Lepidoptera

Butterflies

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Hesperioidea
• Papilionoidea

Moths

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Micropterigoidea
• Heterobathmioidea
• Eriocranioidea
• Acanthopteroctetoidea
• Lophocoronoidea
• Neopseustoidea
• Mnesarchaeoidea
• Hepialoidea
• Nepticuloidea
• Incurvarioidea
• Palaephatoidea
• Tischeriodea
• Simaethistoidea
• Tineoidea
• Gracillarioidea
• Yponomeutoidea
• Gelechioidea
• Zygaenoidea
• Sesioidea
• Cossoidea
• Tortricoidea
• Choreutoida
• Urodoidea
• Galacticoidea
• Schreckensteinioidea
• Epermenioidea
• Pterophoroidea
• Aluctoidea
• Immoidea
• Axioidea
• Hyblaeoidea
• Thyridoidea
• Whalleyanoidea
• Pyraloidea
• Mimallonoidea
• Lasiocampoidea
• Geometroidea
• Drepanoidea
• Bombycoidea
• Calliduloidae
• Hedyloidea
• Noctuoidea

About 130 - see text

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Lepidoptera is the second largest order of insects comprising butterflies, skippers, and moths. Lepidopterans (members of this order) go through a four-stage life cycle of egg–larva/caterpillar–pupa/chrysalis–imago/adult. Adults have two pairs of membranous wings covered with scales, and mouth parts adapted for sucking.

Related Topics:
Order - Butterflies - Skipper - Moth - Four - Life cycle - Larva - Caterpillar - Pupa - Chrysalis - Imago - Scales

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The order comprises more than 180,000 species in 127 families and 46 superfamilies. It is second only to the Coleoptera (the beetles). The name is from Greek "scaly-wing" (lepido-pteron).

Related Topics:
Species - Beetle - Greek

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There are currently six species that are listed as critically endangered, 36 are endangered, and a further 116 are vulnerable.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

See also metamorphosis (biology) and difference between a butterfly and a moth.

Related Topics:
Metamorphosis (biology) - Difference between a butterfly and a moth

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 
Lepidoptera: Families of Lepidoptera ►