Butterflies and Moths of North America

collecting and sharing data about Lepidoptera

Butterfly and Moth Taxonomy

The list below contains all of the North American families of butterflies and moths currently represented in the BAMONA database. To date, the list includes all butterfly families but not all moth families. Your submissions make this a more complete resource – the species, subfamily, and family lists are updated as occurrence data are verified. Learn how to share your sightings.

Browse the species lists, profiles, and images by clicking on a family name. Use the tabs to sort the list.

Hesperiidae (Skippers)
Papilionidae (Parnassians and Swallowtails)
Pieridae (Whites and Sulphurs)
Lycaenidae (Gossamer-wing Butterflies)
Riodinidae (Metalmarks)
Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Drepanidae (Hooktip and False Owlet Moths)
Saturniidae (Wild Silk Moths)
Sphingidae (Sphinx Moths, Hawkmoths)
Doidae (Doid Moths)
Notodontidae (Prominents)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths, Miller Moths)
Erebidae (Erebid Moths)
Euteliidae (Euteliid Moths)
Nolidae (Tuft Moths)
Oecophoridae (Concealer Moths)
Peleopodidae (Peleopodid Moths)
Opostegidae (Opostegid Moths)
Nepticulidae (Pygmy Moths or Midget Moths)
Tischeriidae (Tischeriid Moths)
Incurvariidae (Leafcutter Moths)
Prodoxidae (Yucca Moths)
Adelidae (Adelid Moths)
Heliozelidae (Shield Bearer Moths)
Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
Acrolophidae (Burrowing Webworm Moths)
Psychidae (Psychids, Bagworm Moths)
Gracillariidae (Leaf Blotch Miner Moths)
Elachistidae (Grass Miner Moths)
Autostichidae (Autostichid Moths)
Blastobasidae (Blastobasid Moths)
Coleophoridae (Coleophorid Case-bearers)
Batrachedridae (Batrachedrid Moths)
Momphidae (Momphid Moths)
Cosmopterigidae (Cosmopterigid Moths)
Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
Scythrididae (Scythridid Moths)
Glyphidoceridae (Glyphidocerid Moths)
Carposinidae (Carposinid Moths)
Schreckensteiniidae (Bristle-legged Moths)
Epermeniidae (Epermeniid Moths)
Glyphipterigidae (Sedge Moths)
Plutellidae (Plutellid Moths)
Yponomeutidae (Yponomeutid Moths)
Acrolepiidae (False Diamondback Moths)
Lacturidae (Tropical Burnet Moths)
Lyonetiidae (Lyonetiid Moths)
Bucculatricidae (Bucculatricid Moths)
Galacticidae (Galacticid Moths)
Ypsolophidae (Ypsolophid Moths)
Choreutidae (Choreuitid Moths)
Sesiidae (Sesiid Moths)
Castniidae (Castniid Moths)
Cossidae (Cossid Moths, Carpenter Moths)
Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
Zygaenidae (Zygaenid Moths)
Megalopygidae (Flannel Moths)
Limacodidae (Limacodids, Slug Caterpillar Moths)
Epipyropidae (Planthopper Parasite Moths)
Dalceridae (Dalcerid Moths)
Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
Thyrididae (Thyridid Moths)
Eriocraniidae (Eriocraniid Moths)
Hepialidae (Ghost Moths)
Pterophoridae (Pterophorid Moths, Plume Moths)
Geometridae (Geometer Moths, Looper Moths)
Uraniidae (Swallowtail Moths)
Sematuridae (Sematurid Moths)
Mimallonidae (Mimallonid Moths)
Apatelodidae (Apatelodid Moths)
Lasiocampidae (Lasiocampid Moths)
Alucitidae (Many-plume Moths)
Xyloryctidae (Xyloryctid Moths)
Heliodinidae (Heliodinid Moths)
Micropterigidae (Mandibulate Archaic Moths)
