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)
Clepsis virescana - Hodges#3689
Clepsis virescana
Clinton's Underwing Moth - Hodges#8872
Catocala clintonii
Cloaked Pococera Moth - Hodges#5602
Pococera subcanalis
Close-banded Yellowhorn Moth
Colocasia propinquilinea
Clostera jocosa - Hodges#7896.1
Clostera jocosa
Clostera multnoma - Hodges#7900.1
Clostera multnoma
Clostera ornata - Hodges#7901.1
Clostera ornata
Clouded Skipper
Lerema accius
Clouded Sulphur
Colias philodice
Clouded Underwing - Hodges#8796
Catocala nebulosa
Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly
Phoebis sennae
Cloudy Arches - Hodges#10276
Polia imbrifera
Cloudy Endothenia - Hodges#2743
Endothenia nubilana
Clover Hayworm Moth
Hypsopygia costalis
Clover Looper Moth
Caenurgina crassiuscula
Clymene Haploa
Haploa clymene
Coastal Palpita Moth - Hodges#5223.1
Palpita maritima
Cobubatha lixiva - Hodges#9014
Cobubatha lixiva
Cobubatha metaspilaris - Hodges#9012
Cobubatha metaspilaris
Cochylichroa arthuri - Hodges#3766
Cochylichroa arthuri
Cochylichroa avita - Hodges#3768
Cochylichroa avita
Cochylichroa temerana - Hodges#3781
Cochylichroa temerana
Cochylis carmelana - Hodges#3770
Cochylis carmelana
Cochylis caulocatax - Hodges#3771
Cochylis caulocatax
Identification: (Tentative ID by Michael Sabourin)
Cochylis parallelana - Hodges#3779
Cochylis parallelana
Cocksfoot stem borer
Glyphipterix achlyoessa
Coelodasys apicalis - Hodges#8009
Coelodasys apicalis
Coelodasys conspecta - Hodges#8007.1
Coelodasys conspecta
Coelodasys errucata - Hodges#8008
Coelodasys errucata
Coenipeta bibitrix - Hodges#8665
Coenipeta bibitrix
Coenochroa bipunctella - Hodges#6041
Coenochroa bipunctella
Coenochroa californiella - Hodges#6039
Coenochroa californiella
Coenochroa illibella - Hodges#6040
Coenochroa illibella
Cofaqui Giant-Skipper - Hodges#4147
Megathymus cofaqui
Coffee-loving Pyrausta Moth
Pyrausta tyralis
Coleophora acamtopappi - Hodges#1328
Coleophora acamtopappi
Coleophora accordella - Hodges#1289
Coleophora accordella
Coleophora atriplicivora - Hodges#1326
Coleophora atriplicivora
Coleophora benestrigatella - Hodges#1366
Coleophora benestrigatella
Coleophora bernoulliella - Hodges#1255.1
Coleophora bernoulliella
Coleophora bistrigella - Hodges#1315
Coleophora bistrigella
Coleophora borea - Hodges#1361
Coleophora borea
Coleophora comptoniella - Hodges#1300
Coleophora comptoniella
Coleophora cornivorella - Hodges#1277
Coleophora cornivorella
Coleophora cretaticostella - Hodges#1283
Coleophora cretaticostella
Coleophora discostriata - Hodges#1259
Coleophora discostriata
Coleophora duplicis - Hodges#1337
Coleophora duplicis
Coleophora elaeagnisella - Hodges#1260
Coleophora elaeagnisella
Coleophora juglandella - Hodges#1293
Coleophora juglandella
Coleophora kalmiella - Hodges#1273
Coleophora kalmiella
Coleophora kearfottella - Hodges#1290
Coleophora kearfottella
Coleophora latronella - Hodges#1376
Coleophora latronella
Coleophora laurentella
Coleophora laurentella
Coleophora ledi - Hodges#1286
Coleophora ledi
Coleophora littorella - Hodges#1347
Coleophora littorella
Coleophora mcdunnoughiella - Hodges#1321
Coleophora mcdunnoughiella
Coleophora monardae - Hodges#1319
Coleophora monardae
Coleophora monardella - Hodges#1268
Coleophora monardella
Coleophora ostryae - Hodges#1295
Coleophora ostryae
Coleophora persimplexella - Hodges#1287
Coleophora persimplexella
Coleophora polemoniella - Hodges#1306
Coleophora polemoniella
Coleophora quadrilineella - Hodges#1358
Coleophora quadrilineella
Coleophora rosacella - Hodges#1316
Coleophora rosacella
Coleophora rupestrella - Hodges#1285
Coleophora rupestrella
Coleophora salicivorella - Hodges#1275
Coleophora salicivorella
Coleophora sexdentatella - Hodges#1374
Coleophora sexdentatella
Coleophora vernoniaeella - Hodges#1269
Coleophora vernoniaeella
Coleotechnites australis - Hodges#1793
Coleotechnites australis
Coleotechnites blastovora - Hodges#1796
Coleotechnites blastovora
Coleotechnites martini - Hodges#1820
Coleotechnites martini
Coleotechnites nigra
Coleotechnites nigra
Coleotechnites occidentis - Hodges#1825
Coleotechnites occidentis
Coleotechnites quercivorella - Hodges#1828
Coleotechnites quercivorella
Coleotechnites thujaella - Hodges#1832
Coleotechnites thujaella
Coleotechnites variiella - Hodges#1833
Coleotechnites variiella
Coloradia siriae
Coloradia siriae
Coloradia velda - Hodges#7726.1
Coloradia velda
Colorado Alpine - Hodges#4600
Erebia callias
Colorful Zale
Zale minerea
Columbian Blue - Hodges#4367.3
Euphilotes columbiae
Columbian Skipper - Hodges#4026
Hesperia columbia
Columbine Borer Moth - Hodges#9478
Papaipema leucostigma
Columbine Duskywing
Erynnis lucilius
Comadia alleni - Hodges#2687
Comadia alleni
Comadia arenae - Hodges#2683
Comadia arenae
Comadia henrici - Hodges#2679
Comadia henrici
Comadia manfredi - Hodges#2688
Comadia manfredi
Comadia subterminata - Hodges#2684
Comadia subterminata
Common Alpine - Hodges#4599
Erebia epipsodea
Common Angle
Macaria aemulataria
Common Apamea - Hodges#9332
Apamea vulgaris
Common Buckeye Butterfly
Junonia coenia
Common Checkered-Skipper
Pyrgus communis
Common Eupithecia Moth
Eupithecia miserulata
Common Glaphyria Moth - Hodges#4869
Glaphyria glaphyralis
Common Gray
Anavitrinella pampinaria
Common Juniper Leafminer - Hodges#1811
Coleotechnites gibsonella
Common Leaf Case Moth
Hyalarcta huebneri
Common Looper
Autographa precationis
Common Lytrosis Moth
Lytrosis unitaria