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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.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
apple grain aphid Rhopalosiphum oxyacanthae (Schrank) HEMIPTERA Aphididae (Schrank) Rhopalosiphum oxyacanthae
apple leafhopper Empoasca maligna (Walsh) HEMIPTERA Cicadellidae (Walsh) Empoasca maligna
apple maggot Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) DIPTERA Tephritidae (Walsh) Rhagoletis pomonella 2023-11-29 12:00
apple mealybug Phenacoccus aceris (Signoret) HEMIPTERA Pseudococcidae (Signoret) Phenacoccus aceris
apple red bug Lygidea mendax Reuter HEMIPTERA Miridae Reuter Lygidea mendax
apple rust mite Aculus schlechtendali (Nalepa) ACARI Eriophyidae (Nalepa) Aculus schlechtendali
apple seed chalcid Torymus varians (Walker) HYMENOPTERA Torymidae (Walker) Torymus varians
apple sucker Cacopsylla mali (Schmidberger) HEMIPTERA Psyllidae (Schmidberger) Cacopsylla mali
tropical nut borer Hypothenemus obscurus (Fabricius) COLEOPTERA Curculionidae (Fabricius) Hypothenemus obscurus
apple twig borer Amphicerus bicaudatus (Say) COLEOPTERA Bostrichidae (Say) Amphicerus bicaudatus
apple-and-thorn skeletonizer Choreutis pariana (Clerck) LEPIDOPTERA Choreutidae (Clerck) Choreutis pariana
appleleaf skeletonizer Psorosina hammondi (Riley) LEPIDOPTERA Pyralidae (Riley) Psorosina hammondi
appleleaf trumpet miner Tischeria malifoliella Clemens LEPIDOPTERA Tischeriidae Clemens Tischeria malifoliella
araucaria aphid Neophyllaphis araucariae Takahashi HEMIPTERA Aphididae Takahashi Neophyllaphis araucariae
arborvitae leafminer Argyresthia thuiella (Packard) LEPIDOPTERA Argyresthiidae (Packard) Argyresthia thuiella
arborvitae weevil Phyllobius intrusus Kono COLEOPTERA Curculionidae Kono Phyllobius intrusus
Argentine ant Linepithema humile (Mayr) HYMENOPTERA Formicidae (Mayr) Linepithema humile
argus tortoise beetle Chelymorpha cassidea (Fabricius) COLEOPTERA Chrysomelidae (Fabricius) Chelymorpha cassidea
Arizona fivespined ips Ips lecontei Swaine COLEOPTERA Curculionidae Swaine Ips lecontei
army cutworm Euxoa auxiliaris (Grote) LEPIDOPTERA Noctuidae (Grote) Euxoa auxiliaris
armyworm Mythimna unipuncta (Haworth) LEPIDOPTERA Noctuidae (Haworth) Mythimna unipuncta
arroyo willow stem-galling sawfly Euura lasiolepis Smith HYMENOPTERA Tenthredinidae Smith Euura lasiolepis
artichoke plume moth Platyptilia carduidactyla (Riley) LEPIDOPTERA Pterophoridae (Riley) Platyptilia carduidactyla
ash borer* Podosesia syringae (Harris) LEPIDOPTERA Sesiidae (Harris) Podosesia syringae *Also called lilac borer
ash plant bug Tropidosteptes amoenus Reuter HEMIPTERA Miridae Reuter Tropidosteptes amoenus