Butterflies and Moths in the Southwest (Lepidoptera)

Lepidoptera Overview

Lepidoptera is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans) and is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world.

About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 families and 46 superfamilies, 10 percent of the total described species of living organisms. The Lepidoptera show many variations of the basic body structure that have evolved to gain advantages in lifestyle and distribution.

Photo courtesy of Nikki Zahn Miller of Nevada Lovers Group

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera

Family, Genus, and Species of Lepidoptera

Family: Hesperiinae [Grass Skippers aka Banded Skippers]
- Genus: Erynnis
  - Funeral Duskywing (Erynnis funerals)
  - Meridian Duskywing (Erynnis meridianus)
- Genus: Heliopetes
  - Northern White-Skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum)
- Genus: Hesperopsis
  - Mojave Sootywing (Hesperopsis libya)
- Genus: Hisperia
  - Grass Skipper (Hisperia spp.)
- Genus: Ochlodes
  - Yuma Skipper (Ochlodes yuma)
- Genus: Pyrgus
  - Grizzled Skipper (Pyrgus centaureae)
Family: Nymphalidae [Brush-footed Butterflies aka Four-Footed Butterlies]
- Genus: Adelpha
  - Arizona Sister (Adelpha eulalia)
- Genus: Anthanassa
  - Texan Crescent (Anthanassa texana)
- Genus: Closyne
  - California Patch (Chlosyne californica)
  - Northern Checkerspot (Chlosyne palla)
- Genus: Danaus
  - Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- Genus: Euphydryas
  - Variable Checkerspot aka Chalcedon Checkerspot (Euphydryas chalcedona)
- Genus: Libytheana
  - American Snout Butterfly aka Common Snout Butterfly (Libytheana carinenta)
- Genus: Limenitis
  - Lorquin’s Admiral (Limenitis lorquini)
  - Weidemeyer’s Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyerii)
- Genus: Nymphalis
  - California Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis californica)
  - Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa)
- Genus: Polygonia
  - Comma (Polygonia spp.)
  - Satyr Comma (Polygonia satyrus)
  - Zephyr Anglewing (Polygonia zephyrus)
- Genus: Speyeria
  - Greater Fritillary (Speyeria spp.)
  - Mormon Fritillary (Speyeria mormonia)
  - Zerene Fritillary (Speyeria zerene)
- Genus: Vanessa
  - Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
  - West Coast Lady (Vanessa annabella)
Family: Lycaenidae [Gossamer-winged Butterflies]
- Genus: Celastrina
  - Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon)
- Genus: Echinargus
  - Reakirt’s Blue (Echinargus isola)
- Genus: Icaricia
  - Spring Mountains Icarioides Blue (Icaricia icarioides austinorum)
- Genus: Lycaena
  - Edith’s Copper (Lycaena editha)
  - Ruddy Copper (Lycaena rubidus)
- Genus: Leptotes
  - Marine Blue (Leptotes marina)
- Genus: Strymon
  - Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus)
Family: Riodinidae [Metalmark Butterflies]
- Genus: Apodemia
  - Mormon Metalmark (Apodemia mormo)
Family: Papilionidae [Swallowtail Butterflies]
- Genus: Parnassius
  - Clodius Parnassian (Parnassius clodius)
- Genus: Papilio
  - Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes)
  - Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon)
  - Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata)
  - Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)
Family: Pieridae [Tropical Butterflies]
- Genus: Abaeis
  - Sleepy Orange (Abaeis nicippe)
- Genus: Euchloe
  - Desert Marble (Euchloe lotta)
- Genus: Neophasia
  - Pine White (Neophasia menapia)
- Genus: Pontia
  - Western White (Pontia occidentalis)

