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)
Caloptilia flavella - Hodges#0604
Caloptilia flavella
Caloptilia invariabilis - Hodges#0609
Caloptilia invariabilis
Caloptilia juglandiella - Hodges#0610
Caloptilia juglandiella
Caloptilia nondeterminata - Hodges#0616
Caloptilia nondeterminata
Caloptilia ostryaeella - Hodges#0618
Caloptilia ostryaeella
Caloptilia ovatiella - Hodges#0619
Caloptilia ovatiella
Caloptilia palustriella - Hodges#0621
Caloptilia palustriella
Caloptilia porphyretica - Hodges#0625
Caloptilia porphyretica
Caloptilia reticulata - Hodges#0628
Caloptilia reticulata
Caloptilia scutellariella - Hodges#0635
Caloptilia scutellariella
Caloptilia serotinella - Hodges#0637
Caloptilia serotinella
Caloptilia strictella - Hodges#0640
Caloptilia strictella
Caloptilia suberinella - Hodges#0640.1
Caloptilia suberinella
Caloptilia superbifrontella - Hodges#0641
Caloptilia superbifrontella
Caloptilia undescribed-nr-umbratella
Caloptilia undescribed-nr-umbratella
Caloptilia vacciniella - Hodges#0643
Caloptilia vacciniella
Caloptilia violacella - Hodges#0644
Caloptilia violacella
Caloreas caliginosa - Hodges#2637
Caloreas caliginosa
Caloreas montanae - Hodges#2636.4
Caloreas montanae
Caloreas occidentella - Hodges#2635
Caloreas occidentella
Calosima argyrosplendella - Hodges#1168
Calosima argyrosplendella
Calosima lucidella - Hodges#1169.1
Calosima lucidella
Calyptis cf-idonea - Hodges#8644.5
Calyptis cf-idonea
Cambogia tegularia - Hodges#7181.1
Cambogia tegularia
Cameraria aesculisella - Hodges#0804
Cameraria aesculisella
Cameraria australisella - Hodges#0808
Cameraria australisella
Cameraria bethunella - Hodges#0809
Cameraria bethunella
Cameraria betulivora - Hodges#0810
Cameraria betulivora
Cameraria castaneaeella - Hodges#0812
Cameraria castaneaeella
Cameraria conglomeratella - Hodges#0816
Cameraria conglomeratella
Cameraria fasciella - Hodges#0819
Cameraria fasciella
Cameraria lentella - Hodges#0825
Cameraria lentella
Cameraria macrocarpella - Hodges#0828
Cameraria macrocarpella
Cameraria mendocinensis - Hodges#0829.1
Cameraria mendocinensis
Cameraria nemoris - Hodges#0830
Cameraria nemoris
Cameraria obstrictella - Hodges#0831
Cameraria obstrictella
Cameraria ostryarella - Hodges#0832
Cameraria ostryarella
Cameraria pentekes - Hodges#0832.1
Cameraria pentekes
Cameraria quercivorella - Hodges#0835
Cameraria quercivorella
Cameraria saccharella - Hodges#0836
Cameraria saccharella
Cameraria shenaniganensis - Hodges#0836.4
Cameraria shenaniganensis
Cameraria superimposita - Hodges#0837
Cameraria superimposita
Cameraria tildeni - Hodges#0837.1
Cameraria tildeni
Cameraria tubiferella - Hodges#0838
Cameraria tubiferella
Cameraria ulmella - Hodges#0839
Cameraria ulmella
Camphorweed Cucullia - Hodges#10192
Cucullia alfarata
Camphorweed Flower Moth - Hodges#11137
Schinia nubila
Campion Coronet - Hodges#10316
Hadena ectypa
Canadian Owlet
Calyptra canadensis
Canadian Sphinx
Sphinx canadensis
Canadian Sulphur - Hodges#4214.1
Colias canadensis
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio canadensis
Cangetta violescentalis - Hodges#5123.1
Cangetta violescentalis
Canyonland Satyr - Hodges#4572
Cyllopsis pertepida
Capis archaia - Hodges#9059.1
Capis archaia
Caradrina atrostriga - Hodges#9659
Caradrina atrostriga
Caradrina beta - Hodges#9655.1
Caradrina beta
Caradrina camina - Hodges#9655
Caradrina camina
Caradrina distinctoides - Hodges#9660
Caradrina distinctoides
Carales arizonensis - Hodges#8226
Carales arizonensis
Carboniclava alpica - Hodges#8013
Carboniclava alpica
Carboniclava alpicoides - Hodges#8013.1
Carboniclava alpicoides
Carectocultus dominicki - Hodges#5309
Carectocultus dominicki
Caribbean Scrub-Hairstreak - Hodges#4343
Strymon acis
Caripeta canidiaria - Hodges#6872
Caripeta canidiaria
Caripeta hilumaria - Hodges#6871
Caripeta hilumaria
Caripeta suffusata - Hodges#6865.1
Caripeta suffusata
Caripeta triangulata - Hodges#6957
Caripeta triangulata
Caristanius Moth - Hodges#5742
Caristanius decoloralis
Carmenta albociliata - Hodges#2591
Carmenta albociliata
Carmenta apache - Hodges#2593
Carmenta apache
Carmenta arizonae - Hodges#2594
Carmenta arizonae
Carmenta armasata - Hodges#2594.1
Carmenta armasata
Carmenta corni - Hodges#2597
Carmenta corni
Carmenta laurelae - Hodges#2600.1
Carmenta laurelae
Carmenta ogalala - Hodges#2604
Carmenta ogalala
Carmenta subaerea - Hodges#2611
Carmenta subaerea
Carmenta tecta - Hodges#2613
Carmenta tecta
Carmenta welchelorum - Hodges#2616
Carmenta welchelorum
Carmenta wielgusi - Hodges#2615.1
Carmenta wielgusi
Carmenta wildishorum - Hodges#2614.1
Carmenta wildishorum
Carmine Snout Moth
Peoria approximella
Carolana ascriptella - Hodges#1062
Carolana ascriptella
Carolana golmeia - Hodges#1063
Carolana golmeia
Carole's Fritillary - Hodges#4456.1
Speyeria carolae
Carposina ottawana - Hodges#2314
Carposina ottawana
Carposina simulator - Hodges#2316
Carposina simulator
Carrizo flower moth - Hodges#11134.4
Schinia carrizoensis
Carrot Lance-wing
Epermenia aequidentella
Carrot Seed Moth
Sitochroa palealis
Carter's Sphinx - Hodges #7819
Protambulyx carteri
Carterocephalus skada - Hodges#3982.1
Carterocephalus skada
Carus Skipper - Hodges#4015
Polites carus
Caryocolum cassella - Hodges#2040
Caryocolum cassella
Caryocolum proxima - Hodges#2041.3
Caryocolum proxima
Caryocolum pullatella - Hodges#2042
Caryocolum pullatella
Cassius Blue Butterfly
Leptotes cassius
Cassus Roadside Skipper - Hodges#4091
Amblyscirtes cassus
Catabena sagittata - Hodges#10034
Catabena sagittata
Catabenoides vitrina - Hodges#10036
Catabenoides vitrina