The List Page
Here is a list of the principle groups of Lepidoptera covered on this website, and indications as to whether or not there are significant photographic representation of the groups. As stated before, the microlepidoptera are significantly underrepresented photographically, and the links for the "Microlepidoptera" groups will basically take you to a list of species which should occur in the state of Georgia as well as a generalized range for each species that Jim Taylor pulled from the original references. You will notice that for some species that have been collected in Georgia, the reported ranges come nowhere close to Georgia. Just goes to show how much we can expand our knowledge of ranges of leps by doing just a little collecting.
UPDATING OF RANGE INFORMATION HAS BEGUN: On the list pages, any range given in red has been updated partially (this doesn't mean that the range information is final).
Remember that the photographic quality is mixed. Some pictures are very sharp, others are slightly out of focus, though you should still be able to identify butterflies and moths from these pictures. When manipulating the digital images before website construction, I also saved them at a somewhat lower resolution so they would load quicker when you call them up. As such, I sacrificed a little quality for convenience.
For all of the groups listed below, the list pages contain the scientific name, generalized range and a P3# number for virtually all species. This refers to a web published (and updated) manuscript called "Annotated taxonomic checklist of the Lepidoptera of North America, North of Mexico". This publication should be referenced as "Pohl, G.R., Patterson, B., & Pelham, J.P. 2016. Annotated taxonomic checklist of the Lepidoptera of North America, North of Mexico. Working paper published online by the authors at ResearchGate.net. 766 pp."
For some of the groups, the list pages additionally contain indication of whether or not there is a confirmed record for a species from Georgia and whether or not there is a larval picture presented here. Also listed are common names for some species. Many, many of the moths, however, do not have a common name, so do not expect to see a common name for every species on a particular page. For those of you looking for particular moths and yet unfamiliar with the different groups, go to the Helpful Hints page to help you find out what group your moth is in.
As I stated on the
introductory page, the nomenclature that is followed here incorporates names and generic rearrangements from many of the most recent works. Some of what is included is still controversial, and, in some cases, I have chosen not to agree with certain published changes.
I might change my mind later! In other cases, I've moved some species
based on my own findings and discussions I've have had with other people, even
though the changes haven't officially been published yet. If you notice any
nomenclatural issues that you would like to discuss with me, or misspellings of some of the names, please also bring these to my attention, again by e-mailing me
at jadams@daltonstate.edu
Monotrysian groups: Eriocranioidea, Hepialoidea, Nepticuloidea, Adeloidea, Tischerioidea
Ditrysian "Micros": Tineoidea, Gracillarioidea, Yponomeutoidea, Gelechioidea, Carposinoidea, Epermenioidea, Urodioidea, Choreutoidea, Galacticoidea (Several scattered images)
Alucitoidea and Pterophoroidea: Plume-Moths (one picture currently).
Tortricoidea: A vast majority of the Georgian tortricids are now pictured (thanks to Jim Vargo); from time to time there will be some on the unknowns page .
Cossoidea: Photos of the entire Georgian cossid fauna and a few sesiids
Families
included:
Cossidae -- Carpenter-Worm Moths
Dudgeonidae
Sesiidae --
Clearwing (or Wasp) Moths
Zygaenoidea: Pictures for most of the GA fauna.
Families included:
Epipyropidae -- Planthopper Parasite Moths
Lacturidae -- Formerly
considered part of the Yponomeutids
Limacodidae -- Slug Caterpillar Moths
Megalopygidae -- Puss Caterpillar Moths
Zygaenidae -- Smoky Moths (in
Europe, this family includes the Burnets)
"MACROLEPIDOPTERA"
Papilionoidea
Butterflies and Skippers: Many photos; more can be reached through website
links.
Thydridoidea/Hyblaeoidea/Pyraloidea/Mimallonoidea:
Several pictures for the
pyralids; pictures for the entire GA fauna of the Thyrididae.
Mimallonidae -- Sack-Bearer Moths
Drepanoidea/Lasiocampoidea/Bombycoidea:
Many pictures, including some larvae.
Families included:
Drepanidae -- Hook-Tip
Moths
Apatelodidae
Lasiocampidae -- Tent Caterpillar or Lappet Moths
Saturniidae --
Giant Silkworm Moths
Sphingidae -- Sphinx, Hummingbird or Hawk Moths
Geometroidea:
Many pictures, including some larvae
Families included:
Geometridae -- Inchworm or Spanworm
Moths; Geometers
Epiplemidae
Noctuioidea -- many, many pictures
The Notodontidae -- Prominents
The Erebidae includes part of the former Noctuidae, and the following former
families:
Arctiidae
-- Lichen, Tiger, and Wasp Moths (Sesiids also called Wasp Moths);
larvae
are called Woolly Bears
Lymantriidae -- Tussock Moths
The
Euteliidae
and Nolidae:
The Euteliidae is now a separate family (includes Paectes, Marathyssa and
Eutelia)
The
Nolidae are again considered a separate small family
The
Noctuidae now includes everything from the former Noctuidae including and past
the Plusiines