Photo courtesy of Nikki Zahn Miller of Nevada Lovers Group

Moths in Nevada

Achemon Sphinx Moth
Afflicted Dagger Moth
American Dun-bar Moth
American Idia
American Lappet Moth
Arched Hooktip Moth
Arcigera Flower Moth
Bagworm Moth
Banded Woollybear Caterpillar Moth
Barberry Geometer Moth
Bent-line Carpet
Big Poplar Sphinx Moth
Bilobed Looper
Blackberry Looper
Blinded Sphinx
Bluish Spring Moth
Bristly Cutworm Moth
Brown Angle Shades
Carpet Moth
Cattail Caterpillar Moth
Ceanothus Silkmoth
Cecropia Silk Moth
Cinnabar Moth
Close-banded Yellowhorn Moth
Clover Looper
Common Angle Moth
Common Gray
Common Oak Moth
Copper Underwing
Corn Ear Worm Moth
Crocus Geometer
Cross-striped Cabbageworm Moth
Curve-toothed Geometer
Dark Marathyssa
Delicate Cycnia
Diminutive Wave
Dingy Cutworm Moth
Divided Olethreutes Moth
Dogwood Thyatirin
Edwards Glassy Wing Moth
European Corn Borer Moth
Fall Webworm Moth
False Crocus Geometer
Fingered Dagger
Forage Looper Moth
Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth
Four-spotted Gluphisia Moth
Friendly Probole Moth
Genista Broom Moth
Glover’s Silkmoth
Gracile Palpita Moth
Grape Leaffolder Moth
Grape Plume Moth
Grass-Veneer Moth – Agriphila
Gray Scoopwing Moth
Great Oak Dagger
Green Arches
Hahncappsia Moth
Hera Buck Moth
Herald Moth
Hickory Tussock Moth
Himmelman’s Plume Moth
Hitched Arches
Horned Spanworm Moth
Hummingbird Moth
Hydriomena Moth
Ilia Underwing
Imperial Moth
Indianmeal Moth
Ipsilon Dart
Isabella Tiger Moth
Joined Underwing Moth
Large Mossy Lithacodia
Large Tolype Moth
Large Yellow Underwing Moth
Leafroller Moth
Little White Lichen Moth
Lunate Zale Moth
Many-spotted Tiger Moth
Meal Moth
Mexican Tiger Moth
Modest Sphinx
Morning Glory Prominent
Mottled Grass-veneer Moth
Mottled Gray Carpet Moth
Nevada Buck Moth
Oak Besma
Olive-shaded Bird-dropping Moth
One-eyed Sphinx Moth
Oval-based Prominent
Owlet Moth
Painted Lichen Moth
Painted Tiger Moth
Pale Beauty
Peachtree Borer Moth
Pero Moth
Plume Moth
Police Car Moth
Polyphemus Moth
Primrose Moth
Pseudexentera Moth
Pug Moth – Eupithecia spp.
Ranchman’s Tiger Moth
Raspberry Pyrausta
Red Groundling Moth
Red-fringed Emerald
Red-humped Caterpillar Moth
Reversed Haploa Moth
Robin’s Carpenterworm Moth
Rustic Quaker
Saddled Yellowhorn
Salt Marsh Moth
Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth
Semirelict Underwing
Slug Caterpillar Moth
Small-eyed Sphinx Moth
Snowy-shouldered Acleris Moth
Somber Carpet Moth
Sooty-winged Chalcoela Moth
Southwestern Squash Vine Borer Moth
Soybean Looper
Sphinx Moth
Spotted Tussock Moth
Stamnodes marmorata
Straight-lined Plagodis Moth
Strawberry Crown Moth
Tersa Sphinx Moth
The Gem
The Laugher Moth
The Wedgeling
Tufted Thyatirin Moth
Two-spotted Looper
Unicorn Caterpillar Moth
Variable Antepione Moth
Variable Tussock Moth
Vashti Sphinx Moth
Venerable Dart
Vine Sphinx Moth
Wavy-lined Emerald Moth
Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth
White-banded Toothed Carpet Moth
White-dotted Prominent
White-lined Sphinx Moth
White-striped Black Moth
Wild Forget-me-not Moth
Yellow-collared Scape Moth
Yellow-fringed Dolichomia
Yellow-necked Caterpillar Moth
Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth
Yucca Moth
Zebra Conchylodes Moth
Zig-Zag Furcula Moth