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)
Amydria erecta - Hodges#0334.1
Amydria erecta
Amydria margoriella - Hodges#0335
Amydria margoriella
Anacampsis argyrothamniella - Hodges#2231
Anacampsis argyrothamniella
Anacampsis comparanda - Hodges#2232
Anacampsis comparanda
Anacampsis fragariella - Hodges#2235
Anacampsis fragariella
Anacampsis lacteusochrella - Hodges#2239
Anacampsis lacteusochrella
Anacampsis lagunculariella - Hodges#2240
Anacampsis lagunculariella
Anacampsis nr. comparanda - Hodges#2232.1
Anacampsis nr-comparanda
Anacampsis psoraliella - Hodges#2247
Anacampsis psoraliella
Anacampsis tephriasella - Hodges#2250
Anacampsis tephriasella
Anacampsis tristrigella - Hodges#2251
Anacampsis tristrigella
Anacochylidia maderana - Hodges#3765.5
Anacochylidia maderana
Anania extricalis - Hodges#4956
Anania extricalis
Anania tennesseensis - Hodges#4953.2
Anania tennesseensis
Anarsioses aberrans - Hodges#0725
Anarsioses aberrans
Anarta alta - Hodges#10229
Anarta alta
Anarta farnhami - Hodges#10232
Anarta farnhami
Anarta florida - Hodges#10257
Anarta florida
Anarta fulgora - Hodges#10225
Anarta fulgora
Anarta hamata - Hodges#10227
Anarta hamata
Anarta nigrolunata - Hodges#10327
Anarta nigrolunata
Anarta obesula - Hodges#10231
Anarta obesula
Anarta oregonica - Hodges#10228
Anarta oregonica
Anatrachyntis simplex
Anatrachyntis simplex
Anavitrinella addendaria - Hodges#6592
Anavitrinella addendaria
Anavitrinella ocularia - Hodges#6593
Anavitrinella ocularia
Ancylis apicana - Hodges#3376
Ancylis apicana
Ancylis brauni - Hodges#3372
Ancylis brauni
Ancylis columbiana - Hodges#3362
Ancylis columbiana
Ancylis definitivana - Hodges#3373
Ancylis definitivana
Ancylis fuscociliana - Hodges#3369
Ancylis fuscociliana
Ancylis laciniana - Hodges#3366
Ancylis laciniana
Ancylis mediofasciana - Hodges#3384
Ancylis mediofasciana
Ancylis mira - Hodges#3368
Ancylis mira
Ancylis platanana - Hodges#3370
Ancylis platanana
Ancylis rhodorana - Hodges#3371
Ancylis rhodorana
Ancylis semiovana - Hodges#3361
Ancylis semiovana
Ancylis sheppardana - Hodges#3357
Ancylis sheppardana
Ancylis subaequana - Hodges#3355
Ancylis subaequana
Ancylis tenebrica - Hodges#3360
Ancylis tenebrica
Ancylosis albipenella - Hodges#5917
Ancylosis albipenella
Ancylosis bonhoti - Hodges#5918.1
Ancylosis bonhoti
Ancylostomia stercorea - Hodges#5741
Ancylostomia stercorea
Anderida peorinella - Hodges#5933.1
Anderida peorinella
Androgea Armyworm Moth - Hodges#9671.1
Spodoptera androgea
Androloma disparata - Hodges#9322
Androloma disparata
Andromedana Moth - Hodges#2752
Zomaria andromedana
Andropolia olga - Hodges#9572
Andropolia olga
Andropolia theodori - Hodges#9571
Andropolia theodori
Anemosella nevalis - Hodges#5546
Anemosella nevalis
Anemosella obliquata - Hodges#5547
Anemosella obliquata
Anerastia lotella - Hodges#6038
Anerastia lotella
Angle-lined Carpet - Hodges#7638
Cladara anguilineata
Angle-lined Prominent - Hodges#7896
Clostera inclusa
Angle-winged Emerald - Hodges#7075
Chloropteryx tepperaria
Angled Metarranthis Moth - Hodges#6823
Metarranthis angularia
Angled Wave - Hodges#7162
Scopula ancellata
Angulose Prominent Moth
Peridea angulosa
Angus' Datana Moth
Datana angusii
Anhimella perbrunnea - Hodges#10529
Anhimella perbrunnea
Anhypotrix tristis - Hodges#10617
Anhypotrix tristis
Anicla biformata - Hodges#10908.1
Anicla biformata
Anicla digna - Hodges#10908
Anicla digna
Anicla espoetia - Hodges#10910.1
Anicla espoetia
Anicla mus - Hodges#10904.1
Anicla mus
Anicla tenuescens - Hodges#10909
Anicla tenuescens
Animomyia minuta - Hodges#6794
Animomyia minuta
Animomyia morta - Hodges#6791
Animomyia morta
Anise Swallowtail Butterfly
Papilio zelicaon
Anisota consularis - Hodges#7718
Anisota consularis
Annaphila abdita - Hodges#9855
Annaphila abdita
Annaphila arvalis - Hodges#9854
Annaphila arvalis
Annaphila astrologa - Hodges#9857
Annaphila astrologa
Annaphila casta - Hodges#9865
Annaphila casta
Annaphila danistica - Hodges#9850
Annaphila danistica
Annaphila decia - Hodges#9868
Annaphila decia
Annaphila depicta - Hodges#9866
Annaphila depicta
Annaphila diva - Hodges#9869
Annaphila diva
Annaphila divinula - Hodges#9862
Annaphila divinula
Annaphila ida - Hodges#9861
Annaphila ida
Annaphila lithosina - Hodges#9863
Annaphila lithosina
Annaphila macfarlandi - Hodges#9867
Annaphila macfarlandi
Annaphila miona - Hodges#9864
Annaphila miona
Annaphila pseudoastrologa - Hodges#9859
Annaphila pseudoastrologa
Annaphila pustulata - Hodges#9853
Annaphila pustulata
Annette's Eucosma - Hodges#2919
Eucosma annetteana
Anomis gentilis - Hodges#8552
Anomis gentilis
Anomis impasta of authors - Hodges#8548
Anomis impasta-of-authors
Anomis texana - Hodges#8550
Anomis texana
Anoncia aciculata - Hodges#1539
Anoncia aciculata
Anoncia leucoritis - Hodges#1546
Anoncia leucoritis
Anoncia mosa - Hodges#1557
Anoncia mosa
Anoncia smogops - Hodges#1558
Anoncia smogops
Anoncia sphacelina - Hodges#1531
Anoncia sphacelina
Anoncia venis - Hodges#1555
Anoncia venis
Anopina arizonana - Hodges#3586
Anopina arizonana
Anopina chiricahuae - Hodges#3587.1
Anopina chiricahuae
Anopina hermana - Hodges#3584.2
Anopina hermana
Anopina silvertonana - Hodges#3587
Anopina silvertonana
Anorthodes indigena - Hodges#9652
Anorthodes indigena