What are the insect scientific names? Insecta is the scientific name of insects.
Knowing the scientific names helps you identify every insect around the world. This guide includes 200 common insects along with their scientific names, common names, and types. Whether you’re after flying insects, biting insects, or insects found indoors, this list gives the accurate and correct scientific names of insects used in zoology and science. These are perfect for students, researchers, and anyone interested in the scientific classification of insects.
🦟 Flying Insect Scientific Name List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Housefly Musca domestica Domestic fly Fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster Fruit lover Mosquito Anopheles gambiae Harmful Tsetse fly Glossina morsitans Africa fly Horse fly Tabanus bovinus Horse-biting Bee Apis mellifera Honey maker Bumblebee Bombus terrestris Ground bee Butterfly Danaus plexippus Monarch Moth Bombyx mori Silk moth Crane fly Tipula paludosa Marsh dweller Deer fly Chrysops relictus Bright eyes Sandfly Phlebotomus papatasi Sand biter Hoverfly Eristalis tenax Hovering Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea Green wing Drone fly Eristalinus aeneus Drone mimic Bee-fly Bombylius major Bee mimic Owl moth Brahmaea wallichii Owl-like Skipper butterfly Hesperia comma Fast flyer Tiger moth Arctia caja Tiger pattern Glasswing butterfly Greta oto Transparent wing
🦟 Biting Insects Scientific Names List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Mosquito Anopheles gambiae Harmful Flea Ctenocephalides felis Cat flea Bed bug Cimex lectularius Bed dweller Black fly Simulium damnosum River fly Horse fly Tabanus bovinus Horse-biting Deer fly Chrysops relictus Bright eyes Sandfly Phlebotomus papatasi Sand biter Tsetse fly Glossina morsitans African fly No-see-ums Culicoides sonorensis Tiny biter Bat bug Cimex adjunctus Bat parasite Lice Pediculus humanus Human louse Stable fly Stomoxys calcitrans Painful biter Kissing bug Triatoma infestans Lip feeder Biting midge Culicoides imicola Small biter Thrip Frankliniella occidentalis Flower pest Assassin bug Zelus renardii Predator bug Chigger Trombicula alfreddugesi Skin biter Leech Hirudo medicinalis Blood sucker Biting gnat Leptoconops torrens Tiny biter Tick Ixodes scapularis Blood parasite
🐝 Stinging Insect Biological Name List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Honey bee Apis mellifera Honey maker Wasp Vespula vulgaris Common wasp Hornet Vespa crabro Giant wasp Yellowjacket Dolichovespula arenaria Yellow wasp Fire ant Solenopsis invicta Red ant Paper wasp Polistes dominula Paper nest maker Velvet ant Dasymutilla occidentalis Furry wasp Cicada killer Sphecius speciosus Cicada hunter Tarantula hawk Pepsis grossa Spider hunter Ichneumon wasp Ichneumon eumerus Parasite wasp Bullet ant Paraponera clavata Painful sting Sweat bee Halictus rubicundus Salt lover Cuckoo wasp Chrysis ignita Nest invader Mud dauber Sceliphron caementarium Mud builder European hornet Vespa crabro Large hornet Army ant Eciton burchellii Group attacker Trap-jaw ant Odontomachus bauri Fast jaw Jack jumper ant Myrmecia pilosula Jumper ant Bulldog ant Myrmecia gulosa Aggressive ant Cow killer ant Dasymutilla occidentalis Strong sting
🐜 Crawling Insects Scientific Name List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Ant Formica rufa Wood ant Cockroach Periplaneta americana American roach Beetle Coleoptera (order)Sheath wings Termite Reticulitermes flavipes Subterranean termite Silverfish Lepisma saccharina Sugar eater Earwig Forficula auricularia Pincher bug Booklouse Liposcelis bostrychophila Paper pest Firebrat Thermobia domestica Heat lover Ground beetle Carabus nemoralis Soil hunter Weevil Sitophilus oryzae Rice eater Stag beetle Lucanus cervus Horn beetle June bug Phyllophaga spp. Leaf eater Ladybird beetle Coccinella septempunctata Seven-spotted beetle Rove beetle Staphylinus olens Short wings Darkling beetle Tenebrio molitor Mealworm beetle Dung beetle Scarabaeus sacer Waste recycler Spider beetle Mezium americanum Stored product pest Bark beetle Ips typographus Tree borer Leaf beetle Chrysomela populi Poplar leaf feeder Blister beetle Meloe proscarabaeus Skin irritant
🏠 Household Insects Scientific Name List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Housefly Musca domestica Home fly Cockroach Periplaneta americana American roach Silverfish Lepisma saccharina Sugar eater Ant Formica rufa Wood ant Fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster Fruit lover Drain fly Psychoda alternata Moisture lover Booklouse Liposcelis bostrychophila Paper pest Carpet beetle Anthrenus verbasci Fabric feeder Bed bug Cimex lectularius Bed dweller Spider beetle Mezium americanum Stored food pest Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella Pantry pest Flour beetle Tribolium castaneum Grain pest Firebrat Thermobia domestica Heat lover Pantry moth Ephestia kuehniella Grain moth Clothes moth Tineola bisselliella Wool eater Flea Ctenocephalides felis Cat flea Lice Pediculus humanus capitis Head louse Moth fly Clogmia albipunctata Drain moth Crickets Acheta domesticus Home cricket Dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus Dust feeder
