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.

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

Suborder Zeugloptera (mandibulate archaic moths)

Superfamily Micropterigoidea

Family Micropterigidae

Micropterix aruncella

Suborder Glossata (moths and butterflies with a coilable proboscis)

Infraorder Dacnonypha

Superfamily Eriocranioidea

Family Eriocraniidae
Eriocrania cicatricella
Eriocrania unimaculella larva

Infraorder Exoporia

Superfamily Hepialoidea (ghost moths, swift moths)

Family Hepialidae
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
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
Family Prodoxidae
Family Adelidae (fairy longhorn moths)
Female green longhorn
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
Superfamily Gracillarioidea
Family Bucculatricidae (ribbed cocoon makers)
Family Gracillariidae (leaf miner moths)
Pupa of the horse-chestnut leaf miner
Superfamily Schreckensteinioidea
Family Schreckensteiniidae (bristle-legged moths)
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.
Family Batrachedridae
Family Blastobasidae
Family Coleophoridae (case-bearers)
Family Cosmopterigidae (cosmet moths)
Family Elachistidae (grass-miner moths)
Agonopterix alstroemeriana, the hemlock moth
Family Gelechiidae (twirler moths)
Family Depressariidae (flat-bodied moths)
Depressaria daucella larva
Family Momphidae (mompha moths)
Mompha locupletella
Family Oecophoridae (concealer moths)
Diurnea lipsiella
Family Peleopodidae
Family Scythrididae (flower moths)
Superfamily Copromorphoidea (fruitworm moths)
Family Alucitidae (many-plumed moths)
Twenty-plume moth
Family Epermeniidae (fringe-tufted moths)
Superfamily Yponomeutoidea
Family Bedelliidae
Family Glyphipterigidae (sedge moths)
Glyphipterix schoenicolella
Family Lyonetiidae
Family Plutellidae (diamondback moths)
Family Praydidae
Family Yponomeutidae (ermine moths)
Bronze alder moth
Family Ypsolophidae
Variable ypsolopha moth
Superfamily Pyraloidea (pyraloid moths)
Family Crambidae (grass moths)
Wingless female watermilfoil moth
Small magpie moth larva
Brown china mark
Scarce crimson and gold
Udea olivalis pupa
Family Pyralidae (snout moths, grass moths)
Lesser wax moth
Superfamily Pterophoroidea
Family Pterophoridae (plume moths)
Adaina microdactyla
Morning-glory plume moth caterpillar
Superfamily Choreutoidea
Family Choreutidae (metalmark moths)
Superfamily Sesioidea
Family Sesiidae (clearwing moths)
Lunar hornet moth
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 ferrugana larva
Ancylis achatana larva
Brown oak tortrix eggs
Life cycle of the Oriental fruit moth, recently recorded in Ireland
Lozotaenia forsterana
Arched marble
Tortricodes alternella larva
Zeiraphera isertana
Superfamily Geometroidea
Family Geometridae (geometer moths, inchworms)
clouded magpie
dotted carpet
March moth caterpillar on midland hawthorn plant
Latticed heath
red-green carpet
lime-speck pug
valerian pug
Irish annulet
brimstone moth
Superfamily Drepanoidea (hook tip moths)
Family Drepanidae
Peach blossom cocoon
Superfamily Bombycoidea
Family Lasiocampidae (eggars, snout moths, lappet moths)
Caterpillar of the small eggar
Family Saturniidae
Male Saturnia pavonia
Family Sphingidae (hawk-moths)
The notorious male African death's head hawkmoth, which summers in Ireland.
small elephant hawk-moth
Superfamily Noctuoidea (owlet moths)
Family Erebidae
Catocala fraxini
hoary footman
gypsy moth
Vapourer moth eggs
Family Noctuidae (owlet moths, cutworms, armyworms)
The miller
green-brindled crescent
Svensson's copper underwing caterpillar
Beautiful yellow underwing
Burren green, named after The Burren, County Clare
Burnished brass
Merveille du jour caterpillar
Marbled green caterpillar
Golden plusia
Poplar grey
Family Nolidae (tuft moths)
Family Notodontidae (prominents, kitten moths)
Puss moth caterpillar
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