Zygaenidae

Definition

A family of moths in the order Lepidoptera, superfamily Zygaenoidea, comprising approximately 1,000 species commonly known as burnet moths, forester moths, or smoky moths. Members are typically diurnal, often aposematically colored with metallic blue, green, or red markings on black, and many sequester cyanogenic compounds as chemical defense. The family is predominantly tropical but well-represented in temperate regions, with larvae that are often specialist feeders on legumes or other plants containing cyanogenic glycosides.

Etymology

From Zygaena (type genus, from Greek zygaina, 'hammer-head shark,' referring to the head shape of some species) + -idae (family suffix).

Example

The six-spot burnet (Zygaena filipendulae), a widespread European zygaenid, advertises its unpalatability with bright red forewing spots against a metallic blue-black ground color.

Synonyms

• burnet moths
• forester moths
• Smoky moths

Related Terms

• Lepidoptera
• Zygaenoidea
• aposematism
• cyanogenesis
• Sesiidae
• Zygaena

Usage Notes

The common name 'forester moth' is shared with unrelated families (e.g., some Noctuidae); 'burnet moth' is more distinctive. Larval host-plant specificity and chemical sequestration make this family significant in chemical ecology and coevolution studies. Adults are often day-flying, unlike most Lepidoptera.