🌿 Garden Insect Biological Name List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Ladybug Coccinella septempunctata Seven spots Caterpillar Pieris rapae (larva stage)Cabbage worm Aphid Aphis gossypii Cotton pest Grasshopper Melanoplus differentialis Jumping insect Praying mantis Mantis religiosa Religious pose Spider mite Tetranychus urticae Plant feeder Whitefly Bemisia tabaci White-winged fly Leafhopper Empoasca fabae Leaf jumper Cutworm Agrotis ipsilon Plant cutter Beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua Leaf destroyer Japanese beetle Popillia japonica Shiny pest Thrips Frankliniella occidentalis Flower pest Squash bug Anasa tristis Squash pest Corn earworm Helicoverpa zea Corn pest Cabbage looper Trichoplusia ni Leaf eater Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata Potato pest Stink bug Halyomorpha halys Bad smell Sawfly Tenthredo mesomelas Leaf chewer Leaf miner Liriomyza sativae Leaf burrower Green lacewing Chrysoperla rufilabris Green wings
⚫ Black Insect Scientific Name List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Black Ant Formica rufa Wood ant Black Beetle Tenebrio molitor Mealworm beetle Carpenter Ant Camponotus spp. Wood-dwelling ant Black Widow Spider Latrodectus mactans Venomous spider Black Horsefly Tabanus bovinus Horse-biting fly Black Fly Simulium spp. Small biting fly Black Dragonfly Anax imperator Large flying insect Black Weevil Anthonomus spp. Grain pest Black Fungus Gnat Bradysia spp. Soil feeder Black Lacewing Chrysoperla spp. Beneficial insect Black Moth Hymenia recurvalis Leaf pest Black Carpenter Bee Xylocopa virginica Wood burrowing bee Black Hornet Vespa crabro Giant wasp Black Widow Moth Hypsophila spp. Black moth species Black Scarab Scarabaeus spp. Dung beetle Black Leafhopper Cicadella viridis Leaf-sucking insect Black Antlion Myrmeleon spp. Larval predator Black Tussock Moth Orgyia antiqua Caterpillar stage Black Fruit Fly Bactrocera dorsalis Fruit pest Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens Waste recycler Black Fungi Mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae Fungi feeder
🔴 Red Insects Scientific Name List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Red Ant Solenopsis invicta Fire ant Red Beetle Cactophagus spp. Plant pest Red Wasp Polistes rubiginosus Red paper wasp Red Ladybug Coccinella septempunctata Seven-spotted beetle Red Firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus Red color insect Red Tussock Moth Calliteara pudibunda Caterpillar stage Red Weevil Sitophilus oryzae Rice pest Red Grasshopper Melanoplus sanguinipes Leaf-sucking pest Red Flea Ctenocephalides felis Cat flea Red Scale Aonidiella aurantii Citrus pest Red Mite Tetranychus urticae Plant feeder Red Clover Weevil Hypera punctata Clover pest Red Prawn Beetle Sternochetus mangiferae Mango pest Red Jumping Spider Salticus scenicus Small predator Red Midge Ceratopogonidae spp. Small biting insect Red Soldier Bug Nezara viridula Green stink bug Red Caterpillar Spodoptera frugiperda Crop pest Red Harlequin Bug Tegrodera aloga Plant pest Red Velvet Ant Dasymutilla occidentalis Furry wasp
🦠 Small Insects Zoological Name List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Booklouse Liposcelis bostrychophila Paper pest Springtail Collembola Soil-dwelling bug Mealybug Pseudococcus longispinus Plant pest Fungus Gnat Bradysia spp. Moisture feeder Whitefly Bemisia tabaci Plant feeder Fruit Moth Cydia pomonella Apple pest Thrips Frankliniella occidentalis Flower pest Dung Fly Sepsis spp. Decomposer fly Ant Midge Ceratopogonidae spp. Small biting fly Leafhopper Empoasca fabae Leaf pest Paper Moth Tineola bisselliella Wool pest Sand Flea Tunga penetrans Skin-burrowing flea Fruit Weevil Brachyserphus spp. Crop pest Bark Lice Ceroplastes spp. Plant pest Red Mite Tetranychus urticae Plant feeder Root Weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus Soil pest Clover Weevil Hypera punctata Clover pest Potato Weevil Leptinotarsa decemlineata Potato pest Grain Weevil Sitophilus granarius Grain pest
⚠️ Dangerous Insect Scientific Name List Common Name Scientific Name Meaning Fire Ant Solenopsis invicta Aggressive ant Kissing Bug Triatoma infestans Disease carrier Mosquito Anopheles gambiae Malaria carrier Japanese Hornet Vespa mandarinia Dangerous wasp Bullet Ant Paraponera clavata Extremely painful sting Tsetse Fly Glossina morsitans Sleeping sickness carrier Redback Spider Latrodectus hasselti Venomous spider Brown Recluse Loxosceles reclusa Necrotic bite Firefly Photinus pyralis Light-producing insect Yellow Fever Mosquito Aedes aegypti Yellow fever carrier Army Ant Eciton burchellii Aggressive predator African Honeybee Apis mellifera scutellata Aggressive bee Wasp Vespula vulgaris Stinging insect Asian Tiger Mosquito Aedes albopictus Dengue fever carrier Poison Arrow Frog Dendrobatoidea spp. Toxic skin secretion Scorpion Pandinus imperator Venomous scorpion Sand Fly Phlebotomus spp. Leishmaniasis carrier Deer Tick Ixodes scapularis Lyme disease carrier