Copromorphidae (Tropical Fruitworm Moths)
Depressariidae (Depressariid Moths)
Stathmopodidae (Stathmopodid Moths)
Acrolepiidae (False Diamondback Moths)
Acrolophidae (Burrowing Webworm Moths)
Adelidae (Adelid Moths)
Alucitidae (Many-plume Moths)
Apatelodidae (Apatelodid Moths)
Autostichidae (Autostichid Moths)
Batrachedridae (Batrachedrid Moths)
Blastobasidae (Blastobasid Moths)
Bucculatricidae (Bucculatricid Moths)
Carposinidae (Carposinid Moths)
Castniidae (Castniid Moths)
Choreutidae (Choreuitid Moths)
Coleophoridae (Coleophorid Case-bearers)
Copromorphidae (Tropical Fruitworm Moths)
Cosmopterigidae (Cosmopterigid Moths)
Cossidae (Cossid Moths, Carpenter Moths)
Crambidae (Crambid Snout Moths)
Dalceridae (Dalcerid Moths)
Depressariidae (Depressariid Moths)
Doidae (Doid Moths)
Drepanidae (Hooktip and False Owlet Moths)
Elachistidae (Grass Miner Moths)
Epermeniidae (Epermeniid Moths)
Epipyropidae (Planthopper Parasite Moths)
Erebidae (Erebid Moths)
Eriocraniidae (Eriocraniid Moths)
Euteliidae (Euteliid Moths)
Galacticidae (Galacticid Moths)
Gelechiidae (Twirler Moths)
Geometridae (Geometer Moths, Looper Moths)
Glyphidoceridae (Glyphidocerid Moths)
Glyphipterigidae (Sedge Moths)
Gracillariidae (Leaf Blotch Miner Moths)
Heliodinidae (Heliodinid Moths)
Heliozelidae (Shield Bearer Moths)
Hepialidae (Ghost Moths)
Hesperiidae (Skippers)
Incurvariidae (Leafcutter Moths)
Lacturidae (Tropical Burnet Moths)
Lasiocampidae (Lasiocampid Moths)
Limacodidae (Limacodids, Slug Caterpillar Moths)
Lycaenidae (Gossamer-wing Butterflies)
Lyonetiidae (Lyonetiid Moths)
Megalopygidae (Flannel Moths)
Micropterigidae (Mandibulate Archaic Moths)
Mimallonidae (Mimallonid Moths)
Momphidae (Momphid Moths)
Nepticulidae (Pygmy Moths or Midget Moths)
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths, Miller Moths)
Nolidae (Tuft Moths)
Notodontidae (Prominents)
Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Butterflies)
Oecophoridae (Concealer Moths)
Opostegidae (Opostegid Moths)
Papilionidae (Parnassians and Swallowtails)
Peleopodidae (Peleopodid Moths)
Pieridae (Whites and Sulphurs)
Plutellidae (Plutellid Moths)
Prodoxidae (Yucca Moths)
Psychidae (Psychids, Bagworm Moths)
Pterophoridae (Pterophorid Moths, Plume Moths)
Pyralidae (Pyralid Moths)
Riodinidae (Metalmarks)
Saturniidae (Wild Silk Moths)
Schreckensteiniidae (Bristle-legged Moths)
Scythrididae (Scythridid Moths)
Sematuridae (Sematurid Moths)
Sesiidae (Sesiid Moths)
Sphingidae (Sphinx Moths, Hawkmoths)
Stathmopodidae (Stathmopodid Moths)
Thyrididae (Thyridid Moths)
Tineidae (Clothes Moths)
Tischeriidae (Tischeriid Moths)
Tortricidae (Tortricid Moths)
Uraniidae (Swallowtail Moths)
Xyloryctidae (Xyloryctid Moths)
Yponomeutidae (Yponomeutid Moths)
Ypsolophidae (Ypsolophid Moths)
Zygaenidae (Zygaenid Moths)
Adelid Moths (Adelidae)
Apatelodid Moths (Apatelodidae)
Autostichid Moths (Autostichidae)
Batrachedrid Moths (Batrachedridae)
Blastobasid Moths (Blastobasidae)
Bristle-legged Moths (Schreckensteiniidae)
Brush-footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
Bucculatricid Moths (Bucculatricidae)
Burrowing Webworm Moths (Acrolophidae)
Carposinid Moths (Carposinidae)
Castniid Moths (Castniidae)
Choreuitid Moths (Choreutidae)
