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)
Impressed Dagger Moth - Hodges#9261
Acronicta impressa
Inconsolable Underwing - Hodges#8791
Catocala insolabilis
Indented Dichomeris Moth - Hodges#2297
Dichomeris inserrata
Indianmeal Moth
Plodia interpunctella
Indigo Stem Borer
Papaipema baptisiae
Indomitable Graphic Moth
Melipotis indomita
Indra Swallowtail - Hodges#4168
Papilio indra
Infralathosea pronuba - Hodges#10035
Infralathosea pronuba
Infralathosea unicornis - Hodges#10035.1
Infralathosea unicornis
Inguromorpha arcifera - Hodges#2658
Inguromorpha arcifera
Inguromorpha basalis - Hodges#2659
Inguromorpha basalis
Inguromorpha texasensis - Hodges#2659.1
Inguromorpha texasensis
Inimical Borer Moth - Hodges#3500
Pseudogalleria inimicella
Inkblot Palpita Moth - Hodges#5223
Palpita illibalis
Inopsis funerea - Hodges#8056
Inopsis funerea
Inornate Pyrausta Moth
Pyrausta inornatalis
Insidious Leafroller Moth - Hodges#3181
Epiblema insidiosana
Intermediate Hooded Owlet - Hodges#10194
Cucullia intermedia
Interrupted Dagger - Hodges#9237
Acronicta interrupta
Intricate Satyr - Hodges#4574.1
Hermeuptychia intricata
Io Moth
Automeris io
Ipimorpha nanaimo - Hodges#9552
Ipimorpha nanaimo
Ipimorpha viridipallida - Hodges#9553
Ipimorpha viridipallida
Ipsilon Dart Moth
Agrotis ipsilon
Iridopsis cypressaria - Hodges#6571
Iridopsis cypressaria
Iridopsis dataria - Hodges#6573
Iridopsis dataria
Iridopsis fragilaria - Hodges#6585
Iridopsis fragilaria
Iridopsis gemella - Hodges#6587
Iridopsis gemella
Iridopsis pseudoherse - Hodges#6587.1
Iridopsis pseudoherse
Iridopsis sancta - Hodges#6579
Iridopsis sancta
Iridopsis sanctissima - Hodges#6576
Iridopsis sanctissima
Iris Rover - Hodges#9967
Hillia iris
Iris eyed Silkmoth - Hodges#7747
Automeris iris
Iron-lined Olethreutes Moth
Olethreutes ferrolineana
Ironweed Borer
Papaipema cerussata
Ironweed Clearwing Moth
Carmenta bassiformis
Ironweed Plume Moth - Hodges#6207
Hellinsia paleaceus
Ironweed Root Moth
Polygrammodes flavidalis
Ironwood Fruitworm Moth - Hodges#3265
Gretchena delicatana
Isa schaefferana - Hodges#4680
Isa schaefferana
Isabella’s Heliconian - Hodges#4417
Eueides isabella
Isocorypha chrysocomella - Hodges#0298
Isocorypha chrysocomella
Isognathus rimosa - Hodges#7831
Isognathus rimosa
Isogona natatrix - Hodges#8492
Isogona natatrix
Isogona punctipennis - Hodges#8495
Isogona punctipennis
Isogona scindens - Hodges#8498
Isogona scindens
Isogona segura - Hodges#8496
Isogona segura
Isogona texana - Hodges#8494
Isogona texana
Isophrictis actinopa - Hodges#1689
Isophrictis actinopa
Isophrictis similiella - Hodges#1702
Isophrictis similiella
Isophrictis trimaculella - Hodges#1705
Isophrictis trimaculella
Ithome concolorella - Hodges#1638
Ithome concolorella
Itomia opistographa - Hodges#8555.1
Itomia opistographa
Ixala adventaria - Hodges#6698
Ixala adventaria
Ixala proutearia - Hodges#6696
Ixala proutearia
Jack Pine Budworm - Hodges#3643
Choristoneura pinus
Jack Pine Tube Moth - Hodges#3603
Argyrotaenia tabulana
Jaguar Flower Moth - Hodges#11132
Schinia jaguarina
Janseodes melanospila - Hodges#8561
Janseodes melanospila
Jerapowellia burnsorum - Hodges#2888.2
Jerapowellia burnsorum
Jessica Underwing - Hodges#8825
Catocala jessica
Jewel-tailed Slug Moth
Packardia geminata
Joined Underwing Moth
Catocala junctura
Juba Skipper
Hesperia juba
Julia Longwing Butterfly
Dryas iulia
Julia Orangetip - Hodges#4206.1
Anthocharis julia
Julia's Dicymolomia - Hodges#4889
Dicymolomia julianalis
Julia's Skipper - Hodges#3994
Nastra julia
Juniper Carpet Moth
Thera juniperata
Juniper Hairstreak Butterfly
Callophyrs gryneus
Juniper cone moth - Hodges#1571
Periploca atrata
Juniper gelechiid moth - Hodges#1962
Gelechia sabinellus
Juniper-twig Geometer
Patalene olyzonaria
Junonia grisea - Hodges#4440.01
Junonia grisea
Junonia stemosa - Hodges#4441.1
Junonia stemosa
Jutta Arctic - Hodges#4611
Oeneis jutta
Juvenal's Duskywing
Erynnis juvenalis
Kakopoda progenies - Hodges#8669
Kakopoda progenies
Keiferia feldmani
Keiferia feldmani
Kemp's Hellula Moth - Hodges#4848
Hellula kempae
Kent Carl
Coptotriche heinemanni
Kessleria parnassiae - Hodges#2429
Kessleria parnassiae
Kimball's Leafroller Moth - Hodges#3600
Argyrotaenia kimballi
Kimball's Pelochrista - Hodges#3043.1
Pelochrista kimballi
Knee-joint Dart Moth - Hodges#10680
Feltia geniculata
Knudsonia lathraeata - Hodges#7647.5
Knudsonia lathraeata
Kowhai Seed Moth
Stathmopoda aposema
La cerveza - Hodges#5417.1
La cerveza
Labrador Dart - Hodges#10992
Paradiarsia littoralis
Labrador Sulphur - Hodges#4216
Colias nastes
Labyrinth Moth
Phaecasiophora niveiguttana
Lacanobia grandis - Hodges#10300
Lacanobia grandis
Lace-winged Roadside-Skipper - Hodges#4099
Amblyscirtes aesculapius
Lacey's Scrub-Hairstreak - Hodges#4344
Strymon alea
Lacinipolia agnata - Hodges#10376
Lacinipolia agnata
Lacinipolia buscki - Hodges#10421
Lacinipolia buscki
Lacinipolia circumcincta - Hodges#10399
Lacinipolia circumcincta
Lacinipolia consimilis - Hodges#10420
Lacinipolia consimilis
Lacinipolia erecta - Hodges#10403
Lacinipolia erecta
Lacinipolia franclemonti - Hodges#10406.5
Lacinipolia franclemonti