Benjaminiola is a monotypic genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, established by Strand in 1928. The genus contains a single species, Benjaminiola colorada. As a noctuid moth, it belongs to one of the largest families of Lepidoptera, commonly known as owlet moths.
Billaea is a genus of tachinid flies comprising approximately 80 described species. Most larvae are parasitoids of beetle larvae, particularly cerambycids and lucanids, with some species attacking lepidopteran hosts in the family Pyralidae. Several species have been investigated as biological control agents for agricultural and forestry pests, including palm weevils and sugarcane borers.
Blastodacna is a genus of small moths in the family Elachistidae, first described by Wocke in 1876. The genus contains approximately 15 recognized species distributed primarily across the Holarctic region, with the majority of species occurring in the Palearctic. Taxonomic placement of this genus has been disputed, with some authorities historically assigning it to Agonoxenidae or recognizing it as the separate family Blastodacnidae. The genus includes several species associated with fruit trees, notably Blastodacna pyrigalla, which is known as a pest of pear.
Apple Pith Moth
Blastodacna atra, commonly known as the apple pith moth, is a small moth in the family Elachistidae. It is native to most of Europe and has been introduced to North America, where it has been recorded in Massachusetts and Ontario. The species is notable for its larval habit of mining inside the young shoots of apple trees (Malus species), which can cause localized damage to orchards. Adults are active from May through September in western Europe.
Blepharomastix is a genus of crambid moths in the subfamily Spilomelinae. The designation "undescribed-species" indicates a species that has been recognized by researchers but not yet formally described and named in scientific literature. Specimens may exist in collections or field observations may document its presence, but without a published species description, its formal taxonomic status remains incomplete. The genus Blepharomastix includes species primarily distributed in the Neotropical region.
Bleptina flavivena is a species of moth in the family Erebidae, subfamily Herminiinae, described by Troubridge in 2020. It belongs to a genus of litter moths, though specific details about its biology remain limited due to its recent description. The species epithet 'flavivena' suggests a yellowish vein pattern on the wings, a characteristic feature of this taxon.
Butler's Fritillary
Boloria chariclea butleri is a subspecies of fritillary butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, commonly known as Butler's Fritillary. It belongs to a genus of butterflies typically associated with northern and montane habitats. The species Boloria chariclea has a Holarctic distribution, with subspecies butleri occurring in North America. Like other Boloria species, it is likely associated with moist meadow and tundra-edge habitats where larval host plants in the Violaceae family occur.
Freija Fritillary
The Freija Fritillary (Boloria freija freija) is a subspecies of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in both Europe and North America, with distribution records from Belarus and broader European regions as well as North American localities. As a member of the genus Boloria, it shares characteristics with other fritillary butterflies, including complex life cycles with specific host plant relationships. The subspecies is relatively poorly documented compared to congeners such as Boloria selene.
Hawk, Sphinx, Silk, Emperor, and Allied Moths
Bombycoidea is a superfamily of large-bodied moths comprising 10 families, including the silk moths (Bombycidae), giant silk moths (Saturniidae), sphinx or hawk moths (Sphingidae), and emperor moths (Saturniidae). Members are among the largest moths in the world, with adults typically possessing robust bodies and broad wings. Larvae frequently exhibit distinctive morphological features such as thoracic horns or tubercles. The superfamily is distinguished from close relatives in Lasiocampoidea by a combination of adult and larval characteristics.
Bondia is a genus of moths in the family Carposinidae, established by Newman in 1856. Carposinidae are a small family of Lepidoptera commonly known as fruitworm moths, though specific ecological details for Bondia remain limited. The genus is part of the superfamily Carposinoidea and is recognized in major taxonomic databases including Catalogue of Life and NCBI.
Borkhausenia cf-minutella is a small concealer moth in the family Oecophoridae. The specific epithet "cf-minutella" indicates a provisional identification comparing the specimen to Borkhausenia minutella, suggesting morphological similarity but not confirmed conspecificity. The genus Borkhausenia contains species with larvae that feed on decomposed plant material.
Borkhausenia nefrax is a species of concealer moth in the family Oecophoridae, described by Hodges in 1974. The genus Borkhausenia contains multiple species distributed across various regions, with some members known to have expanded their ranges through human-mediated transport. The species has been recorded in Belgium, though the quality of these records varies. Larvae of related Borkhausenia species feed on decomposed plant material.
