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 If you see outdated taxonomic information in the ESA Common Names list, you can help by notifying the committee at pubs@entsoc.org.

 

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Common Name Scientific Name Order Family Author Genus Species Notes Date Taxonomy Last Checked
American bumble bee Bombus pensylvanicus (De Geer) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (De Geer) Bombus pensylvanicus
Ashton cuckoo bumble bee Bombus ashtoni (Cresson) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Cresson) Bombus ashtoni
black and gold bumble bee Bombus auricomus (Robertson) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Robertson) Bombus auricomus
brownbelted bumble bee Bombus griseocollis (De Geer) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (De Geer) Bombus griseocollis
bumble flower beetle Euphoria inda (Linnaeus) COLEOPTERA Scarabaeidae (Linnaeus) Euphoria inda
common eastern bumble bee Bombus impatiens (Cresson) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Cresson) Bombus impatiens
confusing bumble bee Bombus perplexus (Cresson) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Cresson) Bombus perplexus
Fernald cuckoo bumble bee Bombus fernaldae (Franklin) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Franklin) Bombus fernaldae
half-black bumble bee Bombus vagans (Smith) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Smith) Bombus vagans
indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee Bombus insularis (Smith) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Smith) Bombus insularis
lemon cuckoo bumble bee Bombus citrinus (Smith) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Smith) Bombus citrinus
northern amber bumble bee Bombus borealis (Kirby) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Kirby) Bombus borealis
redbelted bumble bee Bombus rufocinctus (Cresson) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Cresson) Bombus rufocinctus
rusty patched bumble bee Bombus affinis (Cresson) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Cresson) Bombus affinis
Sanderson bumble bee Bombus sandersoni (Franklin) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Franklin) Bombus sandersoni
southern plains bumble bee Bombus fraternus (Smith) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Smith) Bombus fraternus
tricolored bumble bee Bombus ternarius (Say) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Say) Bombus ternarius
twospotted bumble bee Bombus bimaculatus (Cresson) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Cresson) Bombus bimaculatus
variable cuckoo bumble bee Bombus variabilis (Cresson) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Cresson) Bombus variabilis
yellow bumble bee Bombus fervidus (Fabricius) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Fabricius) Bombus fervidus
yellowbanded bumble bee Bombus terricola (Kirby) HYMENOPTERA Apidae (Kirby) Bombus terricola
white-shouldered bumble bee Bombus appositus Cresson HYMENOPTERA Apidae Cresson Bombus appositus
high country bumble bee Bombus balteatus Dahlbom HYMENOPTERA Apidae Dahlbom Bombus balteatus
California bumble bee Bombus californicus Smith HYMENOPTERA Apidae Smith Bombus californicus
yellow head bumble bee Bombus flavifrons Cresson HYMENOPTERA Apidae Cresson Bombus flavifrons