University of Michigan Biological Station

Biology 442 - Biology of Insects

Lecture Notes - Families of Lepidoptera

1. Phylogenetic position and order characters.
   1. Most closely related to Trichoptera.
   2. Scales instead of or in addition to hairs.
   3. Almost always with sucking mouthparts.
   4. Only 2 ocelli (or none).
   5. Epiphysis on front tibia for cleaning antennae.
2. Primitive suborders. 1 female genital opening. Pupae with mandibles and appendages not glued down.
   1. Zeugloptera. Mandibulate as adults. Larvae without prolegs. Feed on mosses and liverworts, adults on pollen.
   2. Dacnonypha. Haustellate as adults, but halves of proboscis not fastened together. Larvae spin silk, lef miners.
3. Suborder Exoporia. Pupae mummy-like, without mandibles. Larvae with prolegs.
   1. Hepialidae (Ghost moths or swifts).
      1. Size - medium or large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Wing shape and venation similar in fore and hindwings.
         2. Forewing with a jugum.
      3. Habitats. Alder and willow groves.
      4. Food. Larvae borers in stems and roots of alder and willow. Adults do not feed (lack proboscis).
      5. Other. Females have 2 genital openings (both on 9th segment).
4. Suborder Monotrysia. Hindwing venation reduced. Wings held together by frenulum and retinaculum.
   1. Larvae are leaf miners, case makers, gall makers and seed borers. Females with 1 genital opening. Yucca moth is here
   2. Females with one genital opening.
   3. Yucca moth family (Prodoxidae).
5. Suborder Ditrysia. 2 genital openings on females, copulatory on 8th segment and ovipore on 9th segment. Primitively may have been detritus feeders (some Tineidae still do).
   1. Cossidae (Carpenter Moths and Leopard Moths).
      1. Size - medium to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. 3 anal veins in hindwing.
         2. Have accessory cell in forewing.
         3. Forewings long and mottled gray in wavy fashion.
      3. Habitat. Wooded areas.
      4. Food. Larvae bore into stems and roots of woody plants.
      5. Other. Large bodied moths. May resemble some Sphingidae.
   2. Sesiidae (Clear-winged moths).
      1. Size - small to medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Part to nearly all of 1 or both sets of wings devoid of scales.
         2. Forewings at least 4 times as long as wide.
         3. Wings held together by series of spines in addition to frenulum.
      3. Habitat. Various.
      4. Food. Larave bore into roots, stems or trunks of plants, both woody and herbaceous.
      5. Other. Adults mimic wasps and are often located on flowers. Also easily taken using pheromone bait. Some are pest species on fruit trees.
   3. Tortricidae (Budworms and many others). 1200 spp.
      1. Size - small to medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Cu in forewing appears 4-branched, M2 arises closer to M3 than M1.
         2. Forewings often squared at the end, wings held rooflike over body.
      3. Habitats. Nearly all.
      4. Food. Larvae are leaf rollers, leaf tiers, some feed on fruits.
      5. Other. Many are crop or forest pests, e.g. codling moth, spruce budworm, jumping bean moth.
   4. Pterophoridae (Plume moths).
      1. Size - small to medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Wings divided into 2 to 4 fringed lobes or plumes.
         2. Sit in a T shape when at rest by folding lobes over each other.
      3. Habitats. Various, many in herbaceous vegetation.
      4. Food. Larvae are leaf rollers and stem borers.
   5. Pyralidae (Snout and Grass moths). 1375 spp.
      1. Size - small to medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Cu appears 4-branched.
         2. 3 anal veins.
         3. Sc and R in hindwing fused or closely parallel beyond cell.
         4. Labial palps sometimes project.
         5. Scaled proboscis.
      3. Habitats. Wide variety including aquatic.
      4. Food. Herbivorous, including external feeders, borers, rollers, miners. Some on dried vegetable matter, wax.
      5. Other. Some major pests including European corn borer. Forewings are usually long and triangular. Tympanum on abdomen. Most are delicate, small bodied.
   6. Drepanidae (Hooktip moths). Start of macrolepidoptera.
      1. Size - medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Sickle-shaped apex of forewing.
         2. Cu appears 4-branched.
         3. No frenulum.
      3. Habitats. Mainly wooded areas.
      4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders.
      5. Other. Tympanum on abdomen. Slender bodied.
   7. Geometridae (Inchworms, Geometers). 1200 spp.
      1. Size - small to medium.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Cu appears 3-branched.
         2. Sc in hindwing sharply bent at base forming relatively large cell with R.
         3. Wings often with wavy lines and patterns that continue from fore to hindwings.
      3. Habitats. Widely variable.
      4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders.
      5. Other. Slender bodied. Tympanum on abdomen. Larvae with prolegs only on 6 and 10 gives name to group. Includes Fall Cankerworm (Alsophila pometaria) and Salt and Pepper Moth (Biston betularia).
   8. Notodontidae (Prominents).
      1. Size - medium to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Cu appears 3-branched.
         2. Sc and R close together for most of discal cell.
         3. Often brownish or dull yellowish.
      3. Habitats. Mostly wooded.
      4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders.
      5. Other. Sit with wings rooflike over body at rest. Sometimes have tufts of hair on thorax or wings that look like tooth. Tympanum on metathorax.
   9. Noctuidae (Owlet moths and many others). 2900 spp.
      1. Size - small to large.
      2. Diagnostic characters.
         1. Cu appears 4-branched.
         2. Sc and R in hindwing fused on cell but free at base.
