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Order Lepidoptera

(Butterflies and Moths)

Soil & Water Conservation Society of Metro Halifax (SWCSMH)

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Updated: October 09, 2013

Linnean system of hierarchical classification (Williams & Feltmate, 1992):

Superphylum Arthropoda

(jointed-legged metazoan animals [Gr, arthron = joint; pous = foot])

Phylum Entoma

Subphylum Uniramia

(L, unus = one; ramus = branch, referring to the unbranched nature of the appendages)

Superclass Hexapoda

(Gr, hex = six, pous = foot)

Class Insecta

(L, insectum meaning cut into sections)

Subclass Ptilota

Infraclass Neopterygota

Introduction

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) are closely related to Trichoptera, having diverged from the Trichoptera probably in the early Mesozoic. They belong to the infraclass Neoptera, division Endopterygota. The larvae of only one family of moths, the Pyralidae, have become truly aquatic.

Life History

Lepidopterans are holometabolous and have 1 to 3 generations per year. Larvae of most species go through 4 or 5 instars before pupating underwater in silken cocoons spun inside either the larval case or the oval pupal case. Adults live for at most 2 weeks. The females of some species are larger than the males.

Habitat and Distribution

(Williams & Feltmate, 1992)

Family	Habitat
Pyralidae	lakes & ponds, on aquatic macrophytes (submerged & floating); emergent vegetation; rapid streams & rivers, on cobbles or bedrock; bog pools- includes both free-living forms & leaf miners/stem borers
Nepticulidae	lakes & ponds, on aquatic macrophytes especially in emergent zone- primarily leaf miners & stem borers
Cosmopterigidae	lakes & ponds, on aquatic macrophytes especially in emergent zone; often in mosses, lichens & algae at margins- primarily stem borers & leaf miners, with some free-living forms
Noctuidae	lakes & ponds, on floating and emergent macrophytes- generally leaf miners/stem borers, with some free-living forms
Tortricidae	lakes & ponds, on floating & emergent macrophytes- leaf miners & stem borers

Feeding

Like their terrestrial counterparts, aquatic caterpillars are strictly herbivorous. The lentic species are leaf miners, shredders, or stem borers. Some lotic species have mandibles specialized for scraping periphyton from stones and have been reported to compete with purse-case-making caddisfly larvae for algae. As adults, many aquatic moths are known to feed on plant nectar an will drink water.

Indicator value

Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) are closely related to Trichoptera, having diverged from the Trichoptera probably in the early Mesozoic. Like their terrestrial counterparts, aquatic caterpillars are strictly herbivorous.

One species, Petrophila jaliscalis, is considered an indicator of eutrophic conditions; it can tolerate low oxygen conditions, moderately high temperatures, reduced water flows and enrichment (Mackie, G.L. 1998. Applied Aquatic Ecosystem Concepts. University of Guelph Custom Coursepack. 12 chapters.).

References and web URLs:

Hutchinson, G.E. 1993. A Treatise on Limnology. Vol. IV, The Zoobenthos. Ed. Y.H. Edmondson. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Xx, 944pp.

Narf, R. 1997. Midges, bugs, whirligigs and others: The distribution of insects in Lake "U-Name-It". Lakeline. N. Am. Lake Manage. Soc. 16-17, 57-62.

Peckarsky, B.L., P.R. Fraissinet, M.A. Penton, and D.J. Conklin, Jr. 1990. Freshwater Macroinvertebrates of Northeastern North America. Cornell Univ. Press. xii, 442pp.

Wetzel, R.G. 1983. Limnology. 2nd ed. Saunders College Publishing. Xii, 767pp, R81, I10.

Williams, D.D., and Feltmate, B.W. 1992. Aquatic Insects. CAB International. ISBN: 0-85198-782-6. xiii, 358p.

Mandaville, S.M. 1999. Bioassessment of Freshwaters Using Benthic Macroinvertebrates-A Primer. First Ed. Project E-1, Soil & Water Conservation Society of Metro Halifax. viii, Chapters I-XXVII, Appendices A-D. 244p.

For the entire Report, download all the files in the subdirectory, Primer1
Chapter VIII: Order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

Tree of Life

New York Department State of Environmental Conservation

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