Brachylomia sierra is a moth species in the family Noctuidae, described in 2007 by James T. Troubridge and J. Donald Lafontaine. It is native to North America and has been assigned the MONA/Hodges number 9997.1. The species belongs to the genus Brachylomia, a group of noctuid moths. Very little specific ecological or biological information has been published for this recently described species.
Bracon is a large genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, with several hundred described species and thousands remaining undescribed. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the greatest diversity of described species occurring in the Palearctic region. Members of this genus are koinobiont endoparasitoids of lepidopteran larvae, developing inside living hosts while allowing them to continue feeding and growing until the wasp larvae are mature. The genus has been extensively studied for its potential in biological control of agricultural pests.
Crowned Bucculatrix Moth
Bucculatrix coronatella is a small moth in the family Bucculatricidae, first described by Clemens in 1860. It is commonly known as the Crowned Bucculatrix Moth. The species is found in eastern North America, with records spanning from New England through the mid-Atlantic states and into the Southeast. Like other members of its genus, it is referred to as a 'ribbed cocoon-maker moth' due to the distinctive ribbed structure of its larval cocoon.
Bucculatrix insolita is a species of ribbed cocoon-making moth in the family Bucculatricidae. It was described by Annette Frances Braun in 1918 and is known from California, North America. Like other members of its genus, it is a small moth with distinctive larval habits.
Bucculatrix simulans is a small ribbed cocoon-making moth in the family Bucculatricidae, described by Annette Frances Braun in 1963. It occurs in central North America from Texas northward to Iowa and east to Ohio. Adults are active primarily from January through July, with a wingspan of 9.5–10 mm. The larvae are known to feed on Helianthus (sunflower) species and create distinctive stem galls.
Tropical Checkered-Skipper
A small skipper butterfly (family Hesperiidae) found from the southern United States through the Neotropics. Adults are active year-round in tropical regions and during warmer months in temperate areas. The species was transferred from genus Pyrgus to Burnsius in 2019 based on molecular phylogenetic studies.
Cabares is a genus of skipper butterflies in the family Hesperiidae, subfamily Eudaminae. The genus is distributed across the Neotropical region, with species found from southern North America through Central America to South America. Cabares potrillo is the most widespread species, ranging from South Texas to Costa Rica and throughout the Greater Antilles.
Caberini is a tribe of geometrid moths (Geometridae) comprising at least 50 described species across 20 genera. The tribe's circumscription has been debated, with molecular analyses supporting separation from the related tribe Baptini, though morphological studies suggest potential unification pending further research on immature stages. Members include genera such as Cabera, Erastria, and Numia.
Cacocharis is a genus of tortricid moths in the subfamily Olethreutinae, established by Walsingham in 1892. The genus is Neotropical in distribution and contains at least three described species. A taxonomic review published in 2007 addressed synonymy and documented host plant associations.
one-spotted snout moth
Cacotherapia unipuncta is a species of snout moth (family Pyralidae, subfamily Galleriinae) described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1913. The species is known from limited localities in eastern North America, with records from Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Like other members of its genus, it belongs to a group of relatively obscure pyralid moths whose biology remains poorly documented.
snout moths
Cacozelia is a genus of snout moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Epipaschiinae. It was established by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1878 based on specimens from Venezuela. The genus contains at least five described species distributed in the Neotropical region. Members of this genus are characterized by features typical of the subfamily Epipaschiinae, which includes many tropical pyralid moths with relatively broad wings and distinctive genitalia.
Cactoblastis is a genus of snout moths (Pyralidae) described by Émile Louis Ragonot in 1901. The genus contains five described species native to South America, with C. cactorum being the most extensively studied due to its historical role as a biological control agent. Larvae are specialized internal feeders on cactus cladodes, and the genus is notable for complex collective behaviors in neonate caterpillars. C. cactorum was famously introduced to Australia in 1925 to control invasive prickly pear cacti, achieving significant success, though later spreading to threaten native Opuntia species in other regions.
blue cactus borer
Cactobrosis fernaldialis, commonly known as the blue cactus borer, is a snout moth species found in desert regions of the southwestern United States. Adults exhibit bivoltine flight periods in spring and late summer through autumn. The species is notable for its larval specialization on Ferocactus wislizeni.
