Butterflies & Moths
Order Lepidoptera
Known for their large, often colorful wings covered in tiny scales. Lepidoptera undergo complete metamorphosis through egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages.
Species in this Order (418)
Achilles Morpho
Morpho achilles
A medium-sized morpho with a bright blue band across dark brown-black wings. It flies rapidly throug...
African Armyworm
Spodoptera exempta
A migratory pest moth whose caterpillars march in vast armies across cereal crops and grasslands in ...
African Commodore Butterfly
Precis pelarga
A medium-sized butterfly with warm orange-brown wings and subtle eyespots near the wing margins. It ...
African Giant Swallowtail
Papilio antimachus
The largest butterfly in Africa with a wingspan of up to 250 mm. It flies at great heights in the ca...
African Map Butterfly
Cyrestis camillus
A delicate white butterfly with fine dark lines across its wings resembling a map or circuit board. ...
African Migrant Butterfly
Catopsilia florella
A large white to greenish-yellow pierid butterfly that undertakes massive migrations across Africa. ...
African Moon Moth
Argema mimosae
A large pale green silk moth with long hindwing tails and maroon eyespots on each wing. Males have b...
Amazon Sphinx Moth
Cocytius antaeus
One of the largest sphinx moths in the Americas with a long, narrow body and pointed wings. Its tong...
Amazonian Dagger Moth
Lophocampa citrina
A yellow and brown spotted tiger moth common in Neotropical forests. Its densely hairy caterpillars ...
Amazonian Uranid Moth
Urania leilus
A day-flying moth with iridescent green, blue, and black bands on swallowtail-shaped wings. It under...
Angle Shades
Phlogophora meticulosa
A moth with uniquely crumpled wings in olive, pink, and brown that perfectly resemble a dead leaf. I...
Anna's Eighty-Eight
Diaethria anna
A small neotropical butterfly with bright blue-green upper wings and a striking black-and-white nume...
Apollo Butterfly
Parnassius apollo
A large white butterfly with translucent wings bearing red and black eyespots, found on mountain slo...
Atlas Blue Butterfly
Polyommatus atlanticus
A small blue butterfly restricted to high-altitude cedar forests in Morocco....
Atlas Moth
Attacus atlas
One of the largest moths in the world by wing area. Adults have no mouths and do not eat, living onl...
Australian Painted Lady
Vanessa kershawi
An orange, black, and white butterfly closely related to the cosmopolitan painted lady. It undertake...
Banana Moth
Opogona sacchari
A small tropical moth whose larvae bore into banana stems and stored tubers....
Banded Hairstreak
Satyrium calanus
A small dark brown butterfly with conspicuous bands of white-edged dark dashes on its hindwing under...
Banded Peacock
Papilio crino
A stunning swallowtail with emerald green bands on velvety black wings. The hindwings have red and b...
Banded Peacock Butterfly
Anartia fatima
A medium-sized butterfly with dark brown wings crossed by a broad creamy-white band and orange wing ...
Banded Treebrown
Lethe confusa
A shade-loving brown butterfly with a distinctive pale band across the forewing and a series of smal...
Bath White
Pontia daplidice
A white butterfly with bold green marbling on the underside of its hindwings. It is a rare migrant t...
Beautiful Snout
Hypena crassalis
A moth with long palps forming a snout-like projection and warm purple-brown wings crossed by pale l...
Beet Armyworm
Spodoptera exigua
A small grayish-brown moth whose green caterpillars attack a wide range of vegetable and field crops...
Bella Moth
Utetheisa ornatrix
A brightly colored moth with pink-orange forewings covered in white and black spots. It sequesters t...
Bhutan Glory
Bhutanitis lidderdalii
A spectacular swallowtail from the eastern Himalayas with multiple tail streamers and intricate blac...
Birdwing Butterfly
Ornithoptera alexandrae
The largest butterfly in the world with a wingspan up to 31 cm. Found only in a small area of Papua ...
Black Arches
Lymantria monacha
A striking moth with white wings boldly marked with black zigzag lines and a pink-flushed abdomen. I...
Black Cutworm
Agrotis ipsilon
A dull brown moth whose soil-dwelling caterpillars sever young seedlings at ground level during the ...
Black-waved Flannel Moth
Megalopyge crispata
A fluffy white to yellowish moth with wavy dark lines across the forewings. Like its relative the pu...
Blue Metalmark
Lasaia sula
A tiny butterfly with vivid metallic blue upper wings that flash brilliantly in sunlight. It perches...
Blue Morpho
Morpho menelaus
Renowned for its brilliant iridescent blue wings. The color is not from pigment but from microscopic...
Blue Triangle
Graphium sarpedon
A swift-flying black swallowtail with a band of translucent blue-green spots across both wings. It i...
Bogong Moth
Agrotis infusa
A migratory moth that aestivates in alpine caves in enormous aggregations....
Bolas Spider Moth Mimic
Celaenia excavata
An Australian moth whose eggs are so tough they resemble seeds and can survive passage through a bir...
Bordered White
Bupalus piniaria
A sexually dimorphic moth where males are white with brown borders and females are orange-brown. It ...
Box Tree Moth
Cydalima perspectalis
A white moth with iridescent brown wing borders that has become one of Europe's most destructive inv...
Brazilian Skipper
Calpodes ethlius
A robust brown skipper butterfly with translucent white spots on the forewings. Its larvae build lea...
Brimstone Moth
Opisthograptis luteolata
A bright yellow moth with chestnut-brown blotches along the leading edge of each wing. It is a commo...
Broad-Bordered Bee Hawk-Moth
Hemaris fuciformis
A day-flying sphinx moth with transparent wings that mimic a bumblebee. The scales on its wings fall...
Brown Argus
Aricia agestis
A small chocolate-brown butterfly with a row of bright orange crescent-shaped spots around the wing ...
Brown Hairstreak
Thecla betulae
A secretive butterfly with rich brown wings and an orange flash on the female's forewings. Adults sp...
Brown House Moth
Hofmannophila pseudospretella
A dull bronze-brown moth with darker flecks that is a widespread household pest. Unlike clothes moth...
Brown-tail Moth
Euproctis chrysorrhoea
A white moth with a conspicuous brown tuft of hairs at the tip of its abdomen, used to cover its egg...
Buck Moth
Hemileuca maia
A day-flying black and white moth with a red-tipped abdomen that appears in autumn. Its spiny caterp...
Buff Arches
Habrosyne pyritoides
A moth with intricate grey, white, and buff patterns creating a complex marbled effect on its forewi...
Buff-tip
Phalera bucephala
A moth that mimics a broken birch twig with remarkable precision when at rest. Its silvery-grey wing...
Burnished Brass
Diachrysia chrysitis
A moth with brilliant metallic gold and bronze patches on its forewings that gleam like polished met...
Cabbage Looper
Trichoplusia ni
A pale green caterpillar that moves in a distinctive looping motion and feeds on brassica crops. The...
Cabbage Moth
Mamestra brassicae
A mottled grey-brown moth with kidney-shaped and circular stigmata on the forewings. Its caterpillar...
Cabbage Tree Emperor Moth
Bunaea alcinoe
A large emperor moth with reddish-brown wings bearing prominent eyespots. Larvae are gregarious and ...