         3. Labial palps usually long.
      3. Habitats. Widely variable.
      4. Food. Herbivorous, external foliage feeders.
      5. Other. Largest family and very diverse. Heavy-bodied. Tympanum on metathorax. Includes underwings (Catocala), Armyworms, Cutworms, Corn earworm, many pest species.
   10. Lymantriidae (Tussock moths).
       1. Size - medium to large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. No ocelli.
          2. Basal areole relatively large.
          3. Cu appears 4-branched.
          4. M1 often stalked with Rs for short distance in hindwing.
          5. Antennae on males usually quite plumose.
       3. Habitats. Wooded areas.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders. Primarily forest trees.
       5. Other. Include some of worst defoliators. White-marked tussock moth, Gypsy moth (introduced in 1866 for silk production in Mass.). Heavy-bodied.
   11. Arctiidae (Tiger moths).
       1. Size - medium to large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Sc often swollen at base in hindwing.
          2. Sc and R fused to middle of discal cell in hindwing.
          3. Generally brightly colored.
       3. Habitats. Widely variable.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders.
       5. Other. Larvae often very hairy - wooly bears. Ctenuchinae apparently lack Sc in hindwing (look like wasps). Often day fliers and poisonous.
   12. Lasiocampidae (Tent caterpillars and Lappet moths).
       1. Size - medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Humeral veins in hindwing.
          2. No frenulum.
          3. Cu apparently 4-branched.
       3. Habitats. Mainly wooded areas.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders.
       5. Other. Heavy-bodied moths, hairy, with feathery antennae. Many are gregarious as larvae and may build tents on trees.
   13. Saturniidae (Giant silkworms and Royal moths).
       1. Size - large to very large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Cu appears 3-branched in both wings.
          2. No frenulum.
          3. Often with eye spots on wings.
       3. Habitats. Mainly wooded.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders. Adults do not feed.
       5. Other. Pheromone attraction of males very pronounced. Heavy-bodied, showy, hairy, with feathery antennae.
   14. Sphingidae (Sphinx moths).
       1. Size - medium to large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Sc and Rs connected by crossvein near middle of discal cell in hindwing.
          2. Forewings long and narrow.
          3. Antennae thickened toward middle or clubbed.
       3. Habitats. Widely variable.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders.
       5. Other. Many are crepuscular. Heavy bodied, abdomen often pointed and extending beyond wings when spread. Includes tobacco hornworm.
   15. Hesperiidae (Skippers). Start of 'butterflies'. Antennae clubbed, no frenulum, no ocelli.
       1. Size - small to medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. R in forewing 5-branched, all from cell.
          2. Antennae hooked at tip forming apiculus, widely separated at base.
       3. Habitats. Various, often grassy.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders or case makers.
       5. Other. Usually brown or dull orange. Many are grass feeders and make nest or case from host plant.
   16. Papilionidae (Swallowtails). Some branches of R stalked in forewing, antennae close at base.
       1. Size - large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. Cu in forewing appears 4-branched.
          2. 1 anal vein in hindwing.
          3. Often with tails.
       3. Habitats. Various.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders. Usually on Fabaceae and Magnoliidae.
       5. Other. Tiger swallowtail.
   17. Pieridae (Whites and Sulphurs).
       1. Size - medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. M1 in forewing stalked with R.
          2. Forelegs well-developed.
          3. White or yellow usually.
       3. Habitats. Usually old fields, open areas.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, mostly Fabaceae, Brassicaceae.
       5. Other. Includes cabbage butterfly.
   18. Lycaenidae (Blues, Coppers, Hairstreaks, Harvesters, Metalmarks).
       1. Size - small.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. R 4-branched in forewing.
          2. Forelegs well developed.
          3. Often with eye spots on underside and tails.
          4. Ring of white scales around eye.
       3. Habitats. Variable.
       4. Food. Herbivorous and some carnivorous.
       5. Other. Small, slender-bodied with delicate wings. Many associated and tended by ants.
   19. Danaidae (Monarch and Queen). Forelegs reduced, not used for walking.
       1. Size - medium to large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. 3A present, but small in forewing.
          2. Antennae not scaled above.
          3. Only monarch in most of U. S.
       3. Habitats. Open areas.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, Asclepiadaceae and Apocynaceae.
       5. Other. Involved in mimicry systems. Monarch migration.
   20. Satyridae (Satyrs, Wood nymphs, Arctics).
       1. Size - medium.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. 1 anal vein in forewing.
          2. Sc usually swollen at base.
          3. Brownish with eyespots usually.
       3. Habitats. Variable.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, primarily grass feeders.
   21. Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies).
       1. Size - small to large.
       2. Diagnostic characters.
          1. 1 anal vein in forewing.
          2. Sc not greatly swollen.
       3. Habitats. Variable.
       4. Food. Herbivorous, external feeders, many families. 3 previous families often grouped into Nymphalidae.

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