List of moths of Ireland

Last updated

Phylogenetic chart of the Lepidoptera Phylogenetic chart of Lepidoptera.svg
Phylogenetic chart of the Lepidoptera

Irish moths represent about 1,400 different types of moths. The moths (mostly nocturnal) and butterflies (mostly diurnal) together make up the taxonomic order Lepidoptera.

Contents

This is a list of moth species which have been recorded in Ireland.

Suborder Zeugloptera (mandibulate archaic moths)

Superfamily Micropterigoidea

Family Micropterigidae

Micropterix aruncella Micropterix aruncella BE-MK-2-188a.jpg
Micropterix aruncella

Suborder Glossata (moths and butterflies with a coilable proboscis)

Infraorder Dacnonypha

Superfamily Eriocranioidea

Family Eriocraniidae
Eriocrania cicatricella Eriocrania cicatricella.jpg
Eriocrania cicatricella
Eriocrania unimaculella larva Eriocrania unimaculella larva.JPG
Eriocrania unimaculella larva

Infraorder Exoporia

Superfamily Hepialoidea (ghost moths, swift moths)

Family Hepialidae
Ghost swift, female and male adults. Hepialus humuli pair (7392024178).jpg
Ghost swift, female and male adults.

Infraorder Heteroneura (wing venation which is different in each pair of wings)

Division Monotrysia (females have a single genital opening)

Section Nepticulina

Superfamily Nepticuloidea
Family Nepticulidae (pigmy or midget moths)
The small birch leafminer Ectoedemia occultella.JPG
The small birch leafminer
Leaf mining damage by Stigmella splendidissimella larva Stigmella splendidissimella.jpg
Leaf mining damage by Stigmella splendidissimella larva
Family Opostegidae (white eyecap moths)
Superfamily Tischerioidea (trumpet leaf miner moths)
Family Tischeriidae

Section Incurvariina

Superfamily Adeloidea (moths with piercing, extensible ovipositor)
Family Incurvariidae
Male feathered diamond-back Incurvaria masculella.jpg
Male feathered diamond-back
Family Prodoxidae
Family Adelidae (fairy longhorn moths)
Female green longhorn Adela.reaumurella.female.jpg
Female green longhorn
Cauchas rufimitrella larva Cauchas rufimitrella larva.JPG
Cauchas rufimitrella larva
Family Heliozelidae

Division Ditrysia (females have two genital openings)