Cairns Birdwing
Ornithoptera euphorion
Australias largest endemic butterfly with males displaying vivid green and black wings. Females are ...
Calleta Silk Moth
Eupackardia calleta
A dark brown silk moth with striking white crescent markings and a broad white postmedial band on ea...
Camberwell Beauty
Nymphalis antiopa
A large, velvety maroon butterfly with a broad creamy-yellow wing border and a row of blue spots. It...
Canary Islands Admiral Butterfly
Vanessa vulcania
An endemic butterfly closely related to the red admiral, found in the Canary Islands and Madeira. It...
Canary Islands Blue Butterfly
Cyclyrius webbianus
A small endemic blue butterfly found on the Canary Islands. Males have bright violet-blue upperwings...
Canary Islands Brimstone Butterfly
Gonepteryx cleobule
A bright yellow butterfly endemic to the Canary Islands, larger than its European relatives. It is f...
Canary Islands Large White Butterfly
Pieris cheiranthi
A large white butterfly endemic to the Canary Islands with prominent dark wing markings. It is found...
Canary-shouldered Thorn
Ennomos alniaria
An autumn moth with bright canary-yellow fur on its thorax and warm orange-yellow wings. When at res...
Carolina Sphinx Moth
Manduca sexta
A large gray sphinx moth whose caterpillar, the tobacco hornworm, is a well-known pest of tomato and...
Casemaking Clothes Moth
Tinea pellionella
A small silvery-brown moth whose larva constructs a portable silken case that it drags along as it f...
Cecropia Moth
Hyalophora cecropia
The largest native moth in North America with reddish-brown wings bearing white comma-shaped marks a...
Chequered Skipper
Carterocephalus palaemon
A small dark butterfly with bold orange-yellow chequered spots, once found in English woodlands but ...
Chinese Character Moth
Cilix glaucata
A tiny moth whose resting posture perfectly mimics a bird dropping on a leaf. Its white wings bear a...
Chinese Oak Silk Moth
Antheraea pernyi
A large tawny-brown silk moth with prominent translucent eyespots on each wing. It has been cultivat...
Chinese Peacock Swallowtail
Papilio bianor
A large swallowtail with dark wings that shimmer with brilliant blue-green iridescence. Its hindwing...
Chinese Tussar Moth
Antheraea frithi
A large wild silk moth with rich brown wings bearing four prominent transparent eyespots. It produce...
Chinese Windmill
Atrophaneura alcinous
A dark swallowtail butterfly with crimson patches on the hindwings and a slow fluttering flight. The...
Chinese Windmill Butterfly
Byasa alcinous
A dark swallowtail with red-spotted hindwings that rotates its wings in a slow windmill-like pattern...
Cinnabar Moth
Tyria jacobaeae
A day-flying moth with charcoal-black wings marked with crimson-red stripes and spots. It has been d...
Citrus Swallowtail
Papilio demodocus
A common large swallowtail with cream and black patterned wings and blue-red eyespots on the hindwin...
Claudina Metalmark
Mesosemia claudia
A small, dark-winged metalmark butterfly with fine silvery-blue spots along the wing margins. It res...
Clifden Nonpareil Moth
Catocala fraxini
A large underwing moth with spectacular blue-black hindwings concealed at rest....
Clouded Apollo
Parnassius mnemosyne
A delicate, semi-translucent white butterfly with dark wing veins and small dark spots. It flies slo...
Clouded Skipper
Lerema accius
A dark brown skipper with small glassy white spots on its forewings. It is one of the most common gr...
Clouded Yellow
Colias croceus
A fast-flying bright orange-yellow butterfly with black wing borders. A pale female form called heli...
Codling Moth
Cydia pomonella
A small grey-brown moth whose larvae are the proverbial worm in the apple. It is the most economical...
Columbia Silk Moth
Hyalophora columbia
A large reddish-brown silk moth closely related to the cecropia moth but found in northern bog habit...
Comet Moth
Argema mittrei
One of the worlds largest silk moths, with brilliant yellow wings and tail spans reaching 20 cm. End...
Common Bagworm Moth
Psyche casta
A small moth whose larva builds a distinctive portable bag from silk and plant debris that it carrie...
Common Birdwing
Troides helena
A large birdwing butterfly with velvety black forewings and bright golden-yellow hindwings in males....
Common Jezebel
Delias nigrina
A medium-sized butterfly with white wings above and bright yellow and red markings below. It is wide...
Common Jezebel
Delias eucharis
A medium butterfly with white uppersides and brilliantly colored red and yellow patterned undersides...
Common Nawab
Polyura athamas
A large butterfly with pale green-white wings edged in black with two prominent hindwing tails. It h...
Common Rose Swallowtail
Pachliopta aristolochiae
A striking black and crimson swallowtail butterfly common across South and Southeast Asia. Its body ...
Common Sootywing
Pholisora catullus
A very small sooty-black skipper with scattered tiny white spots on the forewings. It is a common bu...
Common Swift Moth
Korscheltellus lupulina
A small brownish moth with faint white streaks that emerges in large numbers in early summer evening...
Common Windmill
Byasa polyeuctes
A black swallowtail with red body spots and white-patched hindwings that flutter in a distinctive wi...
Congo Moth
Dactyloceras lucina
A large brown emperor moth with distinctive serrated wing margins and large eyespots. Males have bro...
Convolvulus Hawk-moth
Agrius convolvuli
A powerful migrant hawk-moth with a streamlined grey body and pink-banded abdomen. It possesses an e...
Coral Hairstreak
Satyrium titus
A tailless hairstreak butterfly with a row of bright coral-red spots along the hindwing margin. Its ...
Cork Moth
Nemapogon cloacella
A small mottled brown and cream moth that naturally breeds in bracket fungi on trees. It occasionall...
Corn Earworm
Helicoverpa zea
A highly polyphagous moth whose caterpillars feed inside corn ears, tomato fruits, and cotton bolls....
Corsican Swallowtail
Papilio hospiton
A large swallowtail endemic to the Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Sardinia with heavily patter...
Corvus Skipper
Trapezites symmomus
A robust dark skipper butterfly with orange-spotted wings found in sedge-rich wetlands. It is endemi...
Cream-spot Tiger Moth
Arctia villica
A striking black moth with cream-white spots and orange hindwings with dark patches....
Cream-spot Tiger Moth
Epicallia villica
A handsome moth with velvety black forewings dotted with large cream-white spots and bright orange h...
Cretan Tiger Moth
Euplagia quadripunctaria rhodosensis
A colorful tiger moth found on Mediterranean islands including Crete and Rhodes. It has black-and-wh...
Crimson Rose
Pachliopta hector
A striking black swallowtail with bright crimson patches on the hindwings and a red body. It is a mo...
Crimson Speckled Moth
Utetheisa pulchella
A small stunning moth with white forewings densely spotted with black and red marks. It is a strong ...
Cuban Clear-winged Moth
Carmenta bassiformis
A wasp-mimicking moth found in Cuba with transparent wings. Its narrow body and buzzing flight close...
Cuban Dagger Moth
Acronicta oblinita
A moth found in Cuba and North America whose caterpillars bear dense tufts of hair. Adults are grayi...
