2. Lepidoptera
Lepido - scale; ptera - wings.
Moths, Butterflies, Skippersï‚´ Characters
ï‚´ Body, wings, appendages, are densely clothed with
overlapping scales, which give colour, rigidity and
strength.
ï‚´ They insulate the body and smoothen air flow over the
body.
ï‚´ Mouthparts in adults are of siphoning type.
ï‚´ Mandibles are absent.
ï‚´ The galea of maxillae are greatly elongated and are
held together by interlocking hooks and spines.
ï‚´ The suctorial proboscis is coiled up like a watch spring
and kept beneath the head when not in use.
ï‚´ Wings are membranous and are covered with
overlapping pigmented scales.
ï‚´ Forewings are larger than hind wings. Cross veins are
few.
ï‚´ Wings are coupled by either frenate or amplexiform
type of wing coupling.
3. ï‚´ Larvae are polypod-eruciform type.
ï‚´ Mouthparts are adapted for chewing with strong
mandibles.
ï‚´ A group of lateral ocelli is found on either side of
the head.
ï‚´ The antenna is short and three segmented.
ï‚´ There are three pairs of five segmented thoracic
legs ending in claws.
ï‚´ Two to five pairs of fleshy unsegmented prolegs
are found in the abdomen.
ï‚´ At the bottom of the proleg, crochets are present.
ï‚´ Pupa is generally obtect.
ï‚´ It is either naked or enclosed in a cocoon made
out of soil, frass, silk or larval hairs.
Lepidoptera
Lepido - scale; ptera - wings.
Moths, Butterflies, Skippers
4. Classification
Sub order: Ditrysia (97%), Monotrysia
ï‚´ BUTTERFLY FAMILIES
ï‚´ 1. NYMPHALIDAE (Brush footed or four
footed butterflies)
ï‚´ Forelegs are short, functionless, hairy and
folded on thorax.
ï‚´ Fore tibia is short and covered with long
hairs.
ï‚´ Larva is with many processes or spines
on the body.
ï‚´ e.g. Castor butterfly : Ergolis merione.
ï‚´ It is a defoliator.
5. 2. LYCAENIDAE
(Blues, Coppers, Hair streaks)
ï‚´ Compound eyes are white rimmed.
ï‚´ Antennae are with white rings.
ï‚´ Upper wing surface is either metallic blue or
coppery.
ï‚´ Lower wing surface is lighter in colour.
ï‚´ Hindwings is often with delicate hair like
prolongations and two or three black spots.
ï‚´ Larvae are flattened with retractile head.
ï‚´ e.g. Pomegranate fruit borer : Virachola
isocrates.
6. 3. PAPILIONIDAE (Swallow tails)
ï‚´ They are often large and brightly coloured.
ï‚´ Prothoracic legs have tibial epiphysis.
ï‚´ In many species hindwings has tail like
prolongation.
ï‚´ Amplexiform type of wing coupling is present.
ï‚´ Larval body is either smooth or with tubercles.
ï‚´ Retractile osmeteria are present on the
prothoracic tergum of the caterpillar
ï‚´ e.g. Citrus butterfly , Papilio demoleus.
7. 4. PIERIDAE
(whites or Sulphurs)
ï‚´ They are white or yellow or orange coloured with black markings.
ï‚´ Larva is green, elongate and covered with find hairs.
ï‚´ Larval body segments have annulets.
ï‚´ e.g. Daincha caterpillar, Eurema hecabe.
8. 5. SATYRIDAE
(Browns, Meadow - browns)
ï‚´ They are dull brown or blackish in colour.
ï‚´ Wings are with eye like spots both on the
upper and lower surface.
ï‚´ e.g. Rice horned caterpillar, Melanitis
ismene.
9. MOTH FAMILIES
6. ARCTIIDAE (Tiger moths)
ï‚´ Wings are conspicuously spotted or banded.
ï‚´ They are nocturnal and attracted to light.
ï‚´ Larva is either sparsely hairy or densely hairy (wooly
bear).
ï‚´ e.g. Black hairy caterpillar, Estigmene lactinea.
10. 7. BOMBYCIDAE
(Silk worm moths)
ï‚´ Antenna is bipectinate.
ï‚´ Larvae is either with tuft of hairs or glabrous with
medio dorsal horn on the eighth abdominal
segment.
ï‚´ Pupation occurs in dense silken cocoon.
ï‚´ e.g. Mulberry silk worm, Bombyx mori an
important source of natural silk.
11. 8. COCHLIDIDAE
(Slug caterpillar)
ï‚´ They are medium sized moths with stoutly built body.
ï‚´ Larva resembles the slug.
ï‚´ Larva is thick, short, fleshy and stout.
ï‚´ Larval head is small and retractile.
ï‚´ Thorocic legs are minute. Abdominal segmentation is indistinct.
ï‚´ Prolegs are absent.
ï‚´ Poisonous urticating hairs are present on the body.
ï‚´ Pupal cocoon is hemispherical with urticating hairs.
ï‚´ e.g. Castor slug caterpillar Parasa lepida.