Section Tineina

Superfamily Tineoidea (clothes moths, bagworms, etc.)
Family Psychidae (bagworm moths)
Family Tineidae (fungus moths)
Closeup on the head of a common clothes moth Mebel'naia mol'.jpg
Closeup on the head of a common clothes moth
Superfamily Gracillarioidea
Family Bucculatricidae (ribbed cocoon makers)
Family Gracillariidae (leaf miner moths)
Pupa of the horse-chestnut leaf miner Cameraria ohridella Pupa 5845.JPG
Pupa of the horse-chestnut leaf miner
Superfamily Schreckensteinioidea
Family Schreckensteiniidae (bristle-legged moths)
A blackberry skeletonizer (Schreckensteinia festaliella). Note the distinctive bristly legs. Schreckensteinia festaliella01.jpg
A blackberry skeletonizer (Schreckensteinia festaliella). Note the distinctive bristly legs.
Superfamily Gelechioidea (case-bearers, twirler moths, curved-horn moths)
Family Agonoxenidae (palm moths)
Chrysoclista linneella and its favourite food, the lime tree. Britishentomologyvolume6Plate152 cropped.jpg
Chrysoclista linneella and its favourite food, the lime tree.
Family Batrachedridae
Family Blastobasidae
Family Coleophoridae (case-bearers)
Family Cosmopterigidae (cosmet moths)
Family Elachistidae (grass-miner moths)
Agonopterix alstroemeriana, the hemlock moth Agonopterix alstroemeriana1.jpg
Agonopterix alstroemeriana , the hemlock moth
Family Gelechiidae (twirler moths)
Family Depressariidae (flat-bodied moths)
Depressaria daucella larva Depressaria daucella Caterpillar MHNT.jpg
Depressaria daucella larva
Family Momphidae (mompha moths)
Mompha locupletella Mompha locupletella, Trawscoed, North Wales, May 2011 (19923586200).jpg
Mompha locupletella
Family Oecophoridae (concealer moths)
Diurnea lipsiella Diurnea.lipsiella.2.jpg
Diurnea lipsiella
Family Peleopodidae
  • Carcina quercana (Fabricius, 1775) (oak lantern, long-horned flat-body, oak-skeletonizer moth)
Family Scythrididae (flower moths)
Superfamily Copromorphoidea (fruitworm moths)
Family Alucitidae (many-plumed moths)
Twenty-plume moth Alucita hexadactyla01.jpg
Twenty-plume moth
Family Epermeniidae (fringe-tufted moths)
Superfamily Yponomeutoidea
Family Bedelliidae
Family Glyphipterigidae (sedge moths)
Glyphipterix schoenicolella Glyphipterix schoenicolella, Cors Goch, North Wales, June 2012 (20486837911).jpg
Glyphipterix schoenicolella
Family Lyonetiidae
Family Plutellidae (diamondback moths)
Family Praydidae
Family Yponomeutidae (ermine moths)
Bronze alder moth Yponomeutidae - Argyresthia goedartella-1.JPG
Bronze alder moth
Family Ypsolophidae
Variable ypsolopha moth Ypsolopha.ustella.mounted.jpg
Variable ypsolopha moth
Superfamily Pyraloidea (pyraloid moths)
Family Crambidae (grass moths)
Wingless female watermilfoil moth Acentria ephemerella 3.png
Wingless female watermilfoil moth
Small magpie moth larva Eurrhypara hortulata - Larva 01 (HS).JPG
Small magpie moth larva
Brown china mark Elophila.nymphaeata.jpg
Brown china mark
Scarce crimson and gold Pyrausta sanguinalis - Scarce Purple and Gold (6532060233).jpg
Scarce crimson and gold
Udea olivalis pupa Udea prunalis (14235573736).jpg
Udea olivalis pupa
Family Pyralidae (snout moths, grass moths)
Lesser wax moth Achroia grisella (Fabricius, 1794)-12mm.jpg
Lesser wax moth
Superfamily Pterophoroidea
Family Pterophoridae (plume moths)
Adaina microdactyla Adaina microdactyla (9294824352).jpg
Adaina microdactyla
Morning-glory plume moth caterpillar Emmelina monodactyla 01 (HS).jpg
Morning-glory plume moth caterpillar
Superfamily Choreutoidea
Family Choreutidae (metalmark moths)
Superfamily Sesioidea
Family Sesiidae (clearwing moths)
Lunar hornet moth Lunar Hornet Moth (Sesia bembeciformis) by Ian Kimber 01.jpg
Lunar hornet moth
Red-tipped clearwing Synanthedon formicaeformis.jpg
Red-tipped clearwing
Superfamily Zygaenoidea (burnet moths, forester moths, smoky moths)
Family Zygaenidae

