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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.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
abbreviated wireworm Hypnoidus abbreviatus (Say) COLEOPTERA Elateridae (Say) Hypnoidus abbreviatus
acacia psyllid Acizzia uncatoides (Ferris & Klyver) HEMIPTERA Psyllidae (Ferris & Klyver) Acizzia uncatoides
achemon sphinx Eumorpha achemon (Drury) LEPIDOPTERA Sphingidae (Drury) Eumorpha achemon
acuminate scale Kilifia acuminata (Signoret) HEMIPTERA Coccidae (Signoret) Kilifia acuminata
acute-angled fungus beetle Cryptophagus acutangulus Gyllenhal COLEOPTERA Cryptophagidae Gyllenhal Cryptophagus acutangulus
aerial yellowjacket Dolichovespula arenaria (Fabricius) HYMENOPTERA Vespidae (Fabricius) Dolichovespula arenaria
African mole cricket Gryllotalpa africana Palisot de Beauvois ORTHOPTERA Gryllotalpidae Palisot de Beauvois Gryllotalpa africana
ailanthus webworm Atteva punctella (Cramer) LEPIDOPTERA Yponomeutidae (Cramer) Atteva punctella
alder bark beetle Alniphagus aspericollis (LeConte) COLEOPTERA Curculionidae (LeConte) Alniphagus aspericollis
alder flea beetle Altica ambiens (LeConte) COLEOPTERA Chrysomelidae (LeConte) Altica ambiens
alder spittlebug Clastoptera obtusa (Say) HEMIPTERA Cercopidae (Say) Clastoptera obtusa
alfalfa blotch leafminer Agromyza frontella (Rondani) DIPTERA Agromyzidae (Rondani) Agromyza frontella
alfalfa caterpillar Colias eurytheme Boisduval LEPIDOPTERA Pieridae Boisduval Colias eurytheme
alfalfa gall midge Asphondylia websteri Felt DIPTERA Cecidomyiidae Felt Asphondylia websteri
alfalfa leafcutting bee Megachile rotundata (Fabricius) HYMENOPTERA Megachilidae (Fabricius) Megachile rotundata
alfalfa leaftier Dichomeris acuminata (Staudinger) LEPIDOPTERA Gelechiidae (Staudinger) Dichomeris acuminata
alfalfa looper Autographa californica (Speyer) LEPIDOPTERA Noctuidae (Speyer) Autographa californica
alfalfa plant bug Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze) HEMIPTERA Miridae (Goeze) Adelphocoris lineolatus
alfalfa seed chalcid Bruchophagus roddi (Gussakovsky) HYMENOPTERA Eurytomidae (Gussakovsky) Bruchophagus roddi
alfalfa snout beetle Otiorhynchus ligustici (Linnaeus) COLEOPTERA Curculionidae (Linnaeus) Otiorhynchus ligustici
alfalfa webworm Loxostege cereralis (Zeller) LEPIDOPTERA Crambidae (Zeller) Loxostege cereralis
alfalfa weevil Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) COLEOPTERA Curculionidae (Gyllenhal) Hypera postica
alkali bee Nomia melanderi Cockerell HYMENOPTERA Halictidae Cockerell Nomia melanderi
Allegheny mound ant Formica exsectoides Forel HYMENOPTERA Formicidae Forel Formica exsectoides
almond moth Cadra cautella (Walker) LEPIDOPTERA Pyralidae (Walker) Cadra cautella