Common Names of Insects Database

The ESA Common Names database is an essential reference for anyone who works with insects. It includes more than 2,000 common names and is searchable by common name, scientific name, author, order, family, genus, and species.

Interested individuals may propose new common names (or changes to existing names) by submitting the Common Names Proposal Form that is reviewed by the Committee on the Common Names of Insects and voted on by the ESA Governing Board. Detailed information on the submission and approval process is available through the links in the sidebar to the left. Our understanding of taxonomy evolves over time, and although the Committee on the Common Names of Insects does work to update the taxonomic information included in the ESA Common Names database, sometimes the committee is not aware of recent changes. If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.

 

Enter a search term in one or more of the filter fields below and click APPLY to see the results.
Common Name Scientific Name Order Family Author Genus Species Notes Date Taxonomy Last Checked
banana aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel HEMIPTERA Aphididae Coquerel Pentalonia nigronervosa
banana root borer Cosmopolites sordidus (Germar) COLEOPTERA Curculionidae (Germar) Cosmopolites sordidus
banana skipper Erionota thrax (Linnaeus) LEPIDOPTERA Hesperiidae (Linnaeus) Erionota thrax
banded alder borer Rosalia funebris Motschulsky COLEOPTERA Cerambycidae Motschulsky Rosalia funebris
banded ash clearwing Podosesia aureocincta Purrington & Nielsen LEPIDOPTERA Sesiidae Purrington & Nielsen Podosesia aureocincta
banded cucumber beetle Diabrotica balteata LeConte COLEOPTERA Chrysomelidae LeConte Diabrotica balteata
banded elm bark beetle Scolytus schevyrewi Semenov COLEOPTERA Curculionidae Semenov Scolytus schevyrewi
banded greenhouse thrips Hercinothrips femoralis (O.M. Reuter) THYSANOPTERA Thripidae (O.M. Reuter) Hercinothrips femoralis
banded hickory borer Knulliana cincta (Drury) COLEOPTERA Cerambycidae (Drury) Knulliana cincta
banded sunflower moth Cochylis hospes Walsingham LEPIDOPTERA Tortricidae Walsingham Cochylis hospes
banded wood snail Cepaea nemoralis (Linnaeus) STYLOMMATOPHORA Helicidae (Linnaeus) Cepaea nemoralis
banded woollybear Pyrrharctia isabella (J.E. Smith) LEPIDOPTERA Erebidae (J.E. Smith) Pyrrharctia isabella
bandedwinged whitefly Trialeurodes abutiloneus (Haldeman) HEMIPTERA Aleyrodidae (Haldeman) Trialeurodes abutiloneus
Banks grass mite Oligonychus pratensis (Banks) ACARI Tetranychidae (Banks) Oligonychus pratensis
banyan aphid Reticulaphis fici (Takahashi) HEMIPTERA Aphididae (Takahashi) Reticulaphis fici 2020-02-04 12:00
Barber brown lacewing Sympherobius barberi (Banks) NEUROPTERA Hemerobiidae (Banks) Sympherobius barberi
barberpole caterpillar Mimoschinia rufofascialis (Stephens) LEPIDOPTERA Crambidae (Stephens) Mimoschinia rufofascialis
barley jointworm Tetramesa hordei (Harris) HYMENOPTERA Eurytomidae (Harris) Tetramesa hordei
barnacle scale Ceroplastes cirripediformis Comstock HEMIPTERA Coccidae Comstock Ceroplastes cirripediformis
basswood lace bug Gargaphia tiliae (Walsh) HEMIPTERA Tingidae (Walsh) Gargaphia tiliae
basswood leafminer Baliosus nervosus (Panzer) COLEOPTERA Chrysomelidae (Panzer) Baliosus nervosus
basswood leafroller Pantographa limata (Grote & Robinson) LEPIDOPTERA Crambidae (Grote & Robinson) Pantographa limata
basswood thrips Neohydatothrips tiliae Hood THYSANOPTERA Thripidae Hood Neohydatothrips tiliae
beachgrass scale Acanthococcus carolinae (Williams) HEMIPTERA Eriococcidae (Williams) Acanthococcus carolinae
bean aphid Aphis fabae Scopoli HEMIPTERA Aphididae Scopoli Aphis fabae