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)
Catalpa Sphinx
Ceratomia catalpae
Catastega aceriella - Hodges#3334
Catastega aceriella
Catastega adobe - Hodges#3333.5
Catastega adobe
Catastega plicata - Hodges#3333.6
Catastega plicata
Catastega triangulana - Hodges#3333.4
Catastega triangulana
Catastia actualis - Hodges#5764
Catastia actualis
Catocala allusa - Hodges#8809
Catocala allusa
Catocala californica - Hodges#8814
Catocala californica
Catocala californiensis - Hodges#8862
Catocala californiensis
Catocala chelidonia - Hodges#8838
Catocala chelidonia
Catocala delilah - Hodges#8835
Catocala delilah
Catocala faustina - Hodges#8811
Catocala faustina
Catocala flebilis - Hodges#8782
Catocala flebilis
Catocala frederici - Hodges#8837
Catocala frederici
Catocala grotiana - Hodges#8818
Catocala grotiana
Catocala hermia - Hodges#8812
Catocala hermia
Catocala irene - Hodges#8807
Catocala irene
Catocala mcdunnoughi - Hodges#8839
Catocala mcdunnoughi
Catocala messalina - Hodges#8845
Catocala messalina
Catocala miranda - Hodges#8855
Catocala miranda
Catocala myristica - Hodges#8780.1
Catocala myristica
Catocala obscura - Hodges#8784
Catocala obscura
Catocala ophelia - Hodges#8854
Catocala ophelia
Catocala verrilliana - Hodges#8852
Catocala verrilliana
Catocala violenta - Hodges#8853
Catocala violenta
Catoptria trichostomus - Hodges#5406
Catoptria trichostomus
Cattail Borer - Hodges#9525
Bellura obliqua
Cattail Caterpillar Moth
Acronicta insularis
Cauchas spinulosa - Hodges#0212.3
Cauchas spinulosa
Cauchas trifascia - Hodges#0217.1
Cauchas trifascia
Cauchas vittata - Hodges#0212.2
Cauchas vittata
Caudell's Plume Moth - Hodges#6228
Hellinsia caudelli
Caudellia nigrella - Hodges#6014
Caudellia nigrella
Ceanothus Silkmoth
Hyalophora euryalus
Cecharismena anartoides - Hodges#8533
Cecharismena anartoides
Cecharismena cara - Hodges#8530
Cecharismena cara
Cecharismena jalapena - Hodges#8532.1
Cecharismena jalapena
Cecharismena nectarea - Hodges#8532
Cecharismena nectarea
Cecrita belfragei - Hodges#7988
Cecrita belfragei
Cecrita franclemonti - Hodges#7989.1
Cecrita franclemonti
Cecrita plumosa - Hodges#7993.1
Cecrita plumosa
Cecropia Silk Moth
Hyalophora cecropia
Cedar Pinion - Hodges#9899.1
Lithophane thujae
Celery Leaftier Moth
Udea rubigalis
Celery Looper Moth
Anagrapha falcifera
Celia's Roadside-Skipper
Amblyscirtes celia
Cellar Clothes Moth
Dryadaula pactolia
Celypha Moth
Celypha cespitana
Cenopis cana - Hodges#3728
Cenopis cana
Cenopis chambersana - Hodges#3723
Cenopis chambersana
Cenopis lamberti - Hodges#3725.1
Cenopis lamberti
Cenopis unicolorana - Hodges#3707.1
Cenopis unicolorana
Cenopis vabroui - Hodges#3728.1
Cenopis vabroui
Ceranemota crumbi - Hodges#6244
Ceranemota crumbi
Ceranemota fasciata - Hodges#6243
Ceranemota fasciata
Ceranemota improvisa - Hodges#6242
Ceranemota improvisa
Ceranemota partida - Hodges#6247
Ceranemota partida
Ceranemota semifasciata - Hodges#6245
Ceranemota semifasciata
Ceranemota tearlei - Hodges#6246
Ceranemota tearlei
Cerastis gloriosa - Hodges#10995.3
Cerastis gloriosa
Ceratonyx permagnaria - Hodges#6779
Ceratonyx permagnaria
Ceraunus Blue Butterfly
Hemiargus ceraunus
Chaetaglaea rhonda - Hodges#9949.1
Chaetaglaea rhonda
Chain Fern Borer Moth - Hodges#9481
Papaipema stenocelis
Chalcedon Checkerspot Butterfly
Euphydryas chalcedona
Chalcopasta acema - Hodges#9778
Chalcopasta acema
Chalcopasta fulgens - Hodges#9777
Chalcopasta fulgens
Chalcopasta howardi - Hodges#9776
Chalcopasta howardi
Chalcopasta territans - Hodges#9775
Chalcopasta territans
Chalk-hill Lance-wing
Epermenia insecurella
Chalky Plume Moth - Hodges#6163
Oidaematophorus cretidactylus
Chalky Wave - Hodges#7158
Scopula purata
Chamaeclea basiochrea - Hodges#9790
Chamaeclea basiochrea
Chamaeclea pernana - Hodges#9789
Chamaeclea pernana
Changeable Grass-Veneer
Fissicrambus mutabilis
Charadra dispulsa - Hodges#9190
Charadra dispulsa
Charadra franclemonti - Hodges#9188
Semixanthia franclemonti
Charadra tapa - Hodges#9188.1
Semixanthia tapa
Chararica annuliferella - Hodges#5712
Chararica annuliferella
Chararica bicolorella - Hodges#5714
Chararica bicolorella
Checkered White
Pontia protodice
Chelis brucei - Hodges#8159
Chelis brucei
Chenopodium Scythris Moth
Chenopodium limbella
Cherry Blotch Miner - Hodges#0784
Phyllonorycter propinquinella
Cherry Lift
Antispila treitschkiella
Cherry Scallop Shell Moth
Rheumaptera prunivorata
Chersotis juncta - Hodges#11003
Chersotis juncta
Chesiadodes bicolor - Hodges#6534
Chesiadodes bicolor
Chesiadodes cinerea - Hodges#6530
Chesiadodes cinerea
Chesiadodes coniferaria - Hodges#6535
Chesiadodes coniferaria
Chesiadodes dissimilis - Hodges#6539
Chesiadodes dissimilis
Chesiadodes simularia - Hodges#6529
Chesiadodes simularia
Chestnut Casebearer Moth - Hodges#1272
Coleophora leucochrysella
Chestnut-marked Pondweed Moth - Hodges#4761
Parapoynx badiusalis
Chestnut-marked Skipper
Thespeius macareus
Chickweed Geometer
Haematopis grataria
Chilo demotella - Hodges#5472
Chilo demotella
Chilocampyla dyariella - Hodges#0687
Chilocampyla dyariella
Chimoptesis chrysopyla - Hodges#3270
Chimoptesis chrysopyla
Chinati Sheepmoth - Hodges#7739
Hemileuca chinatiensis