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. toto slot
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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.
Featured Events
WEBINAR: International Association of Black Entomologists (IABE) Voices: Reputability, Research, and Resilience
Location: Zoom Webinar
About: This webinar is hosted in honor of Black History Month to amplify the voices of IABE and celebrate excellence, impact, and perseverance within the field of Entomology. The webinar will provide attendees with an opportunity to learn about IABE and how its community influences the academic and professional journey of its members. The program features distinguished panelists who will present their research programs, professional accomplishments, alongside personal and professional testimonies of resilience.
Southeastern Branch 2026 Meeting
Hilton Head, South Carolina
ESA Webinar Archives
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Order | Family | Author | Genus | Species | Notes | Date Taxonomy Last Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| wheat wireworm | Agriotes mancus (Say) | COLEOPTERA | Elateridae | (Say) | Agriotes | mancus | ||
| wheel bug | Arilus cristatus (Linnaeus) | HEMIPTERA | Reduviidae | (Linnaeus) | Arilus | cristatus | ||
| white apple leafhopper | Typhlocyba pomaria McAtee | HEMIPTERA | Cicadellidae | McAtee | Typhlocyba | pomaria | ||
| white cutworm | Euxoa scandens (Riley) | LEPIDOPTERA | Noctuidae | (Riley) | Euxoa | scandens | ||
| white fir needleminer | Epinotia meritana Heinrich | LEPIDOPTERA | Tortricidae | Heinrich | Epinotia | meritana | ||
| white garden snail | Theba pisana (Müller) | STYLOMMATOPHORA | Helicidae | (Müller) | Theba | pisana | ||
| white oak borer | Goes tigrinus (De Geer) | COLEOPTERA | Cerambycidae | (De Geer) | Goes | tigrinus | ||
| white peach scale | Pseudaulacaspis pentagona (Targioni-Tozzetti) | HEMIPTERA | Diaspididae | (Targioni-Tozzetti) | Pseudaulacaspis | pentagona | ||
| white pine aphid | Cinara strobi (Fitch) | HEMIPTERA | Aphididae | (Fitch) | Cinara | strobi | ||
| white pine cone beetle | Conophthorus coniperda (Schwarz) | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | (Schwarz) | Conophthorus | coniperda | ||
| white pine cone borer | Eucosma tocullionana Heinrich | LEPIDOPTERA | Tortricidae | Heinrich | Eucosma | tocullionana | ||
| white pine sawfly | Neodiprion pinetum (Norton) | HYMENOPTERA | Diprionidae | (Norton) | Neodiprion | pinetum | ||
| white pine weevil* | Pissodes strobi (Peck) | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | (Peck) | Pissodes | strobi | *Also called Englemann spruce weevil and Sitka spruce weevil | |
| whitebacked garden spider | Argiope trifasciata (Forskal) | ARANEAE | Araneidae | (Forskal) | Argiope | trifasciata | ||
| whitebanded elm leafhopper | Scaphoideus luteolus Van Duzee | HEMIPTERA | Cicadellidae | Van Duzee | Scaphoideus | luteolus | ||
| whitecrossed seed bug | Neacoryphus bicrucis (Say) | HEMIPTERA | Lygaeidae | (Say) | Neacoryphus | bicrucis | ||
| whitefringed beetles | Graphognathus spp. | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | Graphognathus | spp. | |||
| whitelined sphinx | Hyles lineata (Fabricius) | LEPIDOPTERA | Sphingidae | (Fabricius) | Hyles | lineata | ||
| whitemargined cockroach | Melanozosteria soror (Brunner) | BLATTODEA | Blattidae | (Brunner) | Melanozosteria | soror | ||
| whitemarked fleahopper | Spanagonicus albofasciatus (Reuter) | HEMIPTERA | Miridae | (Reuter) | Spanagonicus | albofasciatus | ||
| whitemarked spider beetle | Ptinus fur (Linnaeus) | COLEOPTERA | Ptinidae | (Linnaeus) | Ptinus | fur | ||
| whitemarked treehopper | Tricentrus albomaculatus Distant | HEMIPTERA | Membracidae | Distant | Tricentrus | albomaculatus | ||
| whitemarked tussock moth | Orgyia leucostigma (J.E. Smith) | LEPIDOPTERA | Erebidae | (J.E. Smith) | Orgyia | leucostigma | ||
| whiteshouldered house moth | Endrosis sarcitrella (Linnaeus) | LEPIDOPTERA | Oecophoridae | (Linnaeus) | Endrosis | sarcitrella | ||
| whitespotted sawyer | Monochamus scutellatus scutellatus (Say) | COLEOPTERA | Cerambycidae | (Say) | Monochamus | scutellatus scutellatus |