Cuban Pygmy Blue Butterfly
Brephidium exilis thompsoni
One of the smallest butterflies in the world, found in Cuba and the Caribbean. Its wingspan barely e...
Currant Clearwing
Synanthedon tipuliformis
A small wasp-mimicking moth with transparent wings and a black body banded with yellow. Its larvae b...
Cynthia Moth
Samia cynthia
An olive and brown silk moth with distinctive white crescent marks and lilac shading on the wing mar...
Dark Green Fritillary
Speyeria aglaja
A fast-flying fritillary with a powerful gliding flight over open grasslands. Its underside features...
Darling Underwing
Catocala cara
A large underwing moth with cryptic gray-brown forewings and striking pinkish-red hindwings banded w...
Death Head Hawk Moth
Acherontia lachesis
An Asian death head moth that squeaks loudly and raids bee hives for honey....
Death Head Hawkmoth
Acherontia atropos
Famous for the skull-like pattern on its thorax. Can emit a loud squeak when disturbed. Raids beehiv...
December Moth
Poecilocampa populi
A dark, hairy moth that flies in the coldest months of the year, from November to January. Its cold-...
Diamondback Moth
Plutella xylostella
A tiny grayish moth with a diamond-shaped pattern along its back when wings are folded. It is the mo...
Dingy Skipper
Erynnis tages
A small, moth-like butterfly with mottled grey-brown wings that rests with wings spread flat. It is ...
Dominican Clearwing Butterfly
Greta diaphanus
A glasswing butterfly found in Hispaniola with nearly transparent wings. Its wings have tiny nanopil...
Dragon Swallowtail
Sericinus montela
A delicate white swallowtail with black veins and red spots, bearing long spatulate tails. It has a ...
Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
A small, chequered brown and orange butterfly and Europe's only member of the metalmark family. It h...
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
A large yellow butterfly with bold black tiger stripes and blue and orange markings on the hindwing ...
Eighty-eight Butterfly
Diaethria clymena
A small butterfly with striking black and white markings on its underwings that clearly spell out th...
Elephant Hawk-moth
Deilephila elpenor
A stunning pink and olive-green moth that hovers at flowers like a hummingbird at dusk. Its caterpil...
Emperor Moth
Saturnia pavonia
Europe's only native member of the giant silk moth family, with prominent eyespots on all four wings...
Emperor Swallowtail
Papilio ophidicephalus
South Africa's largest butterfly with bold black and yellow-green markings. Its caterpillar mimics a...
Eri Silk Moth
Samia ricini
A large domesticated silk moth with chocolate-brown wings bearing crescent-shaped eyespots. It produ...
Essex Skipper
Thymelicus lineola
A small orange-brown skipper so similar to the small skipper that it was not recognised as a separat...
European Corn Borer
Ostrinia nubilalis
A small yellowish-brown moth that is one of the most destructive crop pests in the world. Larvae bor...
Evergreen Bagworm Moth
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis
A North American bagworm whose larvae construct spindle-shaped bags covered in bits of leaves and tw...
Eyed Hawk-moth
Smerinthus ocellatus
A large hawk-moth with cryptic brown forewings that conceal vivid blue and black eyespots on the hin...
Fall Armyworm
Spodoptera frugiperda
A highly destructive migratory moth whose caterpillars can devastate entire corn and cereal fields i...
False Ringlet
Coenonympha oedippus
A small, drab brown butterfly with a row of striking silver-centred eyespots on the hindwing undersi...
Fatal Metalmark
Calephelis nemesis
A tiny dark brown butterfly with fine metallic silver lines across the wings and minute checkered fr...
Feathered Thorn
Colotois pennaria
An autumn-flying moth with warm orange-brown wings and males bearing dramatically feathered antennae...
Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus
A small bright orange skipper with short antennae and a fast darting flight. Males have a prominent ...
Figure of Eight Moth
Diloba caeruleocephala
Named for the figure-of-eight marking on its grey forewing, this autumn-flying moth is often found a...
Fiji Swallowtail
Papilio schmeltzi
A swallowtail butterfly endemic to the Fiji Islands in the South Pacific. It inhabits native forest ...
Five-spotted Burnet
Zygaena trifolii
A small day-flying moth with glossy blue-black forewings bearing five red spots and entirely red hin...
Five-Spotted Hawk Moth
Manduca quinquemaculata
A large mottled gray moth whose caterpillar is the familiar tomato hornworm with a distinctive black...
Forest Giant Owl Moth
Erebus walkeri
A massive dark brown moth with intricate bark-like patterning and subtle eyespots. It rests during t...
Four-barred Swordtail
Protographium leosthenes
A distinctive swallowtail with translucent wings crossed by four dark bars and a long sword-like tai...
Foxy Charaxes
Charaxes jasius saturnus
A powerful butterfly with rich orange-brown wings edged in dark brown with blue spots. The underside...
Freyer's Purple Emperor
Apatura metis
A large, powerful butterfly closely related to the purple emperor but restricted to river valleys. M...
Garden Tiger Moth
Arctia caja
A boldly patterned moth with chocolate-and-white forewings and red-spotted hindwings....
Gatekeeper
Pyronia tithonus
A common warm-brown butterfly often seen basking on hedgerow flowers in high summer. It has distinct...
Geranium Bronze
Cacyreus marshalli
A small dull brown butterfly with a distinctive white fringe and thin tail that has become a major p...
Ghost Moth
Hepialus humuli
Males are ghostly white and perform an eerie hovering dance over grassland at dusk to attract browni...
Giant Charaxes
Charaxes castor
One of the largest charaxes butterflies with powerful tawny-orange wings with black borders. It has ...
Giant Leopard Moth
Hypercompe scribonia
A striking white moth covered in black hollow ring spots with an iridescent blue-black body with ora...
Glanville Fritillary
Melitaea cinxia
An orange and black chequered butterfly confined in Britain to the Isle of Wight's coastal cliffs. I...
Glasswing Butterfly
Greta oto
Remarkable for its transparent wings, created by nanopillar structures that reduce light reflection ...
Glover's Silk Moth
Hyalophora columbia gloveri
A large silk moth from the western Rocky Mountain region with reddish-brown wings and white crescent...
Goat Moth
Cossus cossus
A large moth whose caterpillars bore deep into hardwood trees for up to four years....
Goatweed Leafwing
Anaea andria
A bright orange butterfly whose angular wing shape and mottled brown underside create a perfect dead...
Gold Swift
Phymatopus hecta
A small primitive moth with golden-brown forewings marked with silvery-white spots. Males perform ho...
Gold-banded Forester
Euphaedra neophron
A striking forest butterfly with dark wings marked by a bold golden-orange band. It feeds on the for...
Golden Birdwing
Troides aeacus
A large birdwing butterfly with velvety black forewings and brilliant golden-yellow hindwings. It is...
Golden Emperor
Loepa megacore
A bright golden-yellow silk moth with maroon eyespots ringed in black on each wing. It has a fluffy ...
Golden Kaiserind
Teinopalpus aureus
An extremely rare swallowtail butterfly from southern China with brilliant golden-green coloration. ...
Golden Sun Moth
Synemon plana
A day-flying moth with dull grey-brown forewings and brilliant orange-gold hindwings. It is critical...
Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus
One of the most widespread hairstreaks in North America with slate-gray wings and a bright orange sp...
Great Banded Grayling
Brintesia circe
A large brown butterfly with a prominent white band across the hindwing underside, resembling a tree...
Great Eggfly
Hypolimnas bolina
A striking tropical butterfly in which males are jet black with large iridescent white-blue spots. F...
Great Mormon
Papilio memnon
A large swallowtail butterfly where females come in multiple dramatically different forms mimicking ...
Great Orange Tip
Hebomoia glaucippe
The largest pierid butterfly in the world with white wings bearing brilliant orange tips. It has a f...
Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus
The largest hairstreak in North America with brilliant iridescent blue upperside wings and a bright ...
Green Hairstreak
Callophrys rubi
A small butterfly with plain brown uppersides but stunning iridescent green undersides. It always re...
Green Silver-lines
Pseudoips prasinana
A vivid bright-green moth with three diagonal white or silver lines across each forewing. It is one ...
Green-banded Swallowtail
Papilio nireus
A striking black swallowtail with brilliant metallic blue-green bands across both wings. It is a fas...
Green-veined Charaxes
Charaxes candiope
A large charaxes with orange upperwings and distinctive green-veined underwings. It is common along ...
Grizzled Skipper
Pyrgus malvae
A tiny butterfly with dark brown wings chequered with white spots, resembling a small moth. It basks...
Gypsy Moth
Lymantria dispar
A sexually dimorphic moth where males are brown and can fly, while females are white with dark marki...
Hag Moth
Phobetron pithecium
A furry brown moth whose larva is called the monkey slug due to its bizarre shape with curly fleshy ...
Harvester Butterfly
Feniseca tarquinius
The only carnivorous butterfly in North America, whose caterpillar feeds on woolly aphids rather tha...
Hawaiian Carnivorous Caterpillar
Eupithecia staurophragma
A remarkable moth whose caterpillars are ambush predators of insects, unique among Lepidoptera. Foun...
Heart and Dart
Agrotis exclamationis
An extremely common brown moth named for the heart and dart-shaped markings on its forewing. It is o...
Hebrew Character
Orthosia gothica
A spring-flying moth with a distinctive black C-shaped marking on each forewing that resembles a Heb...
Helena Brown Butterfly
Tisiphone helena
A dark brown butterfly with orange-ringed eyespots found in shaded forest environments. It has a wea...
Hercules Moth
Coscinocera hercules
Has the largest wing area of any moth — up to 300 square centimeters. Named after Hercules for its g...
Hickory Horned Devil
Citheronia regalis
The largest caterpillar in North America at up to 150 mm, with dramatic curved horns and fearsome ap...
High Brown Fritillary
Fabriciana adippe
A large, fast-flying fritillary with rich tawny-orange wings and a complex pattern of silver spots b...
Hispaniolan Swallowtail
Papilio aristodemus
A large swallowtail butterfly found in the Caribbean with yellow and dark brown wings. Several subsp...
Hoary Edge Skipper
Achalarus lyciades
A dark brown spread-wing skipper with a frosted white patch along the outer margin of the hindwing u...
Homerus Swallowtail
Papilio homerus
The largest butterfly in the Americas, with a wingspan reaching 150 mm and bold black and yellow pat...
Hornet Moth
Sesia apiformis
A clearwing moth that is a near-perfect mimic of the European hornet....
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth
Hemaris thysbe
A day-flying sphinx moth with transparent wings bordered in reddish-brown that closely resembles a h...
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth
Macroglossum stellatarum
A day-flying moth that hovers at flowers and produces an audible hum, almost perfectly mimicking a h...
Ilex Hairstreak
Satyrium ilicis
A small dark brown butterfly with an orange band on the underside of its hindwings and a tiny tail p...
Ilia Underwing
Catocala ilia
A large moth with bark-patterned gray forewings that conceal bright reddish-orange and black hindwin...
Imperial Jezebel
Delias harpalyce
A striking butterfly with white uppersides and vivid red and yellow undersides. It flies high in euc...
Imported Cabbageworm
Pieris rapae
A common white butterfly whose velvety green caterpillars are among the most familiar vegetable gard...
Indian Moon Moth
Actias selene
A large, elegant moth with pale green wings, long hindwing tails, and maroon-bordered eyespots. It i...
Indianmeal Moth
Plodia interpunctella
The most common stored-product moth pest, recognized by its two-toned wings with copper outer halves...
Io Moth
Automeris io
Named after Io from Greek mythology. Hindwings display large eyespots that flash open to startle pre...
Isabella Tiger Moth
Pyrrharctia isabella
A plain orange-yellow moth with scattered black spots. Its caterpillar is the famous woolly bear a f...
Island Marble Butterfly
Euchloe ausonides insulanus
A small white butterfly with green marbled undersides found only on San Juan Island, Washington. It ...
Japanese Moon Moth
Actias artemis
A delicate pale green moon moth with elegant hindwing tails found only in Japan. It flies during the...
Japanese Silk Moth
Antheraea yamamai
A large wild silk moth native to Japan with striking yellow-brown wings bearing prominent eyespots. ...
Japanese Swallowtail
Papilio xuthus
A common Asian swallowtail with pale yellow wings striped with black tiger-like bands. It is one of ...
Jersey Tiger
Euplagia quadripunctaria
A day-flying moth with striking black and white striped forewings and bright orange hindwings. It ga...
Juniper Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus
A small green hairstreak butterfly with intricate white line patterns on its hindwing underside. Its...
Kaiseri-i-Hind Butterfly
Teinopalpus imperialis
An elusive swallowtail from Himalayan cloud forests. Its name means Emperor of India. Rarely seen du...
Kamehameha Butterfly
Vanessa tameamea
Hawaii's state insect, a beautiful orange-and-black butterfly endemic to the islands. It is one of o...
Karner Blue
Plebejus samuelis
A tiny bright blue butterfly with orange crescents on the hindwing underside that depends entirely o...
Kentish Glory Moth
Endromis versicolora
A day-flying moth once widespread in England but now extinct there....
Lana'i Sandalwood Moth
Iliahia pahulu
A critically endangered moth discovered in 2026, known only from a small grove of roughly 30 sandalw...
Lange's Metalmark Butterfly
Apodemia mormo langei
A small metalmark butterfly found only at Antioch Dunes in California. Its larvae feed exclusively o...
Lappet Moth
Gastropacha quercifolia
A moth that rests with wings layered to perfectly resemble a cluster of dead leaves....
Large Blue
Phengaris arion
A blue butterfly with distinctive black spots that has one of the most complex life cycles in the in...
Large Case Moth
Metura elongatus
A bagworm moth whose larva builds a distinctive silk case covered in sticks and leaves. The wingless...
Large Copper Butterfly
Lycaena dispar
Once widespread across European wetlands, the English subspecies went extinct in the 1850s. Remainin...
Large Emerald
Geometra papilionaria
A beautiful bright green moth with delicate white wavy lines across both wings. Its green color fade...
Large Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanus
A robust golden-orange skipper with a distinctive swift darting flight. Males have a prominent dark ...
Large Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis polychloros
A large orange butterfly with dark spots resembling a scaled-up small tortoiseshell, once widespread...
