Irish moths represent about 1,400 different types of moths. The moths (mostly nocturnal) and butterflies (mostly diurnal) together make up the taxonomic order Lepidoptera.
This is a list of moth species which have been recorded in Ireland.
Suborder Zeugloptera (mandibulate archaic moths)
Superfamily Micropterigoidea
Family Micropterigidae
Micropterix aruncella (Scopoli, 1763) Micropterix aureatella (Scopoli, 1763) Micropterix calthella (Linnaeus, 1761) (marsh marigold moth) Micropterix mansuetella Zeller, 1844
Suborder Glossata (moths and butterflies with a coilable proboscis)
Infraorder Dacnonypha
Superfamily Eriocranioidea
Family Eriocraniidae
Dyseriocrania subpurpurella (Haworth, 1828) Eriocrania cicatricella (Zetterstedt, 1839) Eriocrania salopiella (Stainton, 1854) (small birch purple) Eriocrania sangii (Wood, 1891) (large birch purple) Eriocrania semipurpurella (Stephens, 1835) (purplish birch-miner) Eriocrania sparrmannella (Bosc, 1791) (mottled purple) Eriocrania unimaculella (Zetterstedt, 1839) (white-spot purple) Paracrania chrysolepidella (Zeller, 1851) (small hazel purple)
Infraorder Exoporia
Superfamily Hepialoidea (ghost moths, swift moths)
Family Hepialidae
Hepialus humuli (Linnaeus, 1758) (ghost swift) Pharmacis fusconebulosa (De Geer, 1778) (map-winged swift) Korscheltellus lupulina (Linnaeus, 1758) (common swift) Phymatopus hecta (Linnaeus, 1758) (gold swift)
Infraorder Heteroneura (wing venation which is different in each pair of wings)
Division Monotrysia (females have a single genital opening)
Section Nepticulina
Superfamily Nepticuloidea
Family Nepticulidae (pigmy or midget moths)
Bohemannia pulverosella (Stainton, 1849) Bohemannia quadrimaculella (Boheman, 1851) Ectoedemia albifasciella (Heinemann, 1871) Ectoedemia angulifasciella (Stainton, 1849) Ectoedemia arcuatella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) Ectoedemia argyropeza (Zeller, 1839) Ectoedemia atricollis (Stainton, 1857) Ectoedemia heringella (Mariani, 1939) Ectoedemia heringi (Toll, 1934) Ectoedemia intimella (Zeller, 1848) Ectoedemia minimella (Zetterstedt, 1839) Ectoedemia occultella (Linnaeus, 1767) (small birch leafminer) Ectoedemia rubivora (Wocke, 1860) Ectoedemia subbimaculella (Haworth, 1828) Ectoedemia septembrella (Stainton, 1849) Enteucha acetosae (Stainton, 1854) (pygmy sorrel moth) Stigmella aeneofasciella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) Stigmella alnetella (Stainton, 1856) Stigmella anomalella (Goeze, 1783) (rose leaf miner) Stigmella atricapitella (Haworth, 1828) Stigmella aurella (Fabricius, 1775) Stigmella auromarginella (Richardson, 1890) Stigmella betulicola (Stainton, 1856) Stigmella catharticella (Stainton, 1853) Stigmella centifoliella (Zeller, 1848) Stigmella confusella (Wood & Walsingham, 1894) Stigmella continuella (Stainton, 1856) Stigmella crataegella (Klimesch, 1936) Stigmella dryadella (O. Hofmann, 1868) Stigmella filipendulae (Wocke, 1871) Stigmella floslactella (Haworth, 1828) Stigmella glutinosae (Stainton, 1858) Stigmella hemargyrella (Kollar, 1832) Stigmella hybnerella (Hübner, 1796) (greenish thorn pygmy) Stigmella lapponica (Wocke, 1862) Stigmella lemniscella (Zeller, 1839) Stigmella luteella (Stainton, 1857) Stigmella magdalenae (Klimesch, 1950) Stigmella malella (Stainton, 1854) (banded apple pigmy) Stigmella microtheriella (Stainton, 1854) (hazel leaf miner moth) Stigmella myrtillella (Stainton, 1857) Stigmella nylandriella (Tengstrom, 1848) Stigmella obliquella (Heinemann, 1862) Stigmella oxyacanthella (Stainton, 1854) Stigmella paradoxa (Frey, 1858) Stigmella perpygmaeella (Doubleday, 1859) Stigmella plagicolella (Stainton, 1854) Stigmella poterii (Stainton, 1857) Stigmella ruficapitella (Haworth, 1828) Stigmella salicis (Stainton, 1854) Stigmella sorbi (Stainton, 1861) Stigmella spinosissimae (Waters, 1928) Stigmella splendidissimella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) Stigmella svenssoni (Johansson, 1971) Stigmella tityrella (Stainton, 1854) Stigmella trimaculella (Haworth, 1828) Stigmella ulmivora (Fologne, 1860) Trifurcula cryptella (Stainton, 1856) Trifurcula eurema (Tutt, 1899) Trifurcula immundella (Zeller, 1839) (broom pygmy moth) Trifurcula subnitidella (Duponchel, 1843)
