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31 unusual facts about Lepidoptera


Alexander Julius Reichert

Alexander Julius Reichert (25 January 1859 – 1 July 1939) was a German entomologist specialising in Lepidoptera.

Anne Chamberlain

She would accompany him on his outdoor excursions (though not always the whole way, for he was a prodigious walker), and learned much from his collections and studies of Lepidoptera, plants and birds.

Anthemis

Anthemis species are used as food plants by the camelse of some Lepidoptera species including Orthonama obstipata (The Gem) and Bucculatrix anthemidella, a leaf-miner which feeds exclusively on Anthemis tinctoria.

Athyrium

Athyrium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Small Angle Shades and Sthenopis auratus.

Avena

Avena species, including cultivated oats, are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including Rustic Shoulder-knot and Setaceous Hebrew Character.

Bt brinjal

The Bt brinjal has been developed to give resistance against lepidopteron insects, in particular the Brinjal Fruit and Shoot Borer (Leucinodes orbonalis)(FSB).

Bunnahabhain

The area is rich in wildlife, boasting large numbers of red deer, roe deer, wild goats, otters, common and grey seals, seabirds such as cormorants and oystercatchers and also Lepidoptera, with peacock and speckled wood butterflies being a common sight.

Charles Duncan Michener

He remained in California until 1942, when he became an Assistant Curator of Lepidoptera at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Chlordimeform

Chlordimeform is an acaricide (pesticide) active mainly against motile forms of mites and ticks and against eggs and early instars of some Lepidoptera insects.

Comptonia

Comptonia peregrina is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including Bucculatrix paroptila, Grey Pug, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Io moth, and several Coleophora case-bearers: C. comptoniella, C. peregrinaevorella (which feeds exclusively on Comptonia), C. persimplexella, C. pruniella and C. serratella.

Cope's gray tree frog

Similar hidden bright patterns are common in various Lepidoptera, for instance moths of the genus Catocala.

Donald M. Weisman

He is known for his work on the taxonomy of immature Lepidoptera.

Eastern red bat

Moths (Lepidoptera) form the majority of the diet, but red bats also prey heavily on beetles (Coleoptera), flies (Diptera), and other insects.

Echoes in a Shallow Bay

With Fraser's typically indecipherable lyrics it is difficult to be sure, but all the titles on the two EPs seem to have some link with Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths).

Entomologist's Monthly Magazine

The journal publishes original papers and notes on all orders of insects and terrestrial arthropods from any part of the world, specialising in groups other than Lepidoptera.

Foray 48B

Foray 48B in an insecticide manufactured by Valent BioSciences used in forestry to selectively kill the larval stage of insect in the order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies).

Giuseppe Saverio Poli

The specimens were from locations all over the world, and included, especially, Lepidoptera, Cnidaria and Molluscs.

Hans Hermann Behr

He published sixteen entomological papers mainly on Lepidoptera.

Josef Aloys Frölich

He is not to be confused with Franz Anton Gottfried Frölich (1805–1878), his son, also an entomologist but specialising in Lepidoptera.

Josef Johann Mann

Josef Johann Mann (19 May 1804 – 20 March 1889), or Johann Josef Ritter von Mann, was a German Bohemian entomologist and a specialist in Lepidoptera.

Karl Jordan

In 1893 he began work at the Walter Rothschild's Museum at Tring, specialising in Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Siphonaptera.

Livistona

Livistona species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Batrachedra arenosella (recorded on L. subglobosa) and Paysandisia archon.

Michael Denis

In addition, working with Ignaz Schiffermüller he formed an early collection of butterflies and moths, which was kept at the Hofburg Palace but lost in the revolution of 1848, and published the first catalog of the Lepidoptera found around Vienna.

Muhlenbergia rigens

The tall grass is an overwintering host for many species of Lepidoptera and ladybug, which along with deergrass seed, provides food for many different bird species.

Philogène Auguste Joseph Duponchel

The volumes were published between 1832 and 1842, and within its pages the authors describe more than four thousand species of butterflies and moths.

Quercus ilicifolia

This oak species is the main food plant for 29% of the rare or endangered Lepidopterans in southern New England and southeastern New York.

Sven Lampa

Sven Lampa ( 17 November 1839, Skaraborg – 2 December 1914, Lidingön) was a Swedish entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera.

Syagrus

Syagrus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Batrachedra nuciferae (recorded on S. coronae), Hypercompe cunigunda (feeds exclusively on S. romanzoffiana) and Paysandisia archon (recorded on S. romanzoffiana).

Transcona Historical Museum

The Christopher Stephen Quelch Lepidoptera Collection contains over 8000 specimens of moths and butterflies from across the world with a focus on Manitoba.

Walter Karl Johann Roepke

Walter Karl Johann Roepke (1882, Hohensalza –1961, Wageningen ) was a German entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera and Coleoptera

Zdravko Lorković

Zdravko Lorković (3 January 1900, Zagreb – 11 November 1998, Zagreb) was a Croatian entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera.


Alhagi

Alhagi species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora argyrella which feeds exclusively on A. maurorum.

Amphiesmenoptera

Amphiesmenoptera is an insect superorder, established by Willi Hennig in his revision of insect taxonomy for two sister orders: Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and Trichoptera (caddisflies).

