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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mediterranean tamarisk beetle | Diorhabda elongata (Brullé) | COLEOPTERA | Chrysomelidae | (Brullé) | Diorhabda | elongata | ||
| larger tamarisk beetle | Diorhabda carinata (Faldermann) | COLEOPTERA | Chrysomelidae | (Faldermann) | Diorhabda | carinata | ||
| subtropical tamarisk beetle | Diorhabda sublineata (Lucas) | COLEOPTERA | Chrysomelidae | (Lucas) | Diorhabda | sublineata | ||
| dectes stem borer | Dectes texanus LeConte | COLEOPTERA | Cerambycidae | LeConte | Dectes | texanus | ||
| winter cutworm | Noctua pronuba (Linnaeus) | LEPIDOPTERA | Noctuidae | (Linnaeus) | Noctua | pronuba | ||
| Colorado hairstreak | Hypaurotis crysalus (W.H. Edwards) | LEPIDOPTERA | Lycaenidae | (W.H. Edwards) | Hypaurotis | crysalus | ||
| avocado seed moth | Stenoma catenifer Walsingham | LEPIDOPTERA | Elachistidae | Walsingham | Stenoma | catenifer | ||
| black and yellow mud dauber | Sceliphron caementarium (Drury) | HYMENOPTERA | Sphecidae | (Drury) | Sceliphron | caementarium | ||
| European elm flea weevil | Orchestes steppensis (Linnaeus) | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | (Linnaeus) | Orchestes | steppensis | 2020-02-04 12:00 | |
| sumac flea beetle | Blepharida rhois (Forster) | COLEOPTERA | Chrysomelidae | (Förster) | Blepharida | rhois | ||
| avocado thrips | Scirtothrips perseae Nakahara | THYSANOPTERA | Thripidae | Nakahara | Scirtothrips | perseae | ||
| blue alfalfa aphid | Acyrthosiphon kondoi Shinji | HEMIPTERA | Aphididae | Shinji | Acyrthosiphon | kondoi | ||
| spiny grass aphid | Sipha elegans (del Guercio) | HEMIPTERA | Aphididae | Del Guercio | Sipha | elegans | 2020-02-04 12:00 | |
| chimney swift bug | Cimexopsis nyctalis List | HEMIPTERA | Cimicidae | List | Cimexopsis | nyctalis | ||
| eastern bat bug | Cimex adjunctus Barber | HEMIPTERA | Cimicidae | Barber | Cimex | adjunctus | ||
| poultry bug | Haematosiphon inodorus (Duges) | HEMIPTERA | Cimicidae | (Dugès) | Haematosiphon | inodorus | ||
| tropical bed bug | Cimex hemipterus (Fabricius) | HEMIPTERA | Cimicidae | (Fabricius) | Cimex | hemipterus | ||
| western bat bug | Cimex pilosellus (Hovarth) | HEMIPTERA | Cimicidae | (Hovarth) | Cimex | pilosellus | ||
| rugose spiraling whitefly | Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin | HEMIPTERA | Aleyrodidae | Martin | Aleurodicus | rugioperculatus | ||
| Mexican lac scale | Tachardiella mexicana (Comstock) | HEMIPTERA | Kerriidae | (Comstock) | Tachardiella | mexicana | ||
| verde plant bug | Creontiades signatus Distant | HEMIPTERA | Miridae | Distant | Creontiades | signatus | ||
| European paper wasp | Polistes dominula (Christ) | HYMENOPTERA | Vespidae | (Christ) | Polistes | dominula | ||
| Sheridan’s green hairstreak | Callophrys sheridanii (W. H. Edwards) | LEPIDOPTERA | Lycaenidae | (W. H. Edwards) | Callophrys | sheridanii | ||
| western pine cone beetle | Conophthorus ponderosae Hopkins | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | Hopkins | Conophthorus | ponderosae | ||
| European grapevine moth | Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermüller) | LEPIDOPTERA | Tortricidae | (Denis & Schiffermüller) | Lobesia | botrana |