list of butterflies and moths

The order Lepidoptera consists of more than 180,000 species of butterflies, moths, and skippers. This order of insects is second in size to Coleoptera, the beetles, and is one of the largest groups of animals on Earth. This is an alphabetically ordered list of significant butterflies and moths, grouped by superfamily.

butterflies (superfamily Papilionoidea)

• brush-footed butterflies (family Nymphalidae)

  • admirals (subfamily Limenitidinae and Nymphalinae)

    • painted lady (Vanessa cardui)
  • fritillaries (multiple genera)
  • milkweed butterflies (subfamily Danainae)

    • monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
  • morpho butterflies (genus Morpho)
  • satyr butterflies (subfamily Satyrinae)
• gossamer-winged butterflies (family Lycaenidae)

  • blue butterflies (subfamily Polyommatinae)
  • copper butterflies (subfamily Lycaeninae)
  • hairstreaks (subfamily Theclinae)
  • harvesters (subfamily Miletinae)
  • metalmarks (subfamily Riodininae)
• family Pieridae

  • orange-tip butterflies (genus Anthocharis)
  • sulfur butterflies (subfamily Coliadinae)
  • white butterflies (subfamily Pierinae)

    • cabbage whites (Pieris rapae and P. brassicae)
• swallowtail and parnassian butterflies (family Papilionidae)

  • tiger swallowtails (Papilio glaucus and Battus philenor)
  • zebra swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus)

moths (superfamily Noctuoidea)

• bagworm moths (family Psychidae)
• carpenter moths (family Cossidae)

  • leopard moth (Zeuzera pyrina)
• clearwing moths (family Sesiidae)
• ermine moths (family Yponomeutidae)

  • diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella)
• forester moths (family Zygaenidae)
• gelechiid moths (family Gelechiidae)
• geometrid moths (family Geometridae)

  • peppered moth (Biston betularia)
• spongy moth (Lymantria dispar)
• hawk moths (family Sphingidae)
• genus Hyposmocoma
• leaf roller moths (family Tortricidae)

  • olethreutid moths (subfamily Olethreutinae)
  • spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana)
• midget moths (family Nepticulidae)
• owlet moths (family Noctuidae)
• plume moths (family Pterophoridae)
• prominent moths (family Notodontidae)
• pyralid moths (family Pyralidae)

  • flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella)
• saturniid moths (family Saturniidae)

  • atlas moth (Attacus atlas)
  • regal moths (subfamily Citheroniinae)
  • luna moth (Actias luna)
• silkworm moths (Bombyx mori)
• slug caterpillar moths (family Limacodidae)
• swifts (family Hepialidae)
• tiger moths (family Arctiidae)

  • footman moths (subfamily Lithosiinae)
• tent caterpillar moths and lappet moths (family Lasiocampidae)
• tineid moths (family Tineidae)

  • carpet moth (genus Trichophaga)
• tussock moths (family Lymantriidae)
• window-winged moth (family Thyrididae)
• yucca moths (genus Tegeticula)

skippers (superfamily Hesperioidea)

• skippers