Caenurgia is a genus of moths in the family Erebidae, established by Walker in 1858. The genus contains several recognized species distributed primarily in the Americas, with C. chloropha being one of the more widely documented members. Species in this genus are part of the diverse Erebinae subfamily, which includes many nocturnal moth species.
Cagiva is a genus of tortricid moths (family Tortricidae) described by Pogue in 1990. It is currently treated as a synonym of the genus Cochylimorpha. The genus was established within the tribe Cochylini, subfamily Tortricinae. Records associated with this name originate from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
metalmarks, metalmark butterflies
Calephelis is a genus of metalmark butterflies in the family Riodinidae, comprising 54 species distributed across the Americas. Eleven species occur in the Nearctic region and 43 in the Neotropical realm. The genus includes both widespread and highly localized species, with some like C. borealis being globally rare and declining due to habitat loss.
Eighty-eights and Allies
Callicorini is a tribe of nymphalid butterflies within the subfamily Biblidinae, commonly known as "eighty-eights and allies" due to distinctive wing patterns resembling the numerals "88" in some species. The tribe includes the genus Perisama, a species-rich group predominantly restricted to Neotropical cloud forests in the Andes, as well as Diaethria and related genera. Phylogenetic studies indicate Miocene divergence between major lineages, with subsequent radiation correlated to Andean orogeny. Members exhibit diverse wing color patterns, though these have proven less geographically stable than historically assumed.
Callima nathrax is a species of concealer moth in the family Oecophoridae, described by Hodges in 1973. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae, a diverse group of small moths commonly known as concealer moths due to their habit of hiding in concealed locations during daylight hours. The genus Callima contains multiple species of similar small moths, with C. nathrax being one of the less documented members. Very little specific information has been published about this species' biology, distribution, or ecology.
Callistege diagonalis is a small moth in the family Erebidae, first described by Harrison Dyar in 1898. It is known from the southwestern United States, particularly Arizona and New Mexico. The species has a wingspan of approximately 28 mm. It belongs to a genus of underwing-like moths whose members are often characterized by distinctive wing patterns.
Callisto is a genus of moths in the family Gracillariidae, first described by Stephens in 1834. These small moths belong to the superfamily Gracillarioidea and are classified within the subfamily Gracillariinae and tribe Parornichini. The genus is part of a diverse family of leaf-mining moths, though specific biological details for Callisto remain limited in the available literature.
A subspecies of hairstreak butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, endemic to coastal California. It is one of at least two recognized subspecies within Callophrys dumetorum, with the nominate subspecies restricted to a narrower range than the species as a whole. The species is known by the common names bramble hairstreak or lotus hairstreak.
Juniper Hairstreak, Olive Hairstreak
Callophrys gryneus loki is a subspecies of juniper hairstreak butterfly historically recognized from parts of the central and southern United States. The name is currently treated as a synonym in GBIF, with specimens reclassified under the nominate form Callophrys gryneus. These butterflies are associated with juniper and cedar host plants. Adults have been observed nectaring on milkweeds and other flowering plants in prairie and open woodland habitats. The taxon represents part of a complex of similar hairstreaks whose taxonomy remains under revision.
silver-spotted fern moth
Callopistria cordata, commonly known as the silver-spotted fern moth, is a noctuid moth species described by Ljungh in 1825. It belongs to the subfamily Eriopinae within the owlet moth family Noctuidae. The species is documented from North America, with specific occurrence records from Manitoba, Canada and Vermont, United States. It is a relatively well-observed species with over 2,600 iNaturalist records.
Caloecia juvenalis is a species of lappet moth in the family Lasiocampidae, described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1911. The genus Caloecia is a small group within the Lasiocampidae, commonly known as lappet moths or tent caterpillar moths. Species in this family are characterized by their stout, furry bodies and larvae that often possess fleshy lappets (projections) along the body sides.
Calophasia is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, first described by Stephens in 1829. The genus contains approximately eight described species distributed across Europe, North Africa, and parts of North America. The most well-known species is Calophasia lunula (toadflax brocade), which has been introduced to North America as a biological control agent for invasive toadflax plants. Species in this genus are generally associated with open, dry habitats.
