Moths of Lebanon

Attribution: Holger Uwe Schmitt (Wikipedia Creative Commons)

Lebanon also has a diverse moth fauna. There are hundreds of species of moths in Lebanon, around 360 of the commoner ones are described on this website. A third or so of these species are silvicolous and live within wooded habitats, including broadleaf oak forests, coniferous forests, and riverine woodland. A further third are found in grassy and herbaceous habitats, such as grasslands, pastures, and meadows. Also, a similar number, including some of the ubiquitous ones, are found on agricultural land, such as gardens, orchards, farms, and ruderal areas. Some of the rarer species are deserticolous and found at higher altitudes. Many moths emigrate from Lebanon and the Mediterranean area into temperate parts of Europe, and some are also immigrants from tropical areas. Although the great majority of moths, like butterflies, are beneficial, some species might damage crops and trees.

Please click on each moth species to read its individual description and view the corresponding videos and images. Photograph credits and licenses are clickable on each page. These field tools will help you identify moths and butterflies in the wild. You want to know more? Please buy the books and visit the butterfly garden.

SATURNIIDAE

GIANT EMPEROR MOTH Saturnia pyri

AUTUMN EMPEROR MOTH Perisomena caecigena

THE AMAH Dysauxes famula

SESIIDAE

MARJORAM CLEARWING Chamaesphecia chalciformis

ERYNGO CLEARWING Euhagena palariformis

Pennisetia fixseni

YELLOW-LEGGED CLEARWING Synanthedon vespiformis

RED-BELTED CLEARWING Synanthedon myopaeformis

ARCTIIDAE

HEBE TIGER Arctia festiva

CREAM-SPOT TIGER Epicallia villica

JERSEY TIGER Euplagia quadripunctaria

RUBY TIGER Phragmatobia fuliginosa

Cymbalophora oertzeni

LASIOCAMPIDAE

Eriogaster philippsi

Eriogaster amygdali

Chondrostega intacta

Chondrostega longespinata

OAK EGGAR Lasiocampa grandis

THE LACKEY Malacosoma neustria

GROUND LACKEY Malacosoma castrense

LAPPET Dendrolimus bufo

EASTERN LAPPET Pachypasa otus

LEMONIIDAE

Lemonia peilei

Lemonia sacrosancta

Lemonia beirutica

Lemonia pauli

HEPIALIDAE

GHOST MOTH Triodia amasinus

DREPANIDAE

OAK HOOK-TIP Drepania binaria

CHINESE CHARACTER Cilix glaucata

NOTODONTIDAE

OAK PROCESSIONARY MOTH Thaumetopoea processionea

SUMACH PROCESSIONARY MOTH Thaumetopoea solitaria

CEDAR PROCESSIONARY MOTH Thaumetopoea libanotica

PINE PROCESSIONARY MOTH Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni

GRASS PROCESSIONARY MOTH Thaumetopoea herculeana

PUSS MOTH Cerura vinula

Cerura intermedia

TAWNY PROMINENT Harpyia milhauseri

ARGENTINE MOTH Spatalia argentina

GREATER BUFF-TIP Phalera bucephaloides

LOBSTER MOTH Stauropus fagi

COSSIDAE

GOAT MOTH Cossus cossus

Paropta l-nigrum

Paropta paradoxus

LEOPARD MOTH Zeuzera pyrina

REED LEOPARD Phragmataecia castaneae

Phragmacossia libani

Phragmacossia territa

GARLIC MOTTLED Dyspessa ulula

Dyspessa pallidata

Dyspessa wiltshirei

Dyspessacossus fereidun

Cossulus lignosus

Isoceras bipunctatus

Stygioides colchicus

Stygioides ivinskisi

NOCTUIDAE

LARGE YELLOW UNDERWING Noctua pronuba

