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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| furniture beetle | Anobium punctatum (De Geer) | COLEOPTERA | Ptinidae | (De Geer) | Anobium | punctatum | 2020-07-31 12:00 | |
| furniture carpet beetle | Anthrenus flavipes LeConte | COLEOPTERA | Dermestidae | LeConte | Anthrenus | flavipes | ||
| gallmaking maple borer | Xylotrechus aceris Fisher | COLEOPTERA | Cerambycidae | Fisher | Xylotrechus | aceris | ||
| garden fleahopper | Microtechnites bractatus (Say) | HEMIPTERA | Miridae | (Say) | Microtechnites | bractatus | ||
| garden millipede | Oxidus gracilis Koch | POLYDESMIDA | Paradoxoxomatidae | Koch | Oxidus | gracilis | ||
| garden springtail | Bourletiella hortensis (Fitch) | COLLEMBOLA | Bourletiellidae | (Fitch) | Bourletiella | hortensis | ||
| garden symphylan | Scutigerella immaculata (Newport) | SYMPHYLA | Scutigerellidae | (Newport) | Scutigerella | immaculata | ||
| garden webworm | Achyra rantalis (Guenée) | LEPIDOPTERA | Crambidae | (Guenée) | Achyra | rantalis | ||
| gardenia bud mite | Colomerus gardeniella (Keifer) | ACARI | Eriophyidae | (Keifer) | Colomerus | gardeniella | ||
| genista caterpillar | Uresiphita reversalis (Guenée) | LEPIDOPTERA | Crambidae | (Guenée) | Uresiphita | reversalis | ||
| German cockroach | Blattella germanica (Linnaeus) | BLATTODEA | Blattellidae | (Linnaeus) | Blattella | germanica | ||
| German yellowjacket | Vespula germanica (Fabricius) | HYMENOPTERA | Vespidae | (Fabricius) | Vespula | germanica | ||
| giant African snail | Achatina fulica Bowdich | STYLOMMATOPHORA | Achatinidae | Bowdich | Achatina | fulica | ||
| giant bark aphid | Longistigma caryae (Harris) | HEMIPTERA | Aphididae | (Harris) | Longistigma | caryae | ||
| giant Hawaiian dragonfly | Anax strenuus Hagen | ODONATA | Aeshnidae | Hagen | Anax | strenuus | ||
| giant palm borer | Dinapate wrightii Horn | COLEOPTERA | Bostrichidae | Horn | Dinapate | wrightii | ||
| giant stag beetle | Lucanus elaphus Fabricius | COLEOPTERA | Lucanidae | Fabricius | Lucanus | elaphus | ||
| giant water bug | Lethocerus americanus (Leidy) | HEMIPTERA | Belostomatidae | (Leidy) | Lethocerus | americanus | ||
| Giffard whitefly | Bemisia giffardi (Kotinsky) | HEMIPTERA | Aleyrodidae | (Kotinsky) | Bemisia | giffardi | ||
| ginger maggot | Eumerus figurans Walker | DIPTERA | Syrphidae | Walker | Eumerus | figurans | ||
| gladiolus thrips | Thrips simplex (Morison) | THYSANOPTERA | Thripidae | (Morison) | Thrips | simplex | ||
| glassy cutworm | Apamea devastator (Brace) | LEPIDOPTERA | Noctuidae | (Brace) | Apamea | devastator | ||
| glassy-winged sharpshooter | Homalodisca vitripennis (Germar) | HEMIPTERA | Cicadellidae | (Germar) | Homalodisca | vitripennis | ||
| globose scale | Sphaerolecanium prunastri (Boyer de Fonscolombe) | HEMIPTERA | Coccidae | (Boyer de Fonscolombe) | Sphaerolecanium | prunastri | ||
| globular spider beetle | Trigonogenius globulum Solier | COLEOPTERA | Ptinidae | Solier | Trigonogenius | globulum |