Large Wall Brown
Lasiommata maera
A medium-sized brown butterfly with large apical eyespots and warm orange patches on the forewings. ...
Large White
Pieris brassicae
A common white butterfly with black wingtips and one or two black spots on the forewing. Its green-y...
Large Yellow Underwing
Noctua pronuba
One of the most abundant moths in Europe with bright yellow-orange hindwings bordered in black. It i...
Leopard Moth
Zeuzera pyrina
A striking white moth covered in black spots like a snow leopard's coat. Its wood-boring larvae can ...
Lesser Purple Emperor
Apatura ilia
Similar to the Purple Emperor but smaller, with an ocellus on the forewing and more strongly marked ...
Light Emerald
Campaea margaritaria
A delicate pale green moth with fine white cross-lines that fades to white as it ages. It is one of ...
Lime Hawk-moth
Mimas tiliae
A beautifully scalloped hawk-moth with variable pink-green to brown colouration and dark central win...
Lined Tiger Moth
Grammia virgo
A boldly patterned moth with black forewings bearing thin cream stripes and bright pinkish-red hindw...
Lobster Moth
Stauropus fagi
A moth whose young caterpillar mimics an ant and mature caterpillar resembles a lobster....
Long-tailed Blue
Lampides boeticus
A small pale violet-blue butterfly with thin hairlike tails on the hindwings and prominent false eye...
Long-tailed Skipper
Urbanus proteus
A striking skipper with iridescent blue-green body and wing bases and long tail-like projections on ...
Lotis Blue Butterfly
Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis
A small blue butterfly historically found in sphagnum bog habitats in coastal Mendocino County, Cali...
Luna Moth
Actias luna
A stunning lime-green moth with long trailing hindwing tails. Adults live only about one week. The l...
Luzon Peacock Swallowtail
Papilio chikae
An extremely rare Philippine endemic with dark wings bearing brilliant green bands and large red-cen...
Macedonian Grayling
Pseudochazara cingovskii
A rare grayling butterfly found only on a few limestone hillsides in North Macedonia. It flies low o...
Madagascan Emperor Moth
Antherina suraka
A large silk moth with brownish wings and prominent eyespots. Endemic to Madagascar and commonly use...
Madagascan Giant Swallowtail
Pharmacophagus antenor
A large black swallowtail butterfly with red and white markings, endemic to Madagascar. It is the is...
Madagascan Moon Moth
Argema mittrei male form
The male form has exceptionally long tail streamers that can exceed 15 cm. These tails spin in fligh...
Madagascan Sphinx Moth
Xanthopan praedicta
A hawkmoth with an extraordinarily long proboscis, endemic to Madagascar. Darwin famously predicted ...
Madagascan Sunset Moth
Chrysiridia rhipheus
Often considered the most beautiful insect in the world. Its rainbow-colored wings with metallic hue...
Madagascan Tiger Moth
Radiarctia rhodesiana
A colorful tiger moth found in Madagascar with orange and black wing patterns. It advertises its tox...
Madeiran Brimstone Butterfly
Gonepteryx maderensis
A yellow butterfly endemic to the island of Madeira in the Atlantic. It is closely related to Canary...
Madeiran Large White
Pieris brassicae wollastoni
A subspecies of the large white butterfly that was endemic to Madeira. It has not been reliably reco...
Magellan Birdwing
Troides magellanus
A large Philippine birdwing with black forewings and vibrant golden hindwings. It is endemic to the ...
Magpie Moth
Abraxas grossulariata
A conspicuous white moth with bold black spots and an orange-yellow band across the wings. It played...
Malachite Butterfly
Siproeta stelenes
A large butterfly with striking black and brilliant malachite green patterning on both wing surfaces...
Maldives Coconut Moth
Opisina arenosella
A small moth whose larvae feed on coconut palm leaves across the Indian Ocean. It is a significant p...
Map Butterfly
Araschnia levana
A small butterfly that produces two dramatically different seasonal forms within the same year. Spri...
Marbled White
Melanargia galathea
A distinctive butterfly with bold black and white chequered wings that resembles no other European s...
Mariana Eight-spot Butterfly
Hypolimnas octocula marianensis
A butterfly subspecies endemic to the Mariana Islands in the western Pacific. It has suffered from h...
Marsh Fritillary
Euphydryas aurinia
A colourful butterfly with a complex mosaic of orange, cream, and brown markings across its wings. I...
Mauritius Lowland Forest Day Moth
Agarista agricola
A day-flying moth with black wings marked by white and orange patches. Found on Mauritius and neighb...
Meadow Argus
Junonia villida
A medium-sized brown butterfly with prominent eyespots on each wing. It is one of Australia's most c...
Merveille du Jour
Griposia aprilina
A strikingly camouflaged moth with green and black lichen-like patterning on its forewings. It rests...
Miami Blue
Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri
A small blue butterfly once common throughout coastal South Florida. It is now restricted to a few i...
Mitchell's Satyr Butterfly
Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii
A small brown butterfly with distinctive eyespots found in calcareous fens of the Great Lakes region...
Mocker Swallowtail
Papilio dardanus
A remarkable swallowtail where females mimic several different toxic butterfly species while males l...
Monarch Butterfly
Danaus plexippus
Famous for its incredible multi-generational migration spanning up to 4,800 km between Canada and Me...
Moorland Clouded Yellow
Colias palaeno
A lemon-yellow butterfly with dark wing borders found in northern bogs and mountain moors. It is a g...
Mopane Worm
Gonimbrasia belina
The most economically important edible insect in southern Africa. The caterpillar of an emperor moth...
Mormon Metalmark
Apodemia mormo
A small butterfly with dark brown wings covered in white spots arranged in irregular bands. Several ...
Mother of Pearl Moth
Patania ruralis
A large crambid moth with translucent pearlescent wings bearing subtle brown markings. It is one of ...
Mother Shipton
Euclidia mi
A day-flying moth whose forewing markings resemble the profile of a witch's face. It is named after ...
Mother-of-Pearl Butterfly
Protogoniomorpha parhassus
A large butterfly with shimmering pearly white wings that reflect iridescent blue and pink. It inhab...
Mountain Ringlet
Erebia epiphron
A small dark brown butterfly with orange-ringed eyespots found only at high altitudes. In Britain it...
Muga Silk Moth
Antheraea assamensis
A semi-domesticated wild silk moth producing a naturally golden silk unique to Assam, India. Its shi...
Naga Nawab Butterfly
Polyura nepenthes
A powerful fast-flying butterfly with green-washed wings and short tails on the hindwings. It is dra...
Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth
Hemaris tityus
A bumblebee mimic with largely transparent wings and a furry olive-and-brown body. It flies by day, ...
Neotropical Atlas Moth
Arsenura armida
A large silkmoth with wavy brown and grey wings and distinctive scalloped wing margins. Its caterpil...
Neotropical Blue Hairstreak
Pseudolycaena marsyas
A brilliant iridescent blue hairstreak butterfly with delicate tail streamers on the hind wings. Its...
Nessus Sphinx Moth
Amphion floridensis
A day-flying sphinx moth with dark chocolate-brown wings and two bright yellow bands across the abdo...
Nettle-tree Butterfly
Libythea celtis
A medium butterfly with angular wings and an extremely long snout formed by elongated palps. Its win...