Antonio Curò

He was a lepidopterist and published Saggio di un Catalogo dei Lepidotteri d’Italia between 1875 and 1889.

Aralia

Aralia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including the Common Emerald (Hemithea aestivaria).

Arctostaphylos

Arctostaphylos species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora arctostaphyli (which feeds exclusively on A. uva-ursi) and Coleophora glaucella.

Asclepias lanceolata

This species is pollinated by bees, insects, and members of Lepidoptera.

Bidens

Several Bidens species are used as food by the caterpillars of certain Lepidoptera, such as the noctuid moth Hypercompe hambletoni and the brush-footed butterfly Vanessa cardui, the Painted Lady.

Bridelia

Bridelia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus.

Carpinus betulus

The leaves provide food for some animals, including Lepidoptera such as the case-bearer moth Coleophora anatipennella.

Cinnamomum camphora

In Australia there are two native Lepidoptera insects, the Purple Brown-Eye and Common Red-Eye, whose larval stage feed on camphor despite it being an introduced plant to there.

Coffea

Coffee is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species, Dalcera abrasa, turnip moth and some members of the genus Endoclita, including E. damor and E. malabaricus.

Coreopsis

Coreopsis species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora acamtopappi.

Dodonaea

Dodonaea species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Aenetus eximia and Aenetus ligniveren.

Echium

Echium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora onosmella and Orange Swift.

Elaeagnus

Elaeagnus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora elaeagnisella and the gothic moths.

Eriophyllum

Eriophyllum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Phymatopus californicus.

Erysimum popovii

Flowers are visited by many species of insects belonging to the order Hymenoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera and Heteroptera, outstanding species of Andrena (Andrenidae), Lasioglossum (Halictidae), Anthophora (Anthophoridae) and Bombylius (Bombyliidae).

Exhyalanthrax

Exhyalanthrax afer has been reared from pupae of tachinid and ichneumonid parasitoids of Thaumetopoea pityocampa and from the pupae of this species and other Lepidoptera.

Gaillardia

Gaillardia species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera species, including Schinia bina (which has been recorded on G. pulchella), Schinia masoni (which feeds exclusively on G. aristata) and Schinia volupia (which feeds exclusively on G. pulchella).

Glochidion

Glochidion species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Aenetus eximia and Endoclita damor.

Great Spangled Fritillary

In 1985 Scottish music band Cocteau Twins released a song called "Great Spangled Fritillary"; it was the first of four tracks (each bearing Lepidoptera-influenced names) on their EP Echoes in a Shallow Bay.

H1 neuron

Neurons sensitive to motion during flight are not specific to flies, and have been found in numerous nondipterous insect groups including Odonata, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera.

Harpactor angulosus

This assassin bug has been documented predating upon caterpillars of the genus Hylesia (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae: Hemileucinae) in Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil.

Hedysarum

Hedysarum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (moth and butterfly) species including Coleophora accordella.

Helichrysum

Helichrysum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the bucculaticid leaf-miners Bucculatrix gnaphaliella (which feeds exclusively on Helichrysum arenarium) and Bucculatrix helichrysella (feeds exclusively on H. italicum) and the Coleophora case-bearers C. caelebipennella, C. gnaphalii (feeds exclusively on H arenarium) and C. helichrysiella (feeds exclusively on H. italicum).

Hordeum

Hordeum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including The Flame, Rustic Shoulder-knot and Setaceous Hebrew Character.

Hornbeam

Hornbeams are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Autumnal Moth, Common Emerald, Feathered Thorn, Svensson's Copper Underwing and Winter Moth (recorded on European Hornbeam) as well as the Coleophora case-bearers C. currucipennella and C. ostryae.

John Hartley Durrant

John Hartley Durrant (10 January 1863 in Hitchin – 18 January 1928 in Putney) was an English entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera.

Kalmia

Kalmia species are used as food plants by the larvae of some lepidopteran species including Coleophora kalmiella which feeds exclusively on Kalmia.

Marrubium

Marrubium species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora lineolea.

Mesokristensenia

Mesokristensenia differs from all extant Lepidoptera, but one genus, Agathiphaga (Agathiphagidae), in retaining four median veins in the forewing.

Mesothorax

In some groups of insects, the mesonotum is hypertrophied, such as in Diptera, Hymenoptera, and Lepidoptera), in which the anterior portion of the mesonotum (called the mesoscutum, or simply "scutum") forms most of the dorsal surface of the thorax.

Opostegidae

Opostegidae or "white eyecap moths" is a family of insects in the Lepidoptera order that is characterised by particularly large eyecaps over the compound eyes (see also Nepticulidae, Bucculatricidae, Lyonetiidae).

Raphanus

Raphanus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including cabbage moth, Endoclita excrescens, the garden carpet and the nutmeg.

Sapindus

Sapindus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) species including Endoclita malabaricus.

Schefflera

Schefflera species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidopteran species including Batrachedra arenosella (recorded on S. stellata).

Spathodea

In Puerto Rico 9 insect species in the orders Homoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Thysanoptera have been reported as feeding on various parts of S.

Stephanomeria

Stephanomeria species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Schinia scarletina, which feeds exclusively on the genus.

Weigela

Weigela species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Brown-tail.