Toadflax Brocade Moth, Toadflax Moth
Calophasia lunula is a noctuid moth native to the Palearctic region, introduced to North America as a biological control agent for invasive toadflax species. The moth's larvae are specialized feeders on yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris) and Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria genistifolia ssp. dalmatica), causing significant defoliation that reduces seed production. Adults feed on nectar without causing plant damage. The species has established populations in parts of Canada and the United States following intentional introductions beginning in the early 1960s.
leaf cone moths, leaf blotch miner moths
Caloptilia is a genus of small moths in the family Gracillariidae, commonly known as leaf cone moths or leaf blotch miner moths. Larvae are leaf miners that typically feed internally on leaf tissue during early instars, then later instars roll or fold leaves into protective cones or shelters where they complete development and pupate. The genus contains numerous species, many of which are host-specific to particular tree or shrub genera. Several species have become economically significant as pests of ornamental and horticultural plants, including Caloptilia fraxinella on ash trees and Caloptilia azaleella on azaleas.
Ash Leaf Cone Roller, Ash Leaf Cone Roller Moth
Caloptilia fraxinella is a leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. Native to North America, it has become a significant pest of horticultural ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) in Canadian Prairie cities and parts of the United States. The species exhibits an unusual life history with a 9-month adult reproductive diapause; adults eclose in summer, overwinter, and mate the following spring. Larvae mine ash leaves and eventually roll leaflets into cones for pupation.
An undescribed species of leaf blotch miner moth in the genus Caloptilia, known to feed on currants and gooseberries (Ribes). This species belongs to a large genus of small moths whose larvae create distinctive blotch mines in leaves. The specific epithet 'undescribed-ribes' indicates its host plant association prior to formal scientific description.
Caloreas is a genus of small moths in the family Choreutidae, established by Heppner in 1977. The genus contains approximately 18 described species distributed primarily in North America. Species were originally described under various other genera before being consolidated into Caloreas. The genus belongs to the subfamily Choreutinae, a group commonly known as metalmark moths due to their distinctive wing patterns.
Canadian owlet, meadow rue owlet moth
Calyptra canadensis, known as the Canadian owlet or meadow rue owlet moth, is a North American moth in the family Erebidae. It is the only member of the genus Calyptra found in the New World; all other 16 species occur in the Old World. Adults feed on fruit by piercing the skin to access juices. The species is notable for its proboscis modified for piercing, though unlike some related Old World species, blood-feeding has not been documented in C. canadensis.
Cameraria betulivora is a small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 7 mm. The species is restricted to eastern North America, where its larvae feed exclusively on Betula (birch) species.
Gregarious Oak Leafminer Moth
Cameraria cincinnatiella is a small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, commonly known as the gregarious oak leafminer moth. The species was described by Chambers in 1871 and is native to eastern and central North America. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 15 mm. Larvae are specialized feeders on Quercus (oak) species, creating distinctive mines in leaves.
Cameraria diabloensis is a minute leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, described by Opler & Davis in 1981. The species is endemic to California, United States, and is associated with a specific host plant, Quercus chrysolepis var. nana. Its larvae create characteristic mines in the leaves of this oak species. The species epithet refers to Mount Diablo in California.
Cameraria obstrictella is a small moth in the family Gracillariidae, first described by Clemens in 1859. It is found in eastern North America, where its larvae create leaf mines on oak species and wax myrtle. The species has a wingspan of 7–8 mm.
Cameraria pentekes is a small leaf-mining moth described by Opler and Davis in 1981. The species is restricted to western North America, occurring in British Columbia, Canada, and the states of California and Washington in the United States. Its larvae are specialized miners of oak leaves, feeding exclusively on Quercus douglasii and Quercus lobata. The species name refers to the distinctive five-pointed vincular process of the male genitalia.
Rusty Oak Leafminer
A small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae, known from eastern North America. Adults are tiny with a wingspan of 6.5–7 mm. Larvae create distinctive blotch mines on the upper surface of oak leaves.
Cardiochilinae is a subfamily of braconid wasps comprising approximately 20 genera and 220+ species. Members are solitary koinobiont endoparasitoids of Lepidoptera caterpillars. Females inject polydnavirus during oviposition to manipulate host immune response. Some species, notably Toxoneuron nigriceps, have been employed in biological control programs against agricultural pests.