Family Opostegidae (white eyecap moths) Opostega salaciella (Treitschke, 1833) Pseudopostega crepusculella (Zeller, 1839)
Superfamily Tischerioidea (trumpet leaf miner moths)
Family Tischeriidae Coptotriche marginea (Haworth, 1828) Tischeria dodonea Stainton, 1858 Tischeria ekebladella (Bjerkander, 1795)
Section Incurvariina
Superfamily Adeloidea (moths with piercing, extensible ovipositor)
Family Incurvariidae
Incurvaria masculella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (feathered diamond-back) Incurvaria oehlmanniella (Hübner, 1796) Incurvaria pectinea Haworth, 1828 Incurvaria praelatella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) Phylloporia bistrigella (Haworth, 1828)
Family Prodoxidae Lampronia corticella (Linnaeus, 1758) (raspberry moth) Lampronia luzella (Hübner, 1817) Lampronia pubicornis (Haworth, 1828)
Family Adelidae (fairy longhorn moths)
Adela croesella (Scopoli, 1763) Adela cuprella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) Adela reaumurella (Linnaeus, 1758) (green longhorn) Cauchas rufimitrella (Scopoli, 1763) Nematopogon magna (Zeller, 1878) Nematopogon metaxella (Hübner, 1813) Nematopogon pilella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) Nematopogon schwarziellus Zeller, 1839 Nematopogon swammerdamella (Linnaeus, 1758) Nemophora cupriacella (Hübner, 1819) Nemophora degeerella (Linnaeus, 1758) (longhorn moth, yellow-barred long-horn) Nemophora minimella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Family Heliozelidae Heliozela hammoniella Sorhagen, 1885 Heliozela resplendella (Stainton, 1851) Heliozela sericiella (Haworth, 1828)
Division Ditrysia (females have two genital openings)
Section Tineina
Superfamily Tineoidea (clothes moths, bagworms, etc.)
Family Psychidae (bagworm moths) Diplodoma laichartingella (Goeze, 1783) Epichnopterix plumella Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 Luffia ferchaultella (Stephens, 1850) Psyche casta Pallas, 1767
Family Tineidae (fungus moths)
Dryadaula pactolia Meyrick, 1902 Monopis crocicapitella (Clemens, 1859) (pale-backed clothes moth) Monopis laevigella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) (skin moth) Monopis obviella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) Nemapogon cloacella (Haworth, 1828) (cork moth) Nemapogon granella (Linnaeus, 1758) (European grain worm, European grain moth) Nemapogon ruricolella (Stainton, 1859) (gold-sheen clothes moth) Niditinea fuscella (Linnaeus, 1758) (brown-dotted clothes moth) Psychoides filicivora (Meyrick, 1937) Psychoides verhuella Bruand, 1853 Tinea dubiella Stainton, 1859 Tinea flavescentella Haworth, 1828 Tinea pallescentella Stainton, 1851 (large pale clothes moth) Tinea pellionella Linnaeus, 1758 (case-bearing clothes moth) Tinea semifulvella Haworth, 1828 Tinea trinotella Thunberg, 1794 Tineola bisselliella (Hummel, 1823) (common clothes moth, webbing clothes moth) Trichophaga tapetzella (Linnaeus, 1758) (tapestry moth, carpet moth)
Superfamily Gracillarioidea
