melanoleuca
Telphusa nigrimaculata - Hodges#1858.1
Telphusa nigrimaculata
Tent Moth
Gloveria arizonensis
Tersa Sphinx Moth
Xylophanes tersa
Tesiophora entephros - Hodges#7011.1
Tesiophora entephros
Tetracis mosesiani - Hodges#6961
Tetracis mosesiani
Tetracis pallulata - Hodges#6955
Tetracis pallulata
Texan Crescent Butterfly
Anthanassa texana
Texana Clearwing Moth - Hodges#2614
Carmenta texana
Texas Gray
Glenoides texanaria
Texas Mocis - Hodges#8745
Mocis texana
Texas Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4097
Amblyscirtes texanae
Thaumatographa regalis - Hodges#3753
Thaumatographa regalis
Thaumatographa youngiella - Hodges#3752
Thaumatographa youngiella
Thaumatopsis actuellus - Hodges#5448
Thaumatopsis actuellus
Thaumatopsis atomosella - Hodges#5442
Thaumatopsis atomosella
Thaumatopsis edonis - Hodges#5438
Thaumatopsis edonis
Thaumatopsis repandus - Hodges#5445
Thaumatopsis repandus
Thaxter's Pinion - Hodges#9928
Lithophane thaxteri
The Alamo Moth - Hodges#5215
Condylorrhiza vestigialis
The Anti-Pinion - Hodges#9897
Lithophane contra
The Astronomer - Hodges#2837
Olethreutes astrologana
The Badwing
Dyspteris abortivaria
The Beggar
Eubaphe mendica
The Betrothed Moth
Catocala innubens
The Brother - Hodges#9193
Raphia frater
The Confederate - Hodges#9714
Condica confederata
The Consort Underwing - Hodges#8772
Catocala consors
The Gem
Orthonama obstipata
The Golden Sweeper - Hodges#0126
Coptotriche citrinipennella
The Half-wing
Phigalia titea
The Hebrew Moth
Polygrammate hebraeicum
The Infant
Archiearis infans
The Joker
Feralia jocosa
The Laugher Moth
Charada deridens
The Little Ruby - Hodges#6029
Varneria postremella
The Penitent Moth
Catocala piatrix
The Scribbler
Cladara atroliturata
The Sweetheart Moth
Catocala amatrix
The Thinker Moth - Hodges#10368
Lacinipolia meditata
The Wedgeling
Galgula partita
Theisoa pallidochrella - Hodges#1724
Theisoa pallidochrella
Theona Checkerspot - Hodges#4508
Chlosyne theona
Theroa zethus - Hodges#8000
Theroa zethus
Thin-lined Owlet Moth
Isogona tenuis
Thin-winged Owlet Moth
Nigetia formosalis
Thiotricha laterestriata - Hodges#2260.12
Thiotricha laterestriata
Thiotricha sciurella - Hodges#2260.1
Thiotricha sciurella
Thoas Swallowtail - Hodges#4169
Papilio thoas
Thopeutis forbesellus - Hodges#5473
Thopeutis forbesellus
Thorybes dobra - Hodges#3912.1
Thorybes dobra
Thorybes nevada - Hodges#3912
Thorybes nevada
Three-Spotted Skipper - Hodges#3996
Cymaenes tripunctus
Three-lined Flower Moth
Schinia trifascia
Three-patched Bigwing - Hodges#7645
Heterophleps refusaria
Three-spotted Specter - Hodges#8142
Euerythra trimaculata
Three-staffed Underwing - Hodges#8844
Catocala amestris
Thyatira superba - Hodges#6238
Thyatira superba
Thyraylia bunteana - Hodges#3844
Thyraylia bunteana
Thyraylia voxcana - Hodges#3847.2
Thyraylia voxcana
Tinagma dryadis - Hodges#2488.1
Tinagma dryadis
Tinagma gaedikei - Hodges#2485.4
Tinagma gaedikei
Tinagma gigantea - Hodges#2485
Tinagma gigantea
Tinagma obscurofasciella - Hodges#2487
Tinagma obscurofasciella
Tinea carnariella - Hodges#0394
Tinea carnariella
Tinea pallescentella - Hodges#0404
Tinea pallescentella
Tinea unidentified-az
Tinea unidentified-az
Titan Sphinx - Hodges#7849
Aellopos titan