Order Lepidoptera includes butterflies, moths, and skippers. It is one of the largest insect orders, with over 180,000 described species worldwide. Lepidoptera undergo a complete life cycle of egg, caterpillar, pupa, and adult. As caterpillars, they are herbivorous, while adults feed on nectar and pollen. Some species are major agricultural pests, while others play important roles in ecosystems through pollination and nutrient cycling. Economically, silkworm moths produce silk, while other moths have been used for biological control. Major families include Nymphalidae, Papilionidae, and Noctuidae.

1. ORDER
LEPIDOPTERA
Submitted to: Dr. Mubashar Hussain
Submitted by: Mah Rukh Majeed
Bs zoology
Course Title: Applied Entomology

2. Introduction
 Order Lepidoptera includes butterflies, moths and
skippers.
 About 180000 species of this order are described in 126
families and 46 super-families.
 6-11% butterflies
 90% moths
 3500 species of skippers
 10% of the total described species of living organisms.
 Most widespread and broadly recognized order in the
world.
Skipper
Butterfly
Moth

3.  The term Lepidoptera was firstly introduced by
Linnaeus in 1735.
 The word Lepidoptera consists of two Greek words
“Lepido= scales” and “Ptera = wings”
 This makes sense because the insects in this order all
have wings in their adult stage and the scales refer to
the small flakes that coats the wings of these insects.
Etymology

4. Key characters
 Adults have four membranous, transparent
and brightly colored wings.
 Hind wings are usually smaller than
forewings, both largely or entirely covered
with scales.
 Large compound eyes that consists of many
light sensitive lens, each with its own
refractive system and each forming its own
portion of image.
Scales on wings

5. Figure shows frontwings and hind wings with large surface area.

6. .
 The scales are modified, hairy and give butterflies and
moths variety of colors and patterns.
 Holometabolous insects (butterflies and moths)
 The proboscis is usually in the form of a coiled tube.
 One ocelli (simple eye) with simple lens, present above
each eye.
 Antennae present, Butterflies generally have Clavate
antennae sometimes clubbed.
Key characters
Simple eye
Antennae

7. Life Cycle of Lepidoptera
 Moths and butterflies
undergo a complete life
cycle.
1. Egg
2. Caterpillar (larvae)
3. Pupae
4. Adult
 Survival strategies of
butterflies and their earlier
stages include camouflage

8. Life Cycle of Lepidoptera
 A female may lay only a few eggs or tens of
thousands.
 After the caterpillars hatch, they usually
develop through 4 to 7 instars over a period of
a few weeks.
 When the caterpillar is ready to pupate they
generally find shelter to spin their cocoons.

9. Physical features
Immature Adult
•Eruciform (caterpillar-like).
•Head capsule well-developed, with
chewing mouthparts.
•Abdomen with up to 5 pairs of prologs.
• Mouthparts form a coiled tube
(proboscis) beneath the head
• Antennal type:
Butterflies: knobbed or hooked at tip
Moths: thread-like, spindle-shaped, or
comb-like

10. “Moth” or “Butterfly”?
Character / Group Moth Butterfly
Specie richness
90% 6-11%
Activity Period Nocturnal Diurnal
Eggs Laid in batches Laid singly
Antennal Morphology Plumose, pectinate,
thickened, or filiform
Clubbed or
knobbed (hooked
in the
Hesperiidae)
SexualAttraction Pheromones (primarily)
Visual +
(secondarily)
Pheromones

11. Pupal Morphology Moth Butterfly
Body hair Usually in a cocoon made
of silk and sometimes hair
from last larval instar.
Usually a bare
“chrysalis”
(last larval instar skin).
Wing Coupling Often dense Usually sparse
Wing Position “Frenulum”, one or more
stiff bristle at the base of
HW that hooks to the
underside of the FW for
flight.
Lobed process at the
base of HW that holds the
wings together for flight.
Color Held “flat” or rooflike
over the body.
Held vertically
upright.
Size Typically drab but many
exceptions
Usually brightly
colored,
at least dorsal wing surfaces
Archtypal family Minute to giant Medium to large
Pupal Morphology Noctuidae, noctuids Papilionidae,
swallowtails

12. Economic importance:
 Lepidoptera form an essential part of most natural
terrestrial ecosystems.
 Predation: Adult butterflies and moths preyed
upon by birds and bats. Insect eating birds are
largest predators.
 Herbivores: Lepidopteron help in plant growth
regulation by nutrient cycling . When their
population level is high they can act as agent of
plant community succession.

13. Economic importance:
 Pollination
 Most adult butterflies and moths feed on
nectar inside flowers using their proboscis to
reach nectar hidden at the base of petal.
• Example:
• Hawk moth
• Thymalicus flavus

14. Economic importance:
 Butterflies and moth affect the economy
negatively because they are pests in agriculture
major pests includes tortricidae, noctuidae and
pyralidae.
 Some species are valuable economic resource.
 Domesticated silkworm moth ( bombyx mori),
the larvae of which form silken cocoons.

