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)
Argyractis drumalis - Hodges#4770
Argyractis drumalis
Argyresthia annettella - Hodges#2437
Argyresthia annettella
Argyresthia apicimaculella - Hodges#2438
Argyresthia apicimaculella
Argyresthia franciscella - Hodges#2453
Argyresthia franciscella
Argyresthia freyella - Hodges#2455
Argyresthia freyella
Argyresthia inscriptella - Hodges#2458
Argyresthia inscriptella
Argyresthia quadristrigella - Hodges#2475
Argyresthia quadristrigella
Argyresthia sabinae
Argyresthia sabinae
Argyroploce externa - Hodges#2831.1
Argyroploce externa
Argyrostrotis deleta - Hodges#8763
Argyrostrotis deleta
Argyrotaenia bialbistriata - Hodges#3629.2
Argyrotaenia bialbistriata
Argyrotaenia burroughsi - Hodges#3617
Argyrotaenia burroughsi
Argyrotaenia coconinana - Hodges#3629.1
Argyrotaenia coconinana
Argyrotaenia coloradana - Hodges#3608
Argyrotaenia coloradana
Argyrotaenia cupressae - Hodges#3615
Argyrotaenia cupressae
Argyrotaenia floridana - Hodges#3599
Argyrotaenia floridana
Argyrotaenia klotsi - Hodges#3620
Argyrotaenia klotsi
Argyrotaenia montezumae - Hodges#3598
Argyrotaenia montezumae
Argyrotaenia occultana - Hodges#3607
Argyrotaenia occultana
Argyrotaenia polvosana
Argyrotaenia polvosana
Argyrotaenia provana - Hodges#3609
Argyrotaenia provana
Argyrotaenia repertana - Hodges#3601
Argyrotaenia repertana
Aristaea pennsylvaniella - Hodges#0655
Aristaea pennsylvaniella
Aristaria theroalis - Hodges#8390
Aristaria theroalis
Aristotelia arenella - Hodges#1729.1
Aristotelia arenella
Aristotelia bifasciella - Hodges#1731
Aristotelia bifasciella
Aristotelia callens - Hodges#1732
Aristotelia calens
Aristotelia devexella - Hodges#1734
Aristotelia devexella
Aristotelia ex Quercus
Aristotelia undescribed-ex-quercus
Aristotelia hexacopa - Hodges#1739
Aristotelia hexacopa
Aristotelia intermediella-group
Aristotelia intermediella-group
Aristotelia isopelta - Hodges#1742
Aristotelia isopelta
Aristotelia ivae - Hodges#1743
Aristotelia ivae
Aristotelia lespedezae - Hodges#1744
Aristotelia lespedezae
Aristotelia monilella - Hodges#1748
Aristotelia monilella
Aristotelia n. sp.
Aristotelia undescribed
Aristotelia planitia - Hodges#1753
Aristotelia planitia
Aristotelia primipilana - Hodges#1754
Aristotelia primipilana
Aristotelia salicifungiella - Hodges#1763
Aristotelia salicifungiella
Aristotelia urbaurea - Hodges#1764
Aristotelia urbaurea
Arivaca pimella - Hodges#6060
Arivaca pimella
Arizona Giant Skipper - Hodges#4132
Agathymus aryxna
Arizona Hairstreak - Hodges#4350
Erora quaderna
Arizona Metalmark - Hodges#4394
Calephelis arizonensis
Arizona Prominent - Hodges#8018
Ianassa pinalensis
Arizona Roadside-Skipper
Amblyscirtes arizonae
Arkansas Clearwing - Hodges#2575
Synanthedon arkansasensis
Arla diversella - Hodges#1904
Arla diversella
Arla tenuicornis - Hodges#1905
Arla tenuicornis
Army Cutworm Moth
Euxoa auxiliaris
Armyworm Moth
Mythimna unipuncta
Aroga argutiola - Hodges#2184
Aroga argutiola
Aroga epigaeella - Hodges#2189
Aroga epigaeella
Aroga morenella - Hodges#2192
Aroga morenella
Aroga unifasciella - Hodges#2200
Aroga unifasciella
Arotrura divaricata - Hodges#1657.3
Arotrura divaricata
Arotrura hymenata - Hodges#1676.2
Arotrura hymenata
Arrowhead Blue - Hodges#4371
Glaucopsyche piasus
Arrowhead Moth - Hodges#3259
Gretchena deludana
Artistarred Skipper - Hodges#3924.1
Arteurotia artistella
Arugisa punctalis - Hodges#8511
Arugisa punctalis
Asaphocrita irenica - Hodges#1193
Asaphocrita irenica
Asaphocrita nr-aphidiella-one
Asaphocrita nr-aphidiella-one
Aseptis characta - Hodges#9543
Aseptis characta
Aseptis ethnica - Hodges#9531
Aseptis ethnica
Aseptis fanatica - Hodges#9531.1
Aseptis fanatica
Aseptis fumosa - Hodges#9527
Aseptis fumosa
Aseptis harpi - Hodges#9539.1
Aseptis harpi
Aseptis murina - Hodges#9531.3
Aseptis murina
Aseptis serrula - Hodges#9541
Aseptis serrula
Ash Leaf Cone Roller Moth - Hodges#0606
Caloptilia fraxinella
Ash Sphinx
Manduca jasminearum
Ash-tip Borer Moth
Papaipema furcata
Ashen Pinion - Hodges#9910
Lithophane antennata
Asimina Webworm Moth
Omphalocera munroei
Aspen Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0736
Phyllonorycter apparella
Aspen Webworm Moth - Hodges#5605
Pococera aplastella
Aspilanta ampelopsifoliella - Hodges#0240
Aspilanta ampelopsifoliella
Aspilanta argentifera - Hodges#0242
Aspilanta argentifera
Aspilanta hydrangaeella - Hodges#0243
Aspilanta hydrangaeella
Aspilanta oinophylla - Hodges#0240.1
Aspilanta oinophylla
Aspilanta viticordifoliella - Hodges#0237
Aspilanta viticordifoliella
Aspilanta voraginella - Hodges#0241
Aspilanta voraginella
Aspitates aberrata - Hodges#6715
Aspitates aberrata
Astala edwardsii - Hodges#0445
Astala edwardsii
Astalotesia bucurvata - Hodges#6639.1
Astalotesia bucurvata
Astarte Fritillary - Hodges#4473
Boloria astarte
Aster Borer - Hodges#9473
Papaipema impecuniosa
Asthene Wave Moth - Hodges#7133
Pleuroprucha asthenaria
Astiptodonta aonides - Hodges#7971
Astiptodonta aonides
Astiptodonta wymola - Hodges#7970
Astiptodonta wymola
Astrotischeria ambrosiaeella - Hodges#0160
Astrotischeria ambrosiaeella
Astrotischeria astericola - Hodges#0157
Astrotischeria astericola
Astrotischeria helianthi - Hodges#0161
Astrotischeria helianthi
Astrotischeria heliopsisella - Hodges#0159
Astrotischeria heliopsisella
Astrotischeria melantheranella - Hodges#0163.1
Astrotischeria melantheranella
Astrotischeria occidentalis - Hodges#0158
Astrotischeria occidentalis
Astrotischeria omissa - Hodges#0171
Astrotischeria omissa
Astrotischeria solidagonifoliella - Hodges#0156
Astrotischeria solidagonifoliella
Atascosa glareosella - Hodges#6067
Atascosa glareosella