Lepidoptera is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths. 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. It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world. The Lepidoptera show many variations of the basic body structure that have evolved to gain advantages in lifestyle and distribution. Recent estimates suggest the order may have more species than earlier thought, and is among the four most speciose orders, along with the Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera.
The Limacodidae or Eucleidae are a family of moths in the superfamily Zygaenoidea or the Cossoidea; the placement is in dispute. They are often called slug moths because their caterpillars bear a distinct resemblance to slugs. They are also called cup moths because of the shape of their cocoons.
Hemileuca hera, the sagebrush sheep moth or Hera buckmoth, is a moth of the family Saturniidae. The species was first described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1841. It is found in North America from southern Saskatchewan west to British Columbia, south to Arizona and New Mexico.
Lophocampa maculata, the spotted tussock moth, mottled tiger or spotted halisidota, is a moth of the family Erebidae and the tribe Arctiini, the tiger moths. The species was first described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1841. It is found across Canada, the western parts of the United States, south in the Appalachians to South Carolina and Kentucky.
Hypena humuli, the hop looper or hop vine moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1841. It is found from coast to coast in Canada south in the east to Florida and Arkansas in the west to California. It is apparently absent from the south-central states. In Canada it is only absent from Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and the far north.
Eulithis testata, the chevron, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1761. It is found in both the Palearctic and the Nearctic realms. In the Palearctic it ranges from Great Britain and Scandinavia, south to the Alps, east through Russia and the Russian Far East to Japan. In North America, it is found from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island and Alaska, south in the east to about New Jersey and in the west to Colorado.
Oligocentria semirufescens, the red-washed prominent moth or rusty prominent, is a moth of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1865. It is found in North America from Nova Scotia west to Vancouver Island, south to Florida, Colorado and central California.
Erannis tiliaria, the linden looper, also known under the rather ambiguous name "winter moth", is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1841. It is found in North America from central Alberta east to Nova Scotia, south to Missouri, Georgia, Utah and Texas.
Schizura is a genus of moths of the family Notodontidae first described by Edward Doubleday in 1841.
Drepana arcuata, the arched hooktip or masked birch caterpillar, is a moth of the family Drepanidae. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1855. It is found from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island, south to at least North Carolina, South Carolina and California.
Ennomos subsignaria, the elm spanworm moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1823. It is found in North America from Texas (south) to Alberta (northwest) and east to the Atlantic coast. It is recorded infrequently in Great Britain through accidental importation in asparagus.
Pheosia rimosa, the black-rimmed prominent moth, fissured prominent or false-sphinx, is a moth of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Alpheus Spring Packard in 1864. It is found from coast to coast in North America, although it is less common in the south-eastern United States.
Schizura unicornis, the unicorn caterpillar moth, unicorn prominent or variegated prominent, is a moth of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797. It is found in all of North America, except the arctic north.
Synchlora aerata, the wavy-lined emerald moth or camouflaged looper, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. The species was described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1798. It is found in most of North America.
Lymantria dispar dispar, commonly known as the gypsy moth, European gypsy moth, or North American gypsy moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae that is of Eurasian origin. It has a range that extends over Europe, Africa, and North America.
Platarctia parthenos, the St. Lawrence tiger moth, is a moth in the family Erebidae. It was described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1850. It is found in boreal North America, ranging from Alaska to Labrador, south to New Mexico and Arizona in the Rocky Mountains and to North Carolina in the Appalachian Mountains. The habitat consists of riparian areas and mixed hardwood-conifer forests at middle to high elevations.
Syntomeida ipomoeae, the yellow-banded wasp moth or orange-banded wasp moth, is a moth in the subfamily Arctiinae. It was described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1839. It is found in the US states of Florida and Georgia.
Heterocampinae is a subfamily of prominent moths in the family Notodontidae. There are at least 60 described species of Heterocampinae in North America.
Schizura apicalis, the plain schizura, is a species of moth in the family Notodontidae. It was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote and Coleman Townsend Robinson in 1866 and it is found in North America.
