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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.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
black fungus beetle Alphitobius laevigatus (Fabricius) COLEOPTERA Tenebrionidae (Fabricius) Alphitobius laevigatus
black grain stem sawfly Trachelus tabidus (Fabricius) HYMENOPTERA Cephidae (Fabricius) Trachelus tabidus
black horse fly Tabanus atratus Fabricius DIPTERA Tabanidae Fabricius Tabanus atratus
black hunter thrips Leptothrips mali (Fitch) THYSANOPTERA Phlaeothripidae (Fitch) Leptothrips mali
black imported fire ant Solenopsis richteri Forel HYMENOPTERA Formicidae Forel Solenopsis richteri
black lady beetle Rhyzobius ventralis (Erichson) COLEOPTERA Coccinellidae (Erichson) Rhyzobius ventralis
black larder beetle Dermestes ater De Geer COLEOPTERA Dermestidae De Geer Dermestes ater
black peach aphid Brachycaudus persicae (Passerini) HEMIPTERA Aphididae (Passerini) Brachycaudus persicae
black pecan aphid Melanocallis caryaefoliae (Davis) HEMIPTERA Aphididae (Davis) Melanocallis caryaefoliae
black pineleaf scale Nuculaspis californica (Coleman) HEMIPTERA Diaspididae (Coleman) Nuculaspis californica
black potter wasp Delta pyriforme philippinense (Bequaert) HYMENOPTERA Vespidae (Bequaert) Delta pyriforme philippinense
black scale Saissetia oleae (Olivier) HEMIPTERA Coccidae (Olivier) Saissetia oleae
black soldier fly Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus) DIPTERA Stratiomyidae (Linnaeus) Hermetia illucens
black stink bug Coptosoma xanthogramma (White) HEMIPTERA Plataspidae (White) Coptosoma xanthogramma
black sunflower stem weevil Apion (Fallapion) occidentale Fall COLEOPTERA Brentidae Fall Apion occidentale
black swallowtail* Papilio polyxenes Stoll LEPIDOPTERA Papilionidae Stoll Papilio polyxenes *Immature called parsleyworm
black thread scale Ischnaspis longirostris (Signoret) HEMIPTERA Diaspididae (Signoret) Ischnaspis longirostris
black turfgrass ataenius Ataenius spretulus (Haldeman) COLEOPTERA Scarabaeidae (Haldeman) Ataenius spretulus
black turpentine beetle Dendroctonus terebrans (Olivier) COLEOPTERA Curculionidae (Olivier) Dendroctonus terebrans
black twig borer Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff) COLEOPTERA Curculionidae (Eichhoff) Xylosandrus compactus
black vine weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Fabricius) COLEOPTERA Curculionidae (Fabricius) Otiorhynchus sulcatus
black walnut curculio Conotrachelus retentus (Say) COLEOPTERA Curculionidae (Say) Conotrachelus retentus
black witch Ascalapha odorata (Linnaeus) LEPIDOPTERA Erebidae (Linnaeus) Ascalapha odorata
blackbellied clerid Enoclerus lecontei (Wolcott) COLEOPTERA Cleridae (Wolcott) Enoclerus lecontei
blackberry skeletonizer Schreckensteinia festaliella (Hübner) LEPIDOPTERA Heliodinidae (Hübner) Schreckensteinia festaliella