Oak Eggar
Lasiocampa quercus
A robust moth with rich brown wings and a distinctive white spot on each forewing. Males are active ...
Oak Processionary Moth
Thaumetopoea processionea
A moth whose caterpillars march nose-to-tail in long processions along tree branches....
Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper
Pyrgus armoricanus
A small greyish-brown skipper with white spots, very similar to related species but with distinct un...
Old Lady Moth
Mormo maura
A large, sombre dark-brown moth whose wing pattern was thought to resemble a shawl worn by elderly w...
Old World Bollworm
Helicoverpa armigera
One of the most destructive agricultural pests globally, attacking over 200 crop species. Larvae bor...
Oleander Hawkmoth
Daphnis nerii
A large hawkmoth with beautiful camouflage patterns in shades of green and pink that perfectly match...
Orange Oakleaf Butterfly
Kallima inachus
A butterfly with bright orange upperwings but underwings that perfectly mimic a dead leaf....
Orange-barred Sulphur
Phoebis philea
A large bright yellow butterfly with orange bar markings on the upper forewings. Females are more mu...
Orchard Swallowtail
Papilio aegeus
A large black swallowtail where females display white and red markings mimicking toxic butterflies. ...
Oregon Silverspot Butterfly
Speyeria zerene hippolyta
A medium-sized fritillary butterfly with bright silver spots on its hindwing undersides. It inhabits...
Oriental Fruit Moth
Grapholita molesta
A small dark moth whose larvae first bore into peach shoot tips, then later generations attack fruit...
Ornate Tiger Moth
Arctia flavia
A rare alpine tiger moth with cream forewings bearing irregular brown markings and orange-yellow hin...
Owl Butterfly
Caligo memnon
A very large tropical butterfly with enormous owl-eye patterns on the underside of its hindwings. Th...
Owl Moth
Brahmaea wallichii
A large moth with intricate swirling wing patterns resembling owl feathers....
Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
The most widely distributed butterfly in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica and S...
Painted Lichen Moth
Hypoprepia fucosa
A small moth with distinctive grey forewings bearing bright red-orange stripes running from base to ...
Palamedes Swallowtail
Papilio palamedes
A large dark swallowtail of southern swamp forests with yellow bands and a distinctive yellow postme...
Pale Triangle
Graphium eurypylus
A fast-flying swallowtail with pale blue-green triangle markings on black wings. It frequently puddl...
Pale Tussock
Calliteara pudibunda
A fluffy grey-white moth with distinctively feathered legs held forward at rest. Its caterpillar is ...
Palos Verdes Blue
Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis
A tiny blue butterfly endemic to the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Los Angeles County. It was thought ex...
Pandora Sphinx Moth
Eumorpha pandorus
A large sphinx moth with olive-green forewings marked with darker patches and pink hindwings. Its ca...
Paris Peacock
Papilio paris
A magnificent large swallowtail with velvety black wings bearing a large iridescent blue-green patch...
Peach Blossom
Thyatira batis
A charming moth with olive-brown forewings adorned with pink and white spots that resemble peach blo...
Peach Twig Borer
Anarsia lineatella
A small gray moth whose larvae bore into new shoots and developing fruits of stone fruit trees. It i...
Pearl Charaxes
Charaxes varanes
A medium-sized charaxes butterfly with pearly white underwings and tawny-orange uppersides. It is on...
Peppered Moth
Biston betularia
The classic textbook example of natural selection in action. During the Industrial Revolution, dark ...
Pine Hawk-moth
Sphinx pinastri
A sleek grey hawk-moth with dark streaks that provide perfect camouflage against pine bark. It is st...
Pine Processionary
Thaumetopoea pityocampa
A grey moth whose caterpillars march in long nose-to-tail processions between their silk nests and f...
Pink Bollworm
Pectinophora gossypiella
A small dark moth whose pink-tinged larvae bore into cotton bolls and damage the fibers and seeds. I...
Pink Glasswing
Cithaerias pireta
A forest-floor butterfly with mostly transparent wings and delicate pink-tinted hind wing patches. I...
Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor
A dark swallowtail with brilliant iridescent blue hindwings and an orange-spotted underside. Its tox...
Plain Tiger
Danaus chrysippus
An orange butterfly with black borders and white spots that is extremely widespread across Africa an...
Polyphemus Moth
Antheraea polyphemus
A large tan moth with prominent purple-ringed eyespots on its hindwings. It is named after the cyclo...
Poplar Admiral
Limenitis populi
Europe's largest nymphalid butterfly with broad dark wings bearing white bands and orange submargina...
Poplar Hawk-moth
Laothoe populi
A large grey-brown hawk-moth that holds its hindwings forward of the forewings at rest, creating an ...
Poplar Kitten Moth
Furcula bifida
A small relative of the puss moth with a caterpillar that also has tail whips....
Postman Butterfly
Heliconius melpomene
A slender long-winged butterfly with black wings and a bold red band across the forewings. It is a c...
Privet Hawk-moth
Sphinx ligustri
Britain's largest resident moth, with a massive body bearing pink and black abdominal stripes. Its h...
Promethea Moth
Callosamia promethea
A large silk moth with strong sexual dimorphism. Males are dark with tan margins while females are r...
Provencal Burnet
Zygaena occitanica
A small day-flying moth with dark blue-green metallic forewings bearing red spots and bright red hin...
Provence Short-tailed Blue
Cupido alcetas
One of Europe's smallest butterflies with violet-blue males and dark brown females. It lacks the tai...
Puerto Rican Harlequin Butterfly
Atlantea tulita
A small endangered butterfly endemic to Puerto Rico with orange and black checkered wings. It inhabi...
Purple Emperor
Apatura iris
A majestic woodland butterfly whose males display an intense iridescent purple sheen visible only at...
Purple Hairstreak
Favonius quercus
A small dark butterfly with a purple-blue sheen visible only at certain angles, living almost exclus...
Puss Moth
Cerura vinula
A furry white moth whose caterpillar has whip-like tail filaments and sprays formic acid....
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Issoria lathonia
A powerful-flying fritillary with large, brilliant silver spots covering the underside of its hindwi...
Rajah Brooke's Birdwing
Trogonoptera brookiana
A striking birdwing butterfly with jet black wings crossed by brilliant electric green tooth-shaped ...
Red-banded Jezebel
Delias mysis
A tropical butterfly with white upper wings and vivid red bands on the hindwing underside. It is fou...
Red-bordered Metalmark
Caria ino
A dark metalmark butterfly with bright red-orange borders along the wing edges and metallic blue-gre...
Regent Skipper
Euschemon rafflesia
A large, strikingly colored skipper butterfly with black wings marked by bold yellow and blue patche...
Richmond Birdwing
Ornithoptera richmondia
A large subtropical birdwing butterfly with green and black males and brown females. It is threatene...
Rosy Maple Moth
Dryocampa rubicunda
A small fluffy moth with striking pink and yellow coloring that resembles cotton candy. Adults emerg...
Rosy Underwing
Catocala electa
A large moth with camouflaged grey-brown forewings hiding vivid rosy-pink and black hindwings. When ...
Rothschild's Silkmoth
Rothschildia jacobaeae
A large silkmoth with reddish-brown wings featuring bold triangular translucent patches. Each wing a...