Section Cossina

Superfamily Cossoidea (carpenter moths and relatives)
Family Cossidae (cossid millers, carpenter millers)
Superfamily Tortricoidea
Family Tortricidae (tortrix moths, leafroller moths)
rufous-margined button moth Acleris cristana.jpg
rufous-margined button moth
Acleris ferrugana larva Acleris ferrugana larva.jpg
Acleris ferrugana larva
Ancylis achatana larva Ancylis.achatana5.-.lindsey.jpg
Ancylis achatana larva
Brown oak tortrix eggs Archips crataegana eggs.jpg
Brown oak tortrix eggs
Life cycle of the Oriental fruit moth, recently recorded in Ireland Grapholitha molesta.jpg
Life cycle of the Oriental fruit moth, recently recorded in Ireland
Lozotaenia forsterana Lozotaenia forsterana.jpg
Lozotaenia forsterana
Arched marble Olethreutes arcuella (1).jpg
Arched marble
Tortricodes alternella larva Tortricodes alternella larva.jpg
Tortricodes alternella larva
Zeiraphera isertana Zeiraphera isertana01.jpg
Zeiraphera isertana
Superfamily Geometroidea
Family Geometridae (geometer moths, inchworms)
clouded magpie Abraxas sylvata - Pargi-tahnikvaksik Keila.jpg
clouded magpie
dotted carpet Alcis jubata.jpg
dotted carpet
March moth caterpillar on midland hawthorn plant Alsophila aescularia caterpillar - Lindsey.jpg
March moth caterpillar on midland hawthorn plant
Latticed heath Geometridae - Chiasmia clathrata.JPG
Latticed heath
red-green carpet Chloroclysta siterata 9228.jpg
red-green carpet
lime-speck pug Eupithecia centaureata01.jpg
lime-speck pug
valerian pug Eupithecia valerianata1.jpg
valerian pug
Irish annulet Odontognophos dumetata.jpg
Irish annulet
brimstone moth Opisthograptis luteolata01.jpg
brimstone moth
Superfamily Drepanoidea (hook tip moths)
Family Drepanidae
Peach blossom cocoon Thyatira batis 06 (HS).jpg
Peach blossom cocoon
Superfamily Bombycoidea
Family Lasiocampidae (eggars, snout moths, lappet moths)
Caterpillar of the small eggar Fruhlings-Wollafter-Raupe.jpg
Caterpillar of the small eggar
Family Saturniidae
Male Saturnia pavonia 20 petit paon de nuit.jpg
Male Saturnia pavonia
Family Sphingidae (hawk-moths)
The notorious male African death's head hawkmoth, which summers in Ireland. Acherontia atropos MHNT dos.jpg
The notorious male African death's head hawkmoth, which summers in Ireland.
small elephant hawk-moth Deilephila porcellus-01 (xndr).jpg
small elephant hawk-moth
Superfamily Noctuoidea (owlet moths)
Family Erebidae
Catocala fraxini Catocala fraxini1.jpg
Catocala fraxini
hoary footman 0 7 20160910cerreto-017.JPG
hoary footman
gypsy moth Lymantria dispar MHNT.CUT.2012.0.357 Col de Cricheto Bastelica male Dos.jpg
gypsy moth
Vapourer moth eggs Vapourer moth eggs (Orgyia antiqua), next to wingless female's cocoon. - Flickr - gailhampshire.jpg
Vapourer moth eggs
Family Noctuidae (owlet moths, cutworms, armyworms)
The miller Acronicta leporina4.jpg
The miller
green-brindled crescent Allophyes oxyacanthae1.jpg
green-brindled crescent
Svensson's copper underwing caterpillar Amphipyra berbera - Svenssons Pyramideneule 03 (HS).jpg
Svensson's copper underwing caterpillar
Beautiful yellow underwing Anarta myrtilli.jpg
Beautiful yellow underwing
Burren green, named after The Burren, County Clare Calamia tridens.jpg
Burren green, named after The Burren, County Clare
Burnished brass IKAl 20100815 SchmetterlingB.jpg
Burnished brass
Merveille du jour caterpillar Griposia aprilina - caterpillar 01 (HS).jpg
Merveille du jour caterpillar
Marbled green caterpillar Nyctobrya muralis Marbled green (Forster, 1771).jpg
Marbled green caterpillar
Golden plusia Polychrysia moneta.jpg
Golden plusia
Poplar grey Acronicta megacephala01.jpg
Poplar grey
Family Nolidae (tuft moths)
Family Notodontidae (prominents, kitten moths)
Puss moth caterpillar Cerura vinula1.jpg
Puss moth caterpillar
White prominent Leucodonta bicoloria.jpg
White prominent

See also

References

  1. Bryant, T., 2018. Apodia bifractella (Duponchel, [1843]) (Lep.: Gelechiidae) new to Ireland. Entomologist’s Record & of Journal of Variation 130: 268.
  2. Bryant, T., 2017. Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859) (Lep.: Crambidae), new to Ireland. The Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation 129: 230-231.
  3. Bryant, T., 2017. Etiella zinckenella (Treitschke, 1832) (Lep.: Pyralidae) a migrant new to Ireland. The Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation 129: 225-226.
  4. Bryant, T. & Bond, K.G.M., 2021. Homoeosoma nimbella (Duponchel, 1836) (Lep.: Pyralidae) new to Ireland. Entomologist’s Record & Journal of Variation 133: 160-161.
  5. Bryant, T. & Bond, K.G.M., 2018. Eucosma conterminana (Guenée, 1845) (Lep.: Tortricidae) new to Ireland. Entomologist’s Record and Journal of Variation 130: 15.
  6. Oriental Fruit Moth (Grapholita molesta (Busck)) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) a second Irish record. Irish Naturalists' Journal Volume 35, Part 1 2016
  7. Bryant, T. & Bond, K.G.M., 2019. Marigold Shark Cucullia calendulae Treitschke, 1835 (Lep.: Noctuidae), a migrant new to Ireland. Entomologist’s Record & Journal of Variation 131: 64-65.

Further reading

Literature

See also

Other languages. Accounts of species are often more complete on