LESSER BROAD-BORDERED YELLOW UNDERWING Noctua janthina

Olivenebula subsericata

SQUARE-SPOT RUSTIC Xestia xanthographa

BEAUTIFUL GOTHIC Leucochlaena oditis

TURNIP MOTH Agrotis segetum

GREGSON’S DART Agrotis spinifera

GREAT DART Agrotis bigramma

Agrotis obesa

Agrotis pierreti

Agrotis radius

DART Euxoa temera

Euxoa mendelis

THE COSMOPOLITAN Leucania loreyi

Dichagyris melanura

Acantholipes regularis

Aedophron phlebophora

THE LYCHNIS Hadena bicruris

Hadena syriaca

Cleonymia baetica

Cleonymia pectinicornis

Metopoceras omar

Metopoceras delicata

SMALL RANUNCULUS Hecatera dysodea

Hecatera cappa

Polymixis serpentina

Polymixis bischoffi

Polymixis rufocincta

Polymixis trisignata

Polymixis apora

CABBAGE MOTH Mamestra brassicae

L-ALBUM WAINSCOT Mythimna l-album

SOUTHERN WAINSCOT Mythimna straminea

BRIGHTON WAINSCOT Oria musculosa

MAIZE WAINSCOT Sesamia cretica

Hypeuthina fulgurita

Saragossa siccanorum

Dasypolia ferdinandi

Dasypolia judinandi

GREEN-BRINDLED DOT Valeria oleagina

THE NUTMEG Anarta trifolii

Armada panaceorum

LATREILLE’S LATIN Callopistria latreillei

CLOUDED DRAB Orthosia incerta

BRINDLED GREEN Dryobotodes eremita

BLACK RUSTIC Aporophyla nigra

Aporophyla canescens

SWORD-GRASS Xylena exsoleta

DARK ARCHES Apamea monoglypha

BEADED CHESTNUT Agrochola lychnidis

RED-LINE QUAKER Agrochola lota

Agrochola hypotaenia

Agrochola mansueta

SALLOW Xanthia icteritia

ANGLE SHADES Phlogophora meticulosa

OLD LADY Mormo maura

PALE-SHOULDERED CLOUD Chloantha hyperici

DOTTED RUSTIC Rhyacia forficula

CLANCY’S RUSTIC Caradrina kadenii

Caradrina agrotina

BORDERED STRAW Heliothis peltigera

EASTERN BORDERED STRAW Heliothis nubigera

MARBLED CLOVER Heliothis viriplaca

Heliothis albida

SCARCE BORDERED STRAW Helicoverpa armigera

MARBLED GREEN Cryphia muralis

MARBLED GREY Cryphia raptricula

Cryphia margineolata

Cryphia strigula

MEDITERRANEAN BROCADE Spodoptera littoralis

SMALL MOTTLED WILLOW Spodoptera exigua

PEASE BLOSSOM Periphanes delphinii

Pyrrhia treitschkei

Metalopha gloriosa

Euchalcia augusta

Megalodes eximia

CRESCENT Allophyes asiatica

Eutelia adoratrix

Eutelia adulatrix

EARLY GREY Xylocampa areola

THE MULLEIN Cucullia verbasci

Cucullia calendulae

Cucullia cineracea

Epilecta linogrisea

FIGURE OF EIGHT Diloba caeruleocephala

KNOTGRASS Acronicta rumicis

GREY DAGGER Acronicta psi

THE SYCAMORE Acronicta aceris

PALE SHOULDER Acontia lucida

Acontia titania

Ozarba lascivalis

Xanthodes albago

SPOTTED SULPHUR Emmelia trabealis

DARK BROCADE Mniotype adusta

THE DRUID Aedia funesta

THE EASTERN ALCHYMIST Aedia leucomelas

SILVER Y Autographa gamma

NI MOTH Trichoplusia ni

Trichoplusia circumscripta

Ctenoplusia accentifera

SLENDER BURNISHED BRASS Thysanoplusia orichalcea

DEWICK’S PLUSIA Macdunnoughia confusa

GOLDEN TWIN-SPOT MOTH Chrysodeixis chalcites

EREBIDAE

THE JIGSAW Dysgonia torrida

THE GEOMETRICIAN Grammodes stolida

RED UNDWERWING Catocala nupta

Catocala disjuncta

Catocala neonympha

PURPLE MARBLED Eublemma ostrina

THE COCCIDIPHAGE Eublemma scitulum

Pericyma albidentaria

Calymma communimacula

CRIMSON-SPECKLED MOTH Utetheisa pulchella