Rothschildia Silk Moth
Rothschildia lebeau
A spectacular large moth with rich brown wings featuring prominent triangular translucent windows. T...
Rounded Metalmark
Calephelis perditalis
A small reddish-brown metalmark with distinctly rounded wing margins and two rows of metallic silver...
Ruby Tiger Moth
Phragmatobia fuliginosa
A small tiger moth with dark brownish-red forewings and rosy-red hindwings spotted with black. It is...
Sachem Skipper
Atalopedes campestris
A small tawny-orange skipper with a distinctive large dark patch on the male's forewing. Females are...
Saddleback Caterpillar Moth
Acharia stimulea
A dark brown moth best known for its extraordinary caterpillar, which is bright green with a brown s...
Sara Longwing
Heliconius sara
A striking longwing butterfly with velvety black wings marked by brilliant blue iridescent bands. It...
Satin Moth
Leucoma salicis
A pure white moth with a satin-like sheen and strikingly chequered black-and-white legs. It can beco...
Saunders' Case Moth
Metura saundersi
A smaller relative of the large case moth that constructs a tapering case of silk and plant debris. ...
Scalloped Hook-tip
Falcaria lacertinaria
A small moth with strongly curved wingtips and scalloped wing margins that rests resembling a dead l...
Scarce Copper
Lycaena virgaureae
A brilliant fiery-orange butterfly with black-spotted forewings, the male being one of the most inte...
Scarce Swallowtail
Iphiclides podalirius
A pale yellow swallowtail butterfly with bold black tiger stripes and long tailed hindwings tipped w...
Scarlet Tiger Moth
Callimorpha dominula
A striking day-flying moth with black forewings spotted with white and yellow, and brilliant scarlet...
Schaus Swallowtail
Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus
A dark swallowtail with yellow bands and rusty-brown hindwing patches restricted to hardwood hammock...
Scotch Argus
Erebia aethiops
A dark brown butterfly with russet-orange bands containing eyespots, found in northern grasslands an...
Silk Moth
Bombyx mori
The fully domesticated moth used in sericulture for over 5,000 years. Completely dependent on humans...
Silky Hairstreak
Pseudalmenus chlorinda
A small dark butterfly with metallic blue-green sheen and orange-spotted hindwing tails. Its larvae ...
Silver Y
Autographa gamma
A migratory moth marked with a bright silvery Y or gamma symbol on each forewing. Billions migrate n...
Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma
A small golden-brown butterfly with distinctive silvery spots on the green underside of its hindwing...
Silver-washed Fritillary
Argynnis paphia
A large, fast-flying butterfly with bright orange upperwings marked with black spots and streaks. Th...
Silvery Blue
Glaucopsyche lygdamus
A small silvery-blue butterfly with a neat row of round black spots ringed in white on the grey unde...
Sinai Baton Blue
Pseudophilotes sinaicus
The smallest butterfly in the world by wingspan, found only in the Sinai Peninsula. It depends on a ...
Six-spot Burnet
Zygaena filipendulae
A day-flying moth with metallic blue-black forewings bearing six crimson spots. Its bright colours w...
Skin Moth
Monopis laevigella
A small dark brown moth with a pale spot on each forewing that breeds in bird nests and animal remai...
Skipper Butterfly
Epargyreus clarus
A stout-bodied butterfly with hooked antennae, brown wings with golden spots on the forewing, and a ...
Small Apollo
Parnassius phoebus
A high-altitude alpine butterfly with translucent white wings bearing small red and black spots. It ...
Small Copper
Lycaena phlaeas
A vivid little butterfly with burnished copper-orange forewings spotted with black. It is feisty and...
Small Postman
Heliconius erato
A neotropical butterfly with black wings and vivid red, yellow, or white bands depending on the geog...
Small Ranunculus
Hecatera dysodea
A subtly attractive moth with pale grey-green wings marked with intricate darker patterns. It was on...
Small Tortoiseshell
Aglais urticae
A familiar orange butterfly with black and yellow markings and a row of blue crescents along the win...
Small-eyed Sphinx Moth
Paonias myops
A pinkish-brown sphinx moth whose hindwings bear a small blue eyespot ringed in black and yellow. It...
Snailcase Bagworm
Apterona helicoidella
A tiny bagworm moth whose larva builds a coiled, snail-shell-shaped case from silk and sand grains. ...
Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis
A bumblebee mimic with largely transparent wings bordered in dark brown, a fuzzy olive thorax, and b...
Socotra Island Blue Butterfly
Azanus socotranus
A small blue butterfly endemic to Socotra Island in the Indian Ocean. Males have bright blue upperwi...
Socotran Emperor Butterfly
Charaxes balfouri
An endemic butterfly found only on the island of Socotra in the Indian Ocean. Part of the islands ex...
Sod Webworm Moth
Crambus praefectellus
A small straw-colored moth that holds its wings tightly rolled around its body at rest, giving it a ...
Sonoran Silk Moth
Sphingicampa hubbardi
A small saturniid moth with warm pinkish-tan wings and minimal patterning. It is adapted to the hars...
South American Clearwing Moth
Carmenta theobromae
A small wasp-mimicking clearwing moth with transparent wings and a banded black-and-yellow abdomen. ...
South American Luna Moth
Copaxa lavendera
A silkmoth with soft lavender-brown wings and prominent rounded eyespots. Its feathery antennae can ...
South American Swallowtail
Heraclides thoas
A large swallowtail butterfly with black wings bearing bright yellow band patterns and prominent tai...
Southern Festoon
Zerynthia polyxena
A strikingly patterned butterfly with yellow wings marked with black zigzags and red spots. It is on...
Southern Flannel Moth
Megalopyge opercularis
A fluffy moth covered in cream to orange-brown fur-like scales. Its larva, called the puss caterpill...
Southern Snout Butterfly
Libytheana carinenta
A medium-sized butterfly with an extremely elongated snout formed by its labial palps, giving it a u...
Southwestern Corn Borer
Diatraea grandiosella
A pale moth whose larvae bore into corn stalks and girdle stems from the inside, causing extensive l...
Spanish Festoon
Zerynthia rumina
A brightly patterned butterfly with zigzag black markings and red and yellow patches on its wings. I...
Spanish Moon Moth
Graellsia isabellae
A striking green moth with long hindwing tails found only in Spain and France....
Speckled Emperor Moth
Gynanisa maja
A large earth-toned emperor moth with speckled brown and grey wings bearing clear eyespots. It is a ...
Spicebush Swallowtail
Papilio troilus
A dark swallowtail butterfly with blue-green hindwing scaling and orange spots. Its caterpillar has ...
Spiny Oak Slug Moth
Euclea delphinii
A small colorful moth with green, brown, and silver-spotted forewings. Its flattened, jewel-like cat...
Splendid Ochre
Trapezites petalia
A moderately large skipper butterfly with bright orange uppersides and mottled brown undersides. Mal...
Spotted Grass Moth
Rivula propinqualis
A tiny yellowish moth with a distinctive dark spot on each forewing. It is extremely common in damp ...
Spotted Jezebel
Delias aganippe
A boldly patterned butterfly with black-bordered white wings and red-spotted undersides. It is the m...