12. 9. CRAMBIDAE
(Grass moths)
ï‚´ Labial palps are extended.
ï‚´ Forewings are narrow and elongated.
ï‚´ At rest they are wrapped around the body.
ï‚´ Larva bores into root, stem or crown of
graminaceous plants.
ï‚´ e.g. Sorghum stem borer, Chilo partellus
13. 10. GELECHIIDAE
ï‚´ Forewings trapezoidal and narrower than hindwings.
ï‚´ Caterpillars bore into the seeds, tubers, and leaves.
ï‚´ e.g. Cotton pink boll worm, Pectinophora gossypiella.
14. 11. GEOMETRIDAE
(Loopers)
ï‚´ Both pairs of wings are angular and thin.
ï‚´ Larva is naked and elongate.
ï‚´ It shows protective resemblance to twings
or stems.
ï‚´ Only two pairs of prolegs are present in
sixth and tenth abdominal segments.
ï‚´ It walks by drawing the posterior part of
the body close to the thorax, the body
forming a loop.
ï‚´ It is also called inch worm, measuring worm
and earth measurer.
ï‚´ e.g. Tea looper, Biston suppressaria.
15. 12.LYMANTRIDAE
(Tussock moths)
ï‚´ Antenna is bipectinate
ï‚´ Legs are clothed with wooly hairs.
ï‚´ Female is provided with a tuft of anal hairs.
ï‚´ Larvae is densely hairy.
ï‚´ e.g. Castor hairy caterpillar, Euproctis fraterna.
16. 13. NOCTUIDAE
(Noctua moths)
ï‚´ They are medium sized, stoutly built
moths.
ï‚´ They are nocturnal and attracted to light.
ï‚´ Labial palp is well developed.
ï‚´ Crochets on the larval prolegs are all of
one size and arranged in semi-circle.
ï‚´ Some larvae are semiloopers.
ï‚´ They have either three or four pairs of
prolegs.
ï‚´ Larvae attack the plants during night.
ï‚´ Larvae of some species remain concealed
beneath the surface of the ground or litter
on the surface during day and feed on
plants during night.
ï‚´ e.g. Tobocco cut worm, Spodoptera litura.
17. 14. PTEROPHORIDAE
(Plume moths)
ï‚´ They are small lightly built months
ï‚´ Forewings are elongate with two to four clefts or
fissures.
ï‚´ Hindwings have three divisions
ï‚´ Legs are long, slender and armed with prominent
tibial spurs.
ï‚´ e.g. Redgram plume moth, Exelastis atomosa.
18. 15. PYRAUSTIDAE
ï‚´ Proboscis is vestigial in many species.
ï‚´ Libial palp is snout like.
ï‚´ Larval habit varies.
ï‚´ It may live among aquatic plants and bore into the stem
or remain in silken web among spun up plants parts.
ï‚´ Some larvae are aquatic and gill breathing.
ï‚´ e.g. Rice stem borer, Scirpophaga incertulas.
19. 16. SATURNIIDAE
(Moon months, giant silk worm moths)
ï‚´ They are large sized moths.
ï‚´ Antenna is bipectinate.
ï‚´ Transparent eye spots are present near the Centre of
each wing.
ï‚´ The spots are either circular or crescent shaped.
ï‚´ Larva is stout and smooth with scoli.
ï‚´ Cocoon is dense and firm.
ï‚´ e.g. Tussor silk worm, Antheraea paphia yields silk
20. 17. SPHINGIDAE
(Hawk moths, Sphinx moths, Horn worms)
ï‚´ They are large sized stoutly built moths.
ï‚´ Antenna is thick towards middle and hooked at the
tip.
ï‚´ Proboscis is very long.
ï‚´ Forewings are elongated and pointed with very
oblique outer margin.
ï‚´ Hindwings are reduced in width fitting into the
indented margin of forewings.
ï‚´ They are powerful fliers.
21. ï‚´ Larva is smooth with a mid-dorsal horn (anal horn) on the eighth abdominal
segment.
ï‚´ Pupation takes place in earthern cells.
ï‚´ In many species the proboscis is enclosed in a separate sheath.
ï‚´ e.g. Death's head moth, Acherontia styx is a defoliator on gingelly.
ï‚´ Markings present on the thorax of the adult moth resemble human skull.
17. SPHINGIDAE
(Hawk moths, Sphinx moths, Horn worms)
22. SKIPPER FAMILY
18. HESPERIIDAE (Skipper)
ï‚´ Antennae are widely separated at the base.
ï‚´ They are dilated apically to form a gradual club.
ï‚´ Each antenna is apically prolonged beyond the
club into a hook or small recurved point.
ï‚´ Wings are comparatively small.
ï‚´ They are often held partly open at rest.
ï‚´ Flight is erratic and darting.
ï‚´ Larval head is large.
ï‚´ There is a constriction beyond the head.
ï‚´ Larva tapers towards both extremities.
ï‚´ Larvae are often concealed in the host foliage.
ï‚´ e.g. rice skipper, Pelopidas mathias.