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)
Mead's Flower Moth - Hodges#11175
Schinia meadi
Mead's Wood-Nymph - Hodges#4588
Cercyonis meadii
Meadow Fritillary Butterly
Boloria bellona
Meal Moth
Pyralis farinalis
Mecyna mustelinalis - Hodges#5137
Mecyna mustelinalis
Medium Dagger Moth - Hodges#9242.1
Acronicta immodica
Megalopyge lapena - Hodges#4645
Megalopyge lapena
Meganola conspicua - Hodges#8988
Meganola conspicua
Meganola dentata - Hodges#8986
Meganola dentata
Meganola georgei - Hodges#8983.3
Meganola georgei
Megasis caudellella - Hodges#5870
Megasis caudellella
Megasis delta - Hodges#5884
Megasis delta
Megasis dophnerella - Hodges#5871
Megasis dophnerella
Megasis perfuscalis - Hodges#5880
Megasis perfuscalis
Megasis pullatella - Hodges#5866
Megasis pullatella
Megasis rubrithoracella - Hodges#5874
Megasis rubrithoracella
Megasis tephrella - Hodges#5875
Megasis tephrella
Melanocinclis sparsa - Hodges#1505
Melanocinclis sparsa
Melanocinclis vibex - Hodges#1507
Melanocinclis vibex
Melanolophia centralis - Hodges#6619
Melanolophia centralis
Identification: Original description online: (165)
Melanolophia imperfectaria - Hodges#6622
Melanolophia imperfectaria
Melemaea magdalena - Hodges#6855
Melemaea magdalena
Meleneta antennata - Hodges#9191
Meleneta antennata
Melipotis agrotoides - Hodges#8608
Melipotis agrotoides
Melipotis contorta - Hodges#8605
Melipotis contorta
Melipotis famelica - Hodges#8604
Melipotis famelica
Melipotis florida - Hodges#8598.1
Melipotis florida
Melipotis januaris - Hodges#8603
Melipotis januaris
Melipotis nigrobasis - Hodges#8602
Melipotis nigrobasis
Melissa Arctic - Hodges#4612
Oeneis melissa
Melitara dentata - Hodges#5971
Melitara dentata
Melitara prodenialis - Hodges#5970
Melitara prodenialis
Melitara texana - Hodges#5971.2
Melitara texana
Melonworm Moth
Diaphania hyalinata
Melsheimer's Sack-bearer Moth - Hodges#7662
Cicinnus melsheimeri
Menesta melanella - Hodges#1031
Menesta melanella
Menesta tortriciformella - Hodges#1030
Menesta tortriciformella
Menestomorpha oblongata - Hodges#1028
Menestomorpha oblongata
Mercurial Skipper - Hodges#3868
Proteides mercurius
Mericisca gracea - Hodges#6605
Mericisca gracea
Mericisca perpictaria - Hodges#6606
Mericisca perpictaria
Meridian Duskywing - Hodges#3950
Erynnis meridianus
Meris alticola - Hodges#6879.1
Meris alticola
Meropleon cinnamicolor - Hodges#9425.1
Meropleon cinnamicolor
Meropleon linae - Hodges#9425.2
Meropleon linae
Meropleon titan - Hodges#9426
Meropleon titan
Meroptera abditiva - Hodges#5788
Meroptera abditiva
Meroptera anaimella - Hodges#5785.1
Meroptera anaimella
Meroptera mirandella - Hodges#5785
Meroptera mirandella
Meroptera pravella - Hodges#5787
Meroptera pravella
Merrick's Crambid Moth - Hodges#5117
Loxostegopsis merrickalis
Mesepiola specca - Hodges#0209
Mesepiola specca
Meske's Pero - Hodges#6747
Pero meskaria
Mesolia baboquivariella - Hodges#5328
Mesolia baboquivariella
Mesolia incertellus - Hodges#5331
Mesolia incertellus
Mesolia oraculella - Hodges#5329
Mesolia oraculella
Metalectra albilinea - Hodges#8504
Metalectra albilinea
Metalectra bigallis - Hodges#8501
Metalectra bigallis
Metalectra cinctus - Hodges#8508
Metalectra cinctus
Metalectra edilis - Hodges#8507
Metalectra edilis
Metalectra geminicincta - Hodges#8507.1
Metalectra geminicincta
Metallic Sedge Moth
Glyphipterix meteora
Metarranthis amyrisaria - Hodges#6824
Metarranthis amyrisaria
Metarranthis lateritiaria - Hodges#6829
Metarranthis lateritiaria
Metarranthis mollicularia - Hodges#6833
Metarranthis mollicularia
Metarranthis pilosaria - Hodges#6830
Metarranthis pilosaria
Metopluera potosi - Hodges#2207.5
Metopleura potosi
Metrica kuschea - Hodges#6418
Metrica kuschea
Metriochroa psychotriella - Hodges#0699
Metriochroa psychotriella
Metzneria paucipunctella - Hodges#1686
Metzneria paucipunctella
Mexican Dartwhite Butterfly
Catasticta nimbice
Mexican Fritillary - Hodges#4448
Euptoieta hegesia
Mexican Tiger Moth
Apantesis proxima
Mexican Yellow
Eurema mexicana
Micrathetis costiplaga - Hodges#9645
Micrathetis costiplaga
Microcausta bipunctalis - Hodges#5457
Microcausta bipunctalis
Microcausta flavipunctalis - Hodges#5456
Microcausta flavipunctalis
Microcrambus discludellus - Hodges#5423
Microcrambus discludellus
Microcrambus kimballi - Hodges#5424
Microcrambus kimballi
Microcrambus matheri - Hodges#5425
Microcrambus matheri
Microcrambus minor - Hodges#5422
Microcrambus minor
Microhelia angelica - Hodges#11056
Microhelia angelica
Microphysetica hermeasalis - Hodges#5121
Microphysetica hermeasalis
Microthyris anormalis - Hodges#5263
Microthyris anormalis
Micrurapteryx occulta - Hodges#0654
Micrurapteryx occulta
Midsummer Tiger Swallowtail - Hodges#4183.4
Papilio solstitius
Milbert's Tortoiseshell Butterfly
Aglais milberti
Milkweed Tussock Moth
Euchaetes egle
Milky-winged Bird-Dropping Moth - Hodges#9137
Tarache lactipennis
Mimcochylis fulvotinctana - Hodges#3858
Mimcochylis fulvotinctana
Mimophisma delunaris - Hodges#8723
Mimophisma delunaris
Mimophobetron pyropsalis - Hodges#5237
Mimophobetron pyropsalis
Mimorista trimaculalis - Hodges#5140
Mimorista trimaculalis
Mimosa Skipper - Hodges#3921
Cogia calchas
Mimosa Yellow Sulphur
Pyrisitia nise
Mini Bagworm
Astala confederata
Minofala instans - Hodges#9847
Minofala instans
Minor Angle Moth
Macaria minorata
Mint-loving Pyrausta Moth
Pyrausta acrionalis
Minute Oval Abrostola - Hodges#8883
Abrostola microvalis