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 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 right. 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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.
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| Common Name | Scientific Name | Order | Family | Author | Genus | Species | Notes | Date Taxonomy Last Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| abbreviated wireworm | Hypnoidus abbreviatus (Say) | COLEOPTERA | Elateridae | (Say) | Hypnoidus | abbreviatus | ||
| acacia psyllid | Acizzia uncatoides (Ferris & Klyver) | HEMIPTERA | Psyllidae | (Ferris & Klyver) | Acizzia | uncatoides | ||
| achemon sphinx | Eumorpha achemon (Drury) | LEPIDOPTERA | Sphingidae | (Drury) | Eumorpha | achemon | ||
| acuminate scale | Kilifia acuminata (Signoret) | HEMIPTERA | Coccidae | (Signoret) | Kilifia | acuminata | ||
| acute-angled fungus beetle | Cryptophagus acutangulus Gyllenhal | COLEOPTERA | Cryptophagidae | Gyllenhal | Cryptophagus | acutangulus | ||
| aerial yellowjacket | Dolichovespula arenaria (Fabricius) | HYMENOPTERA | Vespidae | (Fabricius) | Dolichovespula | arenaria | ||
| African mole cricket | Gryllotalpa africana Palisot de Beauvois | ORTHOPTERA | Gryllotalpidae | Palisot de Beauvois | Gryllotalpa | africana | ||
| ailanthus webworm | Atteva punctella (Cramer) | LEPIDOPTERA | Yponomeutidae | (Cramer) | Atteva | punctella | ||
| alder bark beetle | Alniphagus aspericollis (LeConte) | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | (LeConte) | Alniphagus | aspericollis | ||
| alder flea beetle | Altica ambiens (LeConte) | COLEOPTERA | Chrysomelidae | (LeConte) | Altica | ambiens | ||
| alder spittlebug | Clastoptera obtusa (Say) | HEMIPTERA | Cercopidae | (Say) | Clastoptera | obtusa | ||
| alfalfa blotch leafminer | Agromyza frontella (Rondani) | DIPTERA | Agromyzidae | (Rondani) | Agromyza | frontella | ||
| alfalfa caterpillar | Colias eurytheme Boisduval | LEPIDOPTERA | Pieridae | Boisduval | Colias | eurytheme | ||
| alfalfa gall midge | Asphondylia websteri Felt | DIPTERA | Cecidomyiidae | Felt | Asphondylia | websteri | ||
| alfalfa leafcutting bee | Megachile rotundata (Fabricius) | HYMENOPTERA | Megachilidae | (Fabricius) | Megachile | rotundata | ||
| alfalfa leaftier | Dichomeris acuminata (Staudinger) | LEPIDOPTERA | Gelechiidae | (Staudinger) | Dichomeris | acuminata | ||
| alfalfa looper | Autographa californica (Speyer) | LEPIDOPTERA | Noctuidae | (Speyer) | Autographa | californica | ||
| alfalfa plant bug | Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze) | HEMIPTERA | Miridae | (Goeze) | Adelphocoris | lineolatus | ||
| alfalfa seed chalcid | Bruchophagus roddi (Gussakovsky) | HYMENOPTERA | Eurytomidae | (Gussakovsky) | Bruchophagus | roddi | ||
| alfalfa snout beetle | Otiorhynchus ligustici (Linnaeus) | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | (Linnaeus) | Otiorhynchus | ligustici | ||
| alfalfa webworm | Loxostege cereralis (Zeller) | LEPIDOPTERA | Crambidae | (Zeller) | Loxostege | cereralis | ||
| alfalfa weevil | Hypera postica (Gyllenhal) | COLEOPTERA | Curculionidae | (Gyllenhal) | Hypera | postica | ||
| alkali bee | Nomia melanderi Cockerell | HYMENOPTERA | Halictidae | Cockerell | Nomia | melanderi | ||
| Allegheny mound ant | Formica exsectoides Forel | HYMENOPTERA | Formicidae | Forel | Formica | exsectoides | ||
| almond moth | Cadra cautella (Walker) | LEPIDOPTERA | Pyralidae | (Walker) | Cadra | cautella |