SCARCE FOOTMAN Manulea complana

Paidia rica

PELLICLE Ocnogyna loewii

LATTICED HEATH Ocnogyna clathrata

Ocnogyna bellieri

Muscula muscula

MUSLIN MOTH Diaphora mendica

GYPSY MOTH Lymantria dispar

ALMOND TUSSOCK MOTH Lymantria lapidicola

THE VAPOURER Orgyia trigotephras

Orgyia dubia

PISTACHIO WHITE LEAF-BORER Parocneria terebinthi

THE HERALD Scoliopteryx libatrix

LIVID SNOUT Hypena lividalis

BLOXWORTH SNOUT Hypena obsitalis

PLUMED FAN-FOOT Pechipogo plumigeralis

GREEN DRAB Ophiusa tirhaca

GOLDEN TWIN-SPOT Chrysodeixis chalcites

THE SPECTRE Apopestes spectrum

Autophila libanotica

Autophila cataphanes

Zebeeba falsalis

NOLIDAE

SCARCE SILVER-LINES Bena bicolorana

EGYPTIAN BOLLWORM Earias insulana

OAK NYCTEOLINE Nycteola revayana

Meganola impura

GEOMETRIDAE

GORSE EMERALD Pseudoterpna coronillaria

ETCHED TAUPE Charissa variegata

Orthostixis cribraria

BLOTCHED EMERALD Comibaena bajularia

Culpinia prouti

Eucrostes indigenata

HERB EMERALD Microloxia herbaria

WILLOW BEAUTY Peribatodes rhomboidaria

OLIVE-TREE BEAUTY Peribatodes umbraria

Chiasmia syriacaria

Isturgia berytaria

GREAT OAK BEAUTY Hypomecis roboraria

PALE OAK BEAUTY Hypomecis punctinalis

ALMOND ANTHRACITE Nychiodes amygdalaria

Nychiodes divergaria

Dicrognophos sartata

Gnopharmia rubraria

PLUMED GREY Selidosema plumaria

YELLOW SHELL Camptogramma bilineata

TREBLE-BAR Aplocera plagiata

THE MALLOW Larentia clavaria

SCALLOPED OAK Crocallis elinguaria

SMOKY SCALLOPED OAK Crocallis tusciaria

Eumera regina

Pseudenargia badiofasciata

Apochima flabellaria

OLIVE WAVE Problepsis ocellata

PURPLE THORN Selenia tetralunaria

CLOUDED AUGUST THORN Ennomos quercaria

LIME-SPECK PUG Eupithecia centaureata

Eupithecia schiefereri

Eupithecia syriacata

Pseudopanthera syriacata

GARDEN CARPET Xanthorhoe fluctuata

CARPET Xanthorhoe disjunctaria

MANY-LINED MOTH Costaconvexa polygrammata

Oulabophora externaria

SPRUCE CARPET Thera variata

Catarhoe basochesiata

THE VESTAL Rhodometra sacraria

BLOOD-VEIN Timandra griseata

BLAIR’S MOCHA Cyclophora pupillaria

MEDITERRANEAN LACE BORDER Scopula submutata

WAVE Rhodostrophia tabidaria

PORTLAND RIBBON WAVE Idaea degeneraria

BALKAN WAVE Idaea consanguinaria

SINGLE-DOTTED WAVE Idaea dimidiata

LUSTROUS LEAST CARPET Idaea filicata

Lithostege buxtoni

Lithostege witzenmanni

Lithosia palaestinensis

CRAMBIDAE

ELBOW STRIPED VENEER MOTH Agriphila inquinatella

Agriphila cyrenaicella

EASTERN GRASS MOTH Chrysocrambus craterellus

Evergestis infirmalis

Evergestis subfuscalis

Tegostoma baphialis

Scoparia berytella

COMMON CRIMSON AND GOLD Pyrausta purpuralis

SMALL PURPLE AND GOLD Pyrausta aurata

STARRY PEARL Cynaeda dentalis

VARIEGATED PEARL Synclera traducalis

RUSTY-DOT PEARL Udea ferrugalis

JASMINE MOTH Palpita vitrealis

BEET WEBWORM MOTH Spoladea recurvalis

SPOTTED BEET WEBWORM MOTH Hymenia perspectalis

Dolicharthria stigmosalis

Dolicharthria aetnaealis

Diasemiopsis ramburialis

Ephelis cruentalis

WHITE SNOUT MOTH Scirpophaga praelata

FLOWER SNOUT MOTH Aporodes floralis

REED SNOUT MOTH Schoenobius gigantellus

Schoenobius alpherakyi

Metasia octogenalis

