1. ppt by Dr. J. Snyder, Professor Emeritus, Furman University
Order Lepidoptera
Butterflies and Moths
ppt by Dr. J. Snyder, Professor Emeritus, Furman University

2. Among our best known insects
Some are large, showy, not hiding
Some are agriculturally important: either as eaters of our food or as pollinators

3. Evolutionary Placement

4. Panorpoida = those with sucking mouth parts (not biting)
Two closely related orders within Panorpoida: Trichoptera and Lepidoptera

5. Trichoptera, Lepidoptera
Among their closest relatives, these two are the ones with sucking mouth parts, not biting mouthparts

6. Brief look at Trichoptera
Common English name = caddisflies
Exclusively aquatic as larvae
Larvae build a protective case of pebbles, etc.

7. Fossil evidence of Lepidoptera
Embedded in rock or amber
Best guess now = first ones around 40 to 50 million years ago

8. Characters of the Lepidoptera
Name: “wings covered by scales”
Almost microscopically small objects, in layers like shingles on roof

9. Have “complete” life cycle
Egg to larva (“caterpillar”) to pupa to adult
Holometabolous = a sign of advanced evolution
Most busy at eating host plant = caterpillar stage
Pupa: radical re-molding of body
Adult’s only function = reproduction
Typical adult lifetime = a week or two

10. Okay, what’s the difference?
Between butterfly and moth adults, that is
Antennae: best thing to differentiate
Day-flying vs. nocturnal
Thickness of body
Drab vs. brightly colored wings
BUT, exceptions to all of these:

11. Antennae: usually works
Club at end, or hook at end, or anything else
Butterfly Skipper Moth

12. Day-flying moths

13. Thickness of body
Moth Moth Butterfly Skipper

14. Drab vs. Bright
All of these are moths

15. And these drab insects are butterflies or skippers

16. So, don’t separate moths from others
Checklists of Lepidoptera place skippers and true butterflies in middle of the list

17. Number of species Moths far out-number others
Worldwide numbers (known species): about 150,000 total (20,000 are butterflies, skippers)
North America: ~11,000 total (~750 non-moths)

18. Placing a critter within its proper family
Look at many close details
Proboscis: present or absent
Shape and position of antennae
Pattern of wing veins
Wing shape
Etc.

19. After awhile, recognize by sight
Usually works, not always. Some real foolers.

20. Identifying one species from a closely related other one
Might come down to shape of genitalia
Coming along as a tool: DNA analysis

21. Most common non-moth families
Hesperiidae: the skippers.
Perhaps hardest to identify at species level
Usually have those hooked antennae
Usually drab brown, small to medium wingspan
~290 North American species

22. Papilionidae
In eastern North America, all have “swallow tails” on hind wings, pretty large wingspan
33 species in North America

23. Pieridae Yellow or white wings, small to medium wingspan
~60 species in North America

24. Lycaenidae Blues, Coppers, and Hairstreaks Small wingspan
~135 North American species

25. Nymphalidae Large, diverse family: ~200 N.A. species
Called “brushfoot” butterflies: 4 walking legs, front two legs are “brush feet—not walking. Used to “taste-test” plants
Small to large wingspan

26. Some local Nymphalids

27. A famous Nymphalid: the Monarch

28. A word of warning
Some experts pull out a number of Nymphalids, give them their own families (“splitters”)

29. Now, the moth families
Perhaps as many as 63 families, or more, or less
Some moths as small as mosquitoes, others are the largest of all Lepidoptera
Number of South Carolina documented species = more than 1,888 (still counting!)

30. Just the most prominent or largest moth families
Family Sesiidae: pretending to be stingers

31. Family Limacodidae
Caterpillars can irritate skin if touched

32. Families Crambidae and Pyralidae
Formerly lumped as Pyralidae
Large family: ~1400 N. A. species
Small adults, many shapes and colors

33. Family Geometridae The “inchworm” moths
Over 1400 N. A. species: very diverse
Very small to medium wingspan

34. Family Saturniidae Small group (~65 N. A species), but very prominent
The “silkworm” moths—make big cocoon

35. Family Sphingidae Sphinx moths or hawk moths
Large wingspan, wide and narrow
~125 N. A. species

36. Remember this slide? Sphingids

37. Family Noctuidae Largest Lepidopteran family: ~3400 N. A. species
Extremely diverse size, shape, colors
Very small to large wingspan
Now includes two previously separate families: Notodontidae and Arctiidae

38. Just a few Noctuids

40. Arctiinae: previously a separate family (Arctiidae): typically brightly colored