Clothes Moths (Tineidae)
Coleophorid Case-bearers (Coleophoridae)
Concealer Moths (Oecophoridae)
Cosmopterigid Moths (Cosmopterigidae)
Cossid Moths, Carpenter Moths (Cossidae)
Crambid Snout Moths (Crambidae)
Dalcerid Moths (Dalceridae)
Depressariid Moths (Depressariidae)
Doid Moths (Doidae)
Epermeniid Moths (Epermeniidae)
Erebid Moths (Erebidae)
Eriocraniid Moths (Eriocraniidae)
Euteliid Moths (Euteliidae)
False Diamondback Moths (Acrolepiidae)
Flannel Moths (Megalopygidae)
Galacticid Moths (Galacticidae)
Geometer Moths, Looper Moths (Geometridae)
Ghost Moths (Hepialidae)
Glyphidocerid Moths (Glyphidoceridae)
Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Lycaenidae)
Grass Miner Moths (Elachistidae)
Heliodinid Moths (Heliodinidae)
Hooktip and False Owlet Moths (Drepanidae)
Lasiocampid Moths (Lasiocampidae)
Leaf Blotch Miner Moths (Gracillariidae)
Leafcutter Moths (Incurvariidae)
Limacodids, Slug Caterpillar Moths (Limacodidae)
Lyonetiid Moths (Lyonetiidae)
Mandibulate Archaic Moths (Micropterigidae)
Many-plume Moths (Alucitidae)
Metalmarks (Riodinidae)
Mimallonid Moths (Mimallonidae)
Momphid Moths (Momphidae)
Opostegid Moths (Opostegidae)
Owlet Moths, Miller Moths (Noctuidae)
Parnassians and Swallowtails (Papilionidae)
Peleopodid Moths (Peleopodidae)
Planthopper Parasite Moths (Epipyropidae)
Plutellid Moths (Plutellidae)
Prominents (Notodontidae)
Psychids, Bagworm Moths (Psychidae)
Pterophorid Moths, Plume Moths (Pterophoridae)
Pygmy Moths or Midget Moths (Nepticulidae)
Pyralid Moths (Pyralidae)
Scythridid Moths (Scythrididae)
Sedge Moths (Glyphipterigidae)
Sematurid Moths (Sematuridae)
Sesiid Moths (Sesiidae)
Shield Bearer Moths (Heliozelidae)
Skippers (Hesperiidae)
Sphinx Moths, Hawkmoths (Sphingidae)
Stathmopodid Moths (Stathmopodidae)
Swallowtail Moths (Uraniidae)
Thyridid Moths (Thyrididae)
Tischeriid Moths (Tischeriidae)
Tortricid Moths (Tortricidae)
Tropical Burnet Moths (Lacturidae)
Tropical Fruitworm Moths (Copromorphidae)
Tuft Moths (Nolidae)
Twirler Moths (Gelechiidae)
Whites and Sulphurs (Pieridae)
Wild Silk Moths (Saturniidae)
Xyloryctid Moths (Xyloryctidae)
Yponomeutid Moths (Yponomeutidae)
Ypsolophid Moths (Ypsolophidae)
Yucca Moths (Prodoxidae)
Zygaenid Moths (Zygaenidae)

The Science of Taxonomy

Butterflies and moths are members of a taxonomic group of insects called Lepidoptera. Related species within the order Lepidoptera are grouped into families and subfamilies. Contrary to popular belief, these groupings (or Lepidopteran taxonomy) are not static. Taxonomy is a science of shifting names and much discussion. Within a field of study, not all scientists agree on a particular taxonomic arrangement of species.

The Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA) project tries to represent the most recent and most widely accepted taxonomy among lepidopterists. For those who are interested: sources of the BAMONA taxonomy include Opler & Warren, Pelham, Lafontaine, and others. Please note, however, that in this ever-changing realm of taxonomy, we are not always up to date, and some names are always in dispute. The most recent changes to moth taxonomy have yet to be reflected on this site.

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