PYRALIDAE

CAROB MOTH Ectomyelois ceratoniae

VEINED SNOUT MOTH Polyocha venosa

PALMA CHRISTI SNOUT MOTH Phycita poteriella

Lamoria anella

Synaphe berytalis

Ancylosis convexella

Tretopteryx pertusalis

Tsaraphycis libanoticella

MEAL MOTH Pyralis farinalis

Stilbina hypaenides

MEDITERRANEAN FLOUR MOTH Ephestia kuehniella

DRIED FRUIT MOTH Cadra calidella

RAISIN MOTH Cadra figulilella

TABBY KNOT-HORN Euzophera pinguis

ROSY STRIPED KNOT-HORN Oncocera semirubella

GREATER WAX MOTH Galleria mellonella

GOLD TRIANGLE Hypsopygia costalis

Hypotia corticalis

THE PYGMY Thyris fenestrella

TORTRICIDAE

POPLAR SHOOT-BORER Gypsonoma aceriana

PINE SHOOT MOTH Rhyacionia buoliana

BRAMBLE SHOOT MOTH Notocelia uddmanniana

LARGE BIRCH BELL Epinotia festivana

Epinotia pusillana

Epiblema foenella

BEECH MOTH Cydia fagiglandana

FIR SEED MOTH Cydia effusana

EUROPEAN GRAPEVINE MOTH Lobesia botrana

Eucosma perfectana

GARDEN ROSE TORTRIX Acleris variegana

STRAWBERRY TORTRIX Acleris comariana

CARNATION TORTRIX Cacoecimorpha pronubana

IVY TORTRIX Clepsis dumicolana

PLUM TORTRIX Hedya pruniana

MARBLED ORCHARD TORTRIX Hedya nubiferana

MOUNTAIN-ASH TORTRIX Choristoneura hebenstreitella

Aphelia imperfectana

DIAMOND-BACK MARBLE Eudemis profundana

LEBANESE CEDAR SHOOT MOTH Syndemis cedricola

ROSY CONCH Cochylis roseana

Cochylis similana

Phtheochroa duponchelana

Cnephasia tristrami

Agapeta hamana

Aethes flagellana

ALUCITIDAE AND PTEROPHORIDAE

Alucita cancellata

BEAUTIFUL PLUME MOTH Amblyptilia acanthadactyla

ROSE PLUME MOTH Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla

MORNING-GLORY PLUME Emmelina monodactyla

MICROLEPIDOPTERA

LONGHORN Nemophora istrianella

FIG-TREE SKELETONIZER MOTH Choreutis nemorana

POTATO TUBER MOTH Phthorimaea operculella

TOMATO LEAF-MINER Tuta absoluta

PEACH TWIG-BORER Anarsia lineatella

HOUSE GROUNDLING Bryotropha domestica

LESSER BUD MOTH Recurvaria nanella

WHEAT LEAF-MINER Syringopais temperatella

LEBANON PALM MOTH Blastodacna libanotica

BORDERED ERMEL Ethmia bipunctella

Ethmia pusiella

CARROT FLAT-BODY Agonopterix palorella

ROLLING CARROT FLAT-BODY Agonopterix rotundella

Agonopterix adspersella

PARSNIP MOTH Depressaria marcella

Depressaria douglasella

Depressaria libanotidella

OWLET Scythris limbella

ACANTHUS OWLET Scythris acanthella

OBSCURE OWLET Scythris obscurella

Scythris mediella

Scythris unipunctella

Symmacantha sparsella

Apiletria luella

SEDGE MOTH Brachodes appendiculata

Brachodes beryti

BAGWORM Psyche casta

Psyche libanotica

FUNGUS MOTH Morophaga choragella

Neurothaumasia ankerella

CONCEALER MOTH Pleurota sparella

Borkhausenia einsleri

Harpagidia magnetella

BLACK SWEEP Pachythelia villosella

Oiketicoides minuta

Oiketicoides taurica

Phalacropterix bruandi

Deuterotinea palaestinensis

LONGHORNED MOTH Homaloxestis briantiella

PYGMY EYECAP MOTH Vulcaniella rosmarinella

Palumbina guerinii

Stathmopoda auriferella

Holocacista rivillei

SPOTTED TENTIFORM LEAF-MINER Phyllonorycter blancardella

OAK LEAF-MINER Phyllonorycter quercus

Micropterix jabalmoussae

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