Spotted Stem Borer
Chilo partellus
A straw-colored moth whose larvae bore into stems of maize and sorghum in Africa and Asia. It can ca...
Striped Hawkmoth
Hyles livornica
A streamlined hawk-moth with olive-brown forewings crossed by pale veins and pink-banded hindwings. ...
Sugarcane Borer
Diatraea saccharalis
A straw-colored moth whose larvae bore into sugarcane stalks, causing yield losses and allowing dise...
Sunset Morpho
Morpho hecuba
The largest species in the morpho butterfly genus, with brownish-orange wings rather than the typica...
Swallow Prominent
Pheosia tremula
A pale grey-white moth with a distinctive dark wedge-shaped mark along the inner edge of each forewi...
Swallow-tailed Moth
Ourapteryx sambucaria
A large, pale lemon-yellow moth with pointed tail-like projections on its hindwings. Its graceful sh...
Swallowtail Butterfly
Papilio machaon
Elegant butterfly with yellow wings marked with black veins and blue-red eyespots on hindwings. The ...
Swamp Metalmark
Calephelis mutica
A rare and localized metalmark butterfly of midwestern wetlands with warm rusty-brown wings marked w...
Sweetheart Underwing
Catocala amatrix
A large underwing moth with mottled gray-brown forewings and rosy-pink hindwings crossed by black ba...
Tailed Jay
Graphium agamemnon
A fast-flying black swallowtail butterfly covered with spots of green or blue-green. It rarely settl...
Tapestry Moth
Trichophaga tapetzella
A distinctive clothes moth with whitish forewings and a dark brownish-black base. It creates extensi...
Tau Emperor Moth
Aglia tau
A day-flying silk moth with a distinctive T-shaped mark on each wing....
Tawny Emperor
Asterocampa clyton
A warm tawny-brown butterfly with dark bars and a row of small eyespots on the hindwing. Unlike most...
Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles
A small brown skipper with a warm orange-tawny leading edge on the forewing. It is one of the most c...
Tenerife Speckled Wood Butterfly
Pararge xiphioides
A brown butterfly with orange eyespot patches endemic to the western Canary Islands. It flies in sha...
Teucer Giant Owl
Caligo teucer
One of the largest owl butterflies with a prominent blue-purple sheen on the upper wings. Its unders...
Tiger Moth of the Amazon
Idalus herois
A striking moth with bold black and white striped forewings and orange hind wings with black spots. ...
Tomato Leafminer
Tuta absoluta
A devastating South American moth that mines through tomato leaves, stems, and fruits. Since 2006, i...
Trinidad Morpho Butterfly
Morpho achilles trinidadensis
A subspecies of morpho butterfly found in Trinidad with bright blue iridescent wings. It flies in fo...
Turnip Moth
Agrotis segetum
A drab brown moth whose fat cutworm larvae sever the stems and roots of root vegetables and seedling...
Tussar Moth
Antheraea mylitta
A large Indian silk moth with deep golden-brown wings and prominent eyespots bordered in black. It i...
Ulysses Butterfly
Papilio ulysses
A large swallowtail with electric blue uppersides and cryptic brown undersides. It is an iconic symb...
Uncompahgre Fritillary Butterfly
Boloria acrocnema
A small alpine butterfly found only above 3900 m in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. It was not d...
Vampire Moth
Calyptra thalictri
A dull grey-brown moth with a uniquely evolved proboscis capable of piercing mammalian skin. Males o...
Vapourer Moth
Orgyia antiqua
A moth in which males are russet-brown day-fliers while females are completely wingless and never le...
Variegated Cutworm
Peridroma saucia
A mottled brown moth whose plump soil-dwelling caterpillars cut through stems of seedlings at ground...
Venezuelan Poodle Moth
Artace cribraria
A fuzzy white moth densely covered in hair-like scales giving it a woolly appearance. Its large blac...
Verdant Hawk Moth
Tinostoma smaragditis
A vivid emerald-green hawk moth found in tropical Pacific islands....
Verdant Sphinx Moth
Euchloron megaera
A large green and brown hawk moth that pollinates tropical flowers at dusk....
Violet Copper
Lycaena helle
A tiny butterfly whose males display a vivid violet-purple sheen over coppery-orange wings. It is on...
Wallaces Golden Birdwing
Ornithoptera croesus
Named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who called it the finest specimen he ever captured. Males are bri...
Waterlily Borer Moth
Elophila gyralis
A small pale brown moth with wavy dark lines across its wings. Its larvae are aquatic, living underw...
White Admiral
Limenitis camilla
An elegant woodland butterfly with dark brown wings crossed by a broad white band, noted for its gra...
White Ermine
Spilosoma lubricipeda
A pure white moth peppered with variable black dots, resembling ermine fur. The number of spots vari...
White Morpho
Morpho polyphemus
A large pearly white morpho butterfly with subtle iridescent sheen on its broad wings. It has a slow...
White Underwing
Catocala relicta
A striking underwing moth with white and black banded forewings that mimics birch bark. Its hindwing...
White Witch Moth
Thysania agrippina
Holds the record for the widest wingspan of any moth or butterfly at up to 310 mm. A nocturnal neotr...
White-banded Grass Dart
Taractrocera papyria
A small orange-brown skipper butterfly with a distinctive white band across its hindwings. It is com...
White-Lined Sphinx Moth
Hyles lineata
A common sphinx moth with bold white stripes on its forewings and a pink-banded hindwing. It hovers ...
White-shouldered House Moth
Endrosis sarcitrella
A small greyish moth with a conspicuous white head and thorax that is common in buildings year-round...
Willow Beauty
Peribatodes rhomboidaria
A well-camouflaged moth with grey-brown wings marked with dark cross-lines that blends perfectly wit...
Winter Moth
Operophtera brumata
A cold-hardy moth whose tiny green inchworm caterpillars defoliate fruit and shade trees in early sp...
Witchetty Grub
Endoxyla leucomochla
The larva of a cossid moth and the most important insect food of Australian Aboriginal desert people...
Wood White
Leptidea sinapis
A delicate, fluttery butterfly with rounded white wings and a small grey wingtip patch. It has a wea...
Woodland Brown
Lopinga achine
A large brown butterfly with prominent yellow-ringed eyespots along the margins of both wings. It is...
Yucca Giant-Skipper
Megathymus yuccae
One of North America's largest skippers with dark wings spotted in yellow-orange. Its massive caterp...
Zanzibar Blue Butterfly
Uranothauma crawshayi
A delicate blue butterfly found on Zanzibar and coastal East Africa. Males have shimmering blue uppe...
Zebra Longwing
Heliconius charithonia
A neotropical butterfly with elongated jet-black wings bearing bold pale yellow stripes. It is unusu...
Zebra Swallowtail
Eurytides marcellus
A pale greenish-white swallowtail with bold black stripes and very long hindwing tails. Its striking...
Zegris eupheme
Zegris eupheme
A white butterfly with orange wingtip patches found in steppe grasslands from Spain to Central Asia....
Zela Metalmark
Emesis zela
A small butterfly with rust-brown wings marked with fine dark lines and subtle metallic scaling. It ...
Zodiac Moth
Alcides metaurus
A spectacular day-flying moth with iridescent green and black wings resembling a swallowtail butterf...