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)
False Wainscot - Hodges#10462
Leucania pseudargyria
False Yellow-dusted Cream - Hodges#6815
Gueneria similaria
Fania nanus - Hodges#2691
Fania nanus
Fascista quinella - Hodges#2205
Fascista quinella
Fawn-spotted Skipper - Hodges#3997
Cymaenes isus
Feathered Stem-moth
Ochsenheimeria taurella
Feltia evanidalis - Hodges#10672
Feltia evanidalis
Feltia manifesta - Hodges#10666
Feltia manifesta
Feltia mollis - Hodges#10644
Feltia mollis
Fen Bent-wing
Pseudopostega auritella
Ferguson's sallow moth - Hodges#9948.1
Chaetaglaea fergusoni
Fergusonix januaris - Hodges#10605.2
Fergusonix januaris
Fernandocrambus ruptifascia - Hodges#5390
Fernandocrambus ruptifascia
Fervid Plagodis
Plagodis fervidaria
Field Crescent - Hodges#4482.1
Phyciodes pulchella
Field Crescent Butterfly
Phycoides pulchella
Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus
Fig Sphinx
Pachylia ficus
Figure-seven Moth - Hodges#8641
Drasteria grandirena
Figured Tiger Moth - Hodges#8188
Apantesis figurata
Filatima abactella - Hodges#2127
Filatima abactella
Filatima albilorella - Hodges#2129
Filatima albilorella
Filatima arizonella - Hodges#2131
Filatima arizonella
Filatima biforella - Hodges#2134
Filatima biforella
Filatima confusatella - Hodges#2139
Filatima confusatella
Filatima loowita - Hodges#2151.1
Filatima loowita
Filatima neotrophella
Filatima neotrophella
Filatima nigripectus - Hodges#2155
Filatima nigripectus
Filatima ornatifimbriella - Hodges#2162
Filatima ornatifimbriella
Filatima revisensis - Hodges#2169.1
Filatima revisensis
Filatima saliciphaga - Hodges#2171
Filatima saliciphaga
Filatima striatella - Hodges#2176
Filatima striatella
Filatima undescribed-species-on-ceanothus-herbaceus-one
Filatima undescribed-species-on-ceanothus-herbaceus-one
Filatima undescribed-species-on-ceanothus-herbaceus-two
Filatima undescribed-species-on-ceanothus-herbaceus-two
Filatima undescribed-species-on-dalea
Filatima undescribed-species-on-dalea
Filatima undescribed-species-sl-one
Filatima undescribed-species-sl-one
Fillet Dart - Hodges#10851
Euxoa redimicula
Fingered Dagger
Acronicta dactylina
Fingered Lemmeria - Hodges#9429
Lemmeria digitalis
Fir Cone Borer - Hodges#3075
Eucopina siskiyouana
Fir Tussock Moth
Orgyia detrita
Fishia discors - Hodges#9970
Fishia discors
Fishia dispar - Hodges#9568
Fishia dispar
Fishia nigrescens - Hodges#9972.1
Fishia nigrescens
Fissicrambus albilineellus - Hodges#5384
Fissicrambus albilineellus
Fissicrambus minuellus - Hodges#5437
Fissicrambus minuellus
Fissicrambus profanellus - Hodges#5431
Fissicrambus profanellus
Five-lined Gray - Hodges#6453
Glena quinquelinearia
Five-spotted Hawk Moth
Manduca quinquemaculatus
Five-spotted Pelochrista Moth - Hodges#3008
Pelochrista quinquemaculana
Fleabane Cochylid - Hodges#3790
Eugnosta erigeronana
Floating-heart Waterlily Moth - Hodges#4763
Parapoynx seminealis
Florida Eutelia - Hodges#8968.1
Marathyssa furcata
Florida Fern Moth
Callopistria floridensis
Florida Flannel Moth - Hodges#4643
Megalopyge lacyi
Florida Morning-Glory Leafminer - Hodges#0465
Bedellia minor
Florida Tetanolita - Hodges#8368
Tetanolita floridana
Florida Tussock Moth - Hodges#8202
Halysidota cinctipes
Flower Moth
Schinia ligeae
Flowing-line Hypena Moth
Hypena manalis
Fomoria hypericella - Hodges#0061
Fomoria hypericella
Fomoria pteliaeella - Hodges#0060
Fomoria pteliaeella
Forage Looper Moth
Caenurgina erechtea
Forbes' Silk Moth
Rothschilida forbesi
Forbes's Dart - Hodges#10902
Anicla forbesi
Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma disstria
Forked Euchlaena - Hodges#6735
Euchlaena deductaria
Formosa Looper - Hodges#8904
Chrysanympha formosa
Fota minorata - Hodges#9843
Fota minorata
Four-Lined Chocolate Moth - Hodges#8762
Argyrostrotis quadrifilaris
Four-barred-Gray Moth
Aethalura intertexta
Four-lined Borer Moth - Hodges#9393
Resapamea stipata
Four-spotted Bird Dropping Moth - Hodges#9143
Tarache tetragona
Four-spotted Ghost Moth
Sthenopis purpurascens
Four-spotted Gluphisia Moth
Gluphisia avimacula
Four-spotted Palpita Moth
Palpita quadristigmalis
Four-spotted Skipperling - Hodges#3984
Piruna polingii
Franclemont's Hypenodes - Hodges#8424
Hypenodes franclemonti
Franclemont's Sallow - Hodges#9934
Eupsilia cirripalea
Franclemontia interrogans - Hodges#9444
Franclemontia interrogans
Frechinia criddlealis - Hodges#4801
Frechinia criddlealis
Frechinia helianthiales - Hodges#4798
Frechinia helianthiales
Frechinia lutosalis - Hodges#4799
Frechinia lutosalis
Freckled Glassy-wing - Hodges#8221
Pseudohemihyalea labecula
Freija Fritillary - Hodges#4471
Boloria freija
Friday's Blue - Hodges#4375.2
Plebejus fridayi
Friendly Probole Moth
Probole amicaria
Frigga Fritillary - Hodges#4466
Boloria frigga
Frigid Owlet - Hodges#8975
Nycteola frigidana
Frigid wave moth - Hodges#7166
Scopula frigidaria
Friseria nona - Hodges#1917
Friseria nona
Frosted Dagger Moth - Hodges#9201
Acronicta hastulifera
Frosted Tan Wave Moth - Hodges#7157
Scopula cacuminaria
Frosted flasher - Hodges#3898
Telegonus alardus
Fruit-Tree Leafroller Moth
Archips argyrospila
Frumenta davidi - Hodges#2051.2
Frumenta davidi
Frumenta nephelomicta - Hodges#2051
Frumenta nephelomicta
Frumenta nundinella - Hodges#2052
Frumenta nundinella
Fulvia Checkerspot - Hodges#4506
Chlosyne fulvia
Funereal Apotomis - Hodges#2755
Apotomis funerea