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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.
Featured Events
WEBINAR: Creating Accessible and Engaging Online Courses in Entomology
Location: Zoom Webinar
About: A lot can change in five years! Although institutions have reverted to in-person teaching following the COVID-19 Pandemic, entomology is increasingly shifting to online classrooms and portals for student learning. With higher demand for online course options, accessibility and engagement in digital classrooms are essential. Hosted by the ESA Formal and Informal Teaching (FIT) Student Subcommittee, join us as invited presenters Adrienne Brundage, Ph.D., and Tonya Shepherd, Ph.D., from the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University share their experiences, recommendations, and new tools for improving accessibility and engagement in virtual entomology teaching.
Southeastern Branch 2026 Meeting
Hilton Head, South Carolina
Eastern Branch 2026 Meeting
Saratoga Springs, New York
ESA Webinar Archives
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Order | Family | Author | Genus | Species | Notes | Date Taxonomy Last Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bigheaded grasshopper | Aulocara elliotti (Thomas) | ORTHOPTERA | Acrididae | (Thomas) | Aulocara | elliotti | ||
| birch bark beetle | Dryocoetes betulae Hopkins | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | Hopkins | Dryocoetes | betulae | ||
| birch casebearer* | Coleophora serratella (Linnaeus) | LEPIDOPTERA | Coleophoridae | (Linnaeus) | Coleophora | serratella | *Also called cigar casebearer | |
| birch leafminer | Fenusa pumila (Leach) | HYMENOPTERA | Tenthredinidae | (Leach) | Fenusa | pumila | ||
| birch sawfly | Arge pectoralis (Leach) | HYMENOPTERA | Argidae | (Leach) | Arge | pectoralis | ||
| birch skeletonizer | Bucculatrix canadensisella Chambers | LEPIDOPTERA | Bucculatricidae | Chambers | Bucculatrix | canadensisella | ||
| birch tubemaker | Acrobasis betulella Hulst | LEPIDOPTERA | Pyralidae | Hulst | Acrobasis | betulella | ||
| bird cherry-oat aphid | Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus) | HEMIPTERA | Aphididae | (Linnaeus) | Rhopalosiphum | padi | ||
| bird tick | Haemaphysalis chordeilis (Packard) | ACARI | Ixodidae | (Packard) | Haemaphysalis | chordeilis | ||
| black and gold bumble bee | Bombus auricomus (Robertson) | HYMENOPTERA | Apidae | (Robertson) | Bombus | auricomus | ||
| black army cutworm | Actebia fennica (Tauscher) | LEPIDOPTERA | Noctuidae | (Tauscher) | Actebia | fennica | ||
| black blister beetle | Epicauta pensylvanica (De Geer) | COLEOPTERA | Meloidae | (De Geer) | Epicauta | pensylvanica | ||
| black blow fly | Phormia regina (Meigen) | DIPTERA | Calliphoridae | (Meigen) | Phormia | regina | ||
| black bug | Corimelaena pulicaria (Germar) | HEMIPTERA | Thyreocoridae | (Germar) | Corimelaena | pulicaria | ||
| black carpenter ant | Camponotus pennsylvanicus (De Geer) | HYMENOPTERA | Formicidae | (De Geer) | Camponotus | pennsylvanicus | ||
| black carpet beetle | Attagenus unicolor (Brahm) | COLEOPTERA | Dermestidae | (Brahm) | Attagenus | unicolor | ||
| black cherry aphid | Myzus cerasi (Fabricius) | HEMIPTERA | Aphididae | (Fabricius) | Myzus | cerasi | ||
| black cherry fruit fly | Rhagoletis fausta (Osten Sacken) | DIPTERA | Tephritidae | (Osten Sacken) | Rhagoletis | fausta | 2023-11-29 12:00 | |
| black citrus aphid | Aphis aurantii Boyer de Fonscolombe | HEMIPTERA | Aphididae | Boyer de Fonscolombe | Aphis | aurantii | 2020-02-04 12:00 | |
| black cockroach wasp | Dolichurus stantoni (Ashmead) | HYMENOPTERA | Sphecidae | (Ashmead) | Dolichurus | stantoni | ||
| black cutworm | Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) | LEPIDOPTERA | Noctuidae | (Hufnagel) | Agrotis | ipsilon | ||
| black dung beetle | Copris incertus Say | COLEOPTERA | Scarabaeidae | Say | Copris | incertus | ||
| black earwig | Chelisoches morio (Fabricius) | DERMAPTERA | Chelisochidae | (Fabricius) | Chelisoches | morio | ||
| black elm bark weevil | Magdalis barbita (Say) | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | (Say) | Magdalis | barbita | ||
| black flower thrips | Haplothrips gowdeyi (Franklin) | THYSANOPTERA | Phlaeothripidae | (Franklin) | Haplothrips | gowdeyi |