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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.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
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