15. Economic importance:
Biological control of weed
Pyralid cactus most succesfully
suppressed million of acres of prickly pear
cactus
Alligator weed stem borer ( arcola malloi)
was used to control the aquatic plant
known as alligator weed

16. Major families Butterflies
1. Nymphalidae (brushfooted butterflies) Front legs reduced in size. This is
the largest butterfly family. It includes the fritillaries, admirals, emperors,
and tortoiseshells.
2. Danaidae (milkweed butterflies) Adults are reddish orange with black
and white markings. Larvae feed on various species of milkweed. Most of
the spp are found in tropical Asia and Africa includes the monarch (Danaus
plexippus).

17. Major families Butterflies
3. Papilionidae(swallowtails) Hind wings
have a tail-like extension. The tiger
swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is a
cosmopolitan species.
4. Pieridae (whites and sulfurs)
Adults are predominantly white or yellow
with black markings. The imported
cabbageworm (Pieris rapae) is a pest
throughout the world.

18. Major families Butterflies
5. Lycaenidae (blues, coppers, and hairstreaks)
small butterflies with fluted hind wings. Some
species are extinct or nearing extinction, others are
very common.

19. Skipper family
1. Hesperiidae
 Antennae are widely seperated at the base. They
are dialated apically to form a gradual club.
 Wings are comparetively small. They are often
held partly open at rest.
 Larva are often concealed in the host foliage.
E.g. Rice skipper Pelopidas mathias.

20. Major Moths families
1. Geometridae
Third largest family of Lepidoptera. Larvae are often called
inchworms or spanworms. Includes the winter moth (Operophtera
brumata) and the fall cankerworm (Alsophila pometaria).

21. Major Moths families
2. Sphingidae (hawk moths) Medium to large adults
with long proboscis for collecting nectar. Larvae
are frequently called hornworms. Pests include the
tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) and tomato
hornworm (M. quinquemaculata).

22. Major Moths families
3. Saturniidae (giant silk moths) Large, colorful
moths. Larvae feed on a wide range of trees and
shrubs. Well-known species include the cecropia
moth (Hyalophora cecropia) and the luna moth
(Actias luna).

23. Conti…
4. Arctiidae (tigermoths) Distinctive adults, usually white
with black, red, yellow, or orange markings. Many larvae
are covered with long hairs (woollybears). Includes the fall
webworm (Hyphantria cunea).

24. Conti..
5. Tineidae ( Cloth moths ) Small moths with large
maxillary palps. Caterpillars feed on wool, furs,
feathers and other organic products causing
considerable damage to fabrics. They produce a
weblike mass over fabrics as they feed.

25. Conti..
6. Bombycidae (Silk worm moths ) Antenna is
bipectinate. Larva is either with tuft of hairs or
glabrous with medio dorsal horn on the eighth
abdominal segment. Pupation occurs in dens
silken cocoon
• E.g. Mulberry silk worm Bombyx mori.

26. Conti..
7. Pyralidae ( snout moth) second largest
family of Lepidoptera. Pest include the
European corn borer, the Indian meal moth
and greater wax moth.

27. Conti..
8. Noctuidae (looper, owlet moths and
under wings)
• They are medium sized, stoutly built moths.
Labial palpi is well developed.
• All crochets on the larval prolegs are of
same size and arranged in semi-circle.
Some larvae are semiloopers.
• They have either 3 or 4 pairs of legs.
• Often cut small seedlings close to ground
and hence called cut worms.
• E.g. Tobacco cut worm Spodoptera litura.

28. References:
1. Arnett, Ross H. (28 July 2000). "Part I: 27". American insects: a
handbook of the insects of America north of Mexico (2nd ed.). CRC
Press. p. 631.
2. Rau, P (1941). "Observations on certain lepidopterous and
hymenopterous parasites of Polistes wasps". Annals of the Entomological
Society of America. 34: 355–366(12).
3. Hall, Jason P. W.; Harvey, Donald J. (2002). "A survey of androconial
organs in the Riodinidae (Lepidoptera)" (PDF). Zoological Journal of the
Linnean Society 136 (2): 171–197
4. "Table complete with real butterflies embedded in resin". Mfjoe.com. 18
December 2009. Archived from the original on 6 May 2010. Retrieved 28
April 2012.
5. Balit, Corrine R.; Ptolemy, Helen C.; Geary, Merilyn J.; Russell, Richard
C.; Isbister, Geoffrey K. (2001). "Outbreak of caterpillar dermatitis
caused by airborne hairs of the mistletoe browntail moth (Euproctis
edwardsi)". The Medical Journal of Australia. 175 (11–12): 641–3
6. Capinera, John L. (2008). "Butterflies and moths". Encyclopedia of
Entomology. 4(2nd ed.). Springer. pp. 626–672.