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)
Atemelia casimiroae - Hodges#2411.1
Atemelia casimiroae
Atheloca subrufella - Hodges#5734
Atheloca subrufella
Athyrma fakahatchee - Hodges#8583
Athyrma fakahatchee
Athyrma ganglio - Hodges#8583.1
Athyrma ganglio
Atlantis Fritillary Butterfly
Speyeria atlantis
Atomopteryx solanalis - Hodges#5110
Atomopteryx solanalis
Attentive Crocus Moth
Xanthotype attenuaria
Augolychna septemstrigella - Hodges#0281
Augolychna septemstrigella
Austere Plume Moth - Hodges#6193
Hellinsia auster
Autographa flagellum - Hodges#8916
Autographa flagellum
Autographa metallica - Hodges#8917
Autographa metallica
Autographa pasiphaeia - Hodges#8915
Autographa pasiphaeia
Autoplusia egenoides - Hodges#8893
Autoplusia egenoides
Autoplusia olivacea - Hodges#8892
Autoplusia olivacea
Autumnal Moth - Hodges#7433
Epirrita autumnata
Avocado Spanworm Moth - Hodges#6604
Epimecis detexta
Axenus arvalis - Hodges#9849
Axenus arvalis
Azenia edentata - Hodges#9726
Azenia edentata
Azenia perflava - Hodges#9727
Azenia perflava
Azenia templetonae - Hodges#9730
Azenia templetonae
Azeta ceramina - Hodges#8576.1
Azeta ceramina
Azeta schausi - Hodges#8576
Azeta schausi
BOLD:AAG8593
Holcocera unidentified-one
Bactra maiorina - Hodges#2708
Bactra maiorina
Bactra sinistra - Hodges#2710
Bactra sinistra
Bagisara gulnare - Hodges#9175
Bagisara gulnare
Bagisara laverna - Hodges#9175.2
Bagisara laverna
Bagisara oula - Hodges#9173
Bagisara oula
Bagisara tristicta - Hodges#9176
Bagisara tristicta
Bahamian Swallowtail Butterfly
Papilio andraemon
Bailey's Pinion - Hodges#9902
Lithophane baileyi
Baileya acadiana - Hodges#8971.1
Baileya acadiana
Bald Cypress Coneworm Moth - Hodges#5849
Dioryctria pygmaeella
Bald Cypress Sphinx - Hodges#7791
Isoparce cupressi
Balsam Poplar Leaf Blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0774
Phyllonorycter nipigon
Balsamroot Plume Moth - Hodges#6162
Oidaematophorus balsamorrhizae
Baltimore Checkerspot
Euphydryas phaeton
Baltimore Snout
Hypena baltimoralis
Baltodonta broui - Hodges#7971.1
Baltodonta broui
Banana Moth - Hodges#0432.1
Opogona sacchari
Banded Alpine - Hodges#4595
Erebia fasciata
Banded Hairstreak
Satyrium calanus
Banded Olethreutes
Olethreutini fasciatana
Banded Peacock / Princesa Roja
Anartia fatima
Banded Sphinx
Eumorpha fasciatus
Banded Tiger Moth
Apantesis vittata
Banded Tussock Moth
Halysidota tessellaris
Banded Woollybear Caterpillar Moth
Pyrrharctia isabella
Bandelia angulata - Hodges#8566
Bandelia angulata
Bandera binotella - Hodges#6024
Bandera binotella
Bandera virginella - Hodges#6026
Bandera virginella
Baniana minor - Hodges#8590.1
Baniana minor
Banisia furva - Hodges#6087
Banisia furva
Baphala pallida - Hodges#5965
Baphala pallida
Barbara mappana - Hodges#2905
Barbara mappana
Barberia affinitella - Hodges#6036
Barberia affinitella
Barberry Geometer Moth
Coryphista meadii
Barrens Dagger - Hodges#9216
Acronicta albarufa
Basal-dash Glaphyria Moth - Hodges#4871
Glaphyria basiflavalis
Basicladus celibata - Hodges#0451
Basicladus celibata
Basicladus tracyi - Hodges#0450
Basicladus tracyi
Basilodes chrysopis - Hodges#9780
Basilodes chrysopis
Basilodes straminea - Hodges#9781.1
Basilodes straminea
Basswood Leafroller
Pantographa limata
Basswood Square-blotch Miner Moth - Hodges#0764
Phyllonorycter lucetiella
Basswood round-blotch miner moth - Hodges#0797
Phyllonorycter tiliacella
Bathroxena heteropalpella - Hodges#0280
Bathroxena heteropalpella
Batrachedra decoctor - Hodges#1416
Batrachedra decoctor
Batrachedra pinicolella - Hodges#1416.1
Batrachedra pinicolella
Batrachedra striolata - Hodges#1400
Batrachedra striolata
Battaristis n. sp. - Hodges#2229.96
Battaristis undescribed
Battaristis nigratomella - Hodges#2227
Battaristis nigratomella
Battaristis pasadenae - Hodges#2228
Battaristis pasadenae
Bauer's Giant-Skipper - Hodges#4133
Agathymus baueri
Beach Pea Leaffolder - Hodges#3364
Ancylis maritima
Bean-leaf Webworm Moth - Hodges#5212
Omiodes indicata
Beardtongue Plume Moth - Hodges#6136
Paraplatyptilia fragilis
Beautiful Epicallima Moth - Hodges#1048
Dafa formosella
Beautiful Eucosma Moth - Hodges#2916
Eucosma formosana
Beautiful Wood-Nymph Moth
Eudryas grata
Behr's Metalmark Butterfly
Apodemia virgulti
Behrensia bicolor - Hodges#10179
Behrensia bicolor
Behrensia conchiformis - Hodges#10178
Behrensia conchiformis
Bell's Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4107
Amblyscirtes belli
Bellura anoa - Hodges#9525.1
Bellura anoa
Bellura brehmei - Hodges#9524
Bellura brehmei
Benign Borer - Hodges#3185
Epiblema benignata
Benjaminiola colorada - Hodges#9445
Benjaminiola colorada
Bent-line Carpet Moth
Costaconvexa centrostrigaria
Bent-line Dart
Choephora fungorum
Bent-line Gray Moth
Iridopsis larvaria
Bent-lined Tan Moth - Hodges#8407
Oxycilla malaca
Berg's Alatuncusia Moth - Hodges#4793
Alatuncusia bergii
Bernardino Blue - Hodges#4366.3
Euphilotes bernardino
Berry's Skipper - Hodges#4076
Euphyes berryi
Bethune's Pinion Moth
Lithophane bethunei
Bicolored Moth - Hodges#8043
Manulea bicolor
Bicolored Pyrausta
Pyrausta bicoloralis
Bicolored Sallow
Sunira bicolorago
Bicolored Woodgrain - Hodges#10520
Morrisonia evicta