Lepidoptera Families

Suborder: Ditrysia

Superfamily: Tineoidea

Tineidae

1. Bag formed by larva

Psychidae

1. Only male with wings

2. Clear wings

3. 1st and 2nd anal veins fused at apex on front wing

Superfamily: Sesioidea

Sesiidae

1. Clear hind wing and front wing or just hind wing clear

2. Antenna narrow at base and tip

3. Wasp mimics

4. Ocelli conspicuous

Superfamily: Tortricoidea

Tortricidae

1. Square-tipped front wing

2. Cu2 arises before outer 3/4 of discal cell on front wing

Superfamily: Cossoidea

Cossidae

1. Bipectinate antenna on males (only)

2. Vestigial mouthparts

3. Hind wing with 3 anal veins

Superfamily: Pyraloidea

Pyralidae

1. Long projecting labial palps ("snout moth")

2. M2 and M3 close on front wing

Superfamily: Hesperioidea

Hesperiidae

1. Hooked antenna

2. Distinctive shape

Superfamily: Papilionoidea

Papilionidae

1. Taillike projections on hind wings

2. Clubbed antenna

3. Lacks ringed eyes

Pieridae

1. M1 stalked from R beyond discal cell (you can see this without ETOH)

2. Clubbed antenna

Lycaenidae

1. White scale encircle the eyes

2. Brightly colored butterflies

3. Clubbed antenna

4. Some with tails (compare to Papilionidae)

Nymphalidae

1. Reduced front legs with many hairs, "brush-footed," compare to other butterflies

2. M1 not stalked with R beyond discal cell

3. Compare to Pieridae

Danaidae

1. Reduced front legs

2. Only 2 species in Virginia with distinctive coloration

3. Androconia on male below Cu2 on hind wing (black spot or patch)

4. No scales on antenna

5. Compare Monarch to Viceroy

Satyridae

1. Clubbed antenna

2. "Eye-spots" on wings (front wings, most often)

Superfamily: Geometroidea

Geometridae

1. Small- to medium-sized moth with wavy lines on the wings

2. Distinctive shape of the SC in the hind wing

Superfamily: Bombycoidea

Lasiocampidae

1. Bipectinate antenna

2. Expansion of humaeral angle of hind wing

Saturniidae

1. Large size

2. Distinctive coloration

Superfamily: Sphingoidea

Sphingidae

1. Robust with abdomen tapering to a sharp point

2. Some with clear wings

3. No ocelli

Superfamily: Noctuoidea

Noctuidae

1. Cu appears 3 or 4 branched, M2 and M3 appear to arise from Cu

2. Sc and R separate

3. "typical" noctuid wing coloration pattern

4. dark colors

Arctiidae

1. Sc and R combined

2. Compare 34-26 and 34-27

Lymantriidae

1. Reduced mouthparts

2. Antenna bipectinate

3. 2 Anal veins in hind wing

4. compare to Noctuidae and Cossidae

Superfamily: Pterophoroidea

Pterophoridae

1. Front wing with 2 branches

2. Hind wing with 3 branches

3. Alucitidae also have branced wings

 

Trichoptera - see handout