Family Bucculatricidae (ribbed cocoon makers) Bucculatrix bechsteinella (Bechstein & Scharfenberg, 1805) Bucculatrix cidarella (Zeller, 1839) Bucculatrix cristatella (Zeller, 1839) Bucculatrix demaryella (Duponchel, 1840) (birch bent-wing) Bucculatrix frangutella (Goeze, 1783) Bucculatrix maritima Stainton, 1851 Bucculatrix nigricomella (Zeller, 1839) Bucculatrix ulmella Zeller, 1848
Family Gracillariidae (leaf miner moths)
Acrocercops brongniardella (Fabricius, 1798) (leaf blotch miner moth) Aspilapteryx tringipennella (Zeller, 1839) Callisto denticulella (Thunberg, 1794) Caloptilia alchimiella (Scopoli, 1763) (yellow-triangle slender) Caloptilia azaleella (Brants, 1913) (azalea leaf miner) Caloptilia betulicola (M. Hering, 1928) (red birch slender) Caloptilia cuculipennella (Hübner, 1796) (feathered slender) Caloptilia elongella (Linnaeus, 1761) (pale red slender) Caloptilia falconipennella (Hübner, 1813) Caloptilia populetorum (Zeller, 1839) (clouded slender) Caloptilia robustella Jackh, 1972 (new oak slender) Caloptilia rufipennella Hübner, 1796 (small red slender) Caloptilia stigmatella (Fabricius, 1781) Calybites phasianipennella (Hübner, 1813) Cameraria ohridella Deschka & Dimić, 1986 (horse-chestnut leaf miner) Euspilapteryx auroguttella Stephens, 1835 Gracillaria syringella (Fabricius, 1794) (lilac leafminer, privet leafminer) Parornix anglicella (Stainton, 1850) Parornix betulae (Stainton, 1854) Parornix devoniella (Stainton, 1850) Parornix loganella (Stainton, 1848) Parornix scoticella (Stainton, 1850) Parornix torquillella (Zeller, 1850) Phyllocnistis unipunctella (Stephens, 1834) Phyllonorycter blancardella (Fabricius, 1781) (spotted tentiform leafminer) Phyllonorycter cerasicolella (Herrich-Schäffer, 1855) Phyllonorycter coryli (Nicelli, 1851) (nut leaf blister moth) Phyllonorycter corylifoliella (Hübner, 1796) (hawthorn red midget moth) Phyllonorycter emberizaepenella (Bouche, 1834) Phyllonorycter froelichiella (Zeller, 1839) Phyllonorycter harrisella (Linnaeus, 1761) Phyllonorycter heegeriella (Zeller, 1846) Phyllonorycter hilarella (Zetterstedt, 1839) Phyllonorycter hostis Triberti, 2007 Phyllonorycter insignitella (Zeller, 1846) Phyllonorycter klemannella (Fabricius, 1781) Phyllonorycter lautella (Zeller, 1846) Phyllonorycter leucographella (Zeller, 1850) (firethorn leaf miner) Phyllonorycter maestingella (Muller, 1764) Phyllonorycter mespilella (Hübner, 1805) Phyllonorycter messaniella (Zeller, 1846) (European oak leaf-miner, Zeller's midget) Phyllonorycter nicellii (Stainton, 1851) Phyllonorycter nigrescentella (Logan, 1851) Phyllonorycter oxyacanthae (Frey, 1856) Phyllonorycter quercifoliella (Zeller, 1839) Phyllonorycter quinqueguttella (Stainton, 1851) Phyllonorycter rajella (Linnaeus, 1758) Phyllonorycter roboris (Zeller, 1839) Phyllonorycter salicicolella (Sircom, 1848) Phyllonorycter salictella (Zeller, 1846) Phyllonorycter scopariella (Zeller, 1846) Phyllonorycter sorbi (Frey, 1855) Phyllonorycter spinicolella (Zeller, 1846) (sloe midget) Phyllonorycter trifasciella (Haworth, 1828) Phyllonorycter ulmifoliella (Hübner, 1817) Phyllonorycter viminetorum (Stainton, 1854) Caloptilia leucapennella (Stephens, 1835)
Superfamily Schreckensteinioidea
Family Schreckensteiniidae (bristle-legged moths)
Schreckensteinia festaliella (Hübner, ) (blackberry skeletonizer)
Superfamily Gelechioidea (case-bearers, twirler moths, curved-horn moths)
Family Agonoxenidae (palm moths)
Chrysoclista lathamella (T. B. Fletcher, 1936) Chrysoclista linneella (Clerck, 1759) (Linnaeus's spangle-wing, linden bark borer, cosmet)
Family Batrachedridae Batrachedra praeangusta (Haworth, 1828)
Family Blastobasidae Blastobasis adustella Walsingham, 1894 Blastobasis lacticolella Rebel, 1940
Family Coleophoridae (case-bearers) Coleophora adjunctella Hodgkinson, 1882 Coleophora adspersella Benander, 1939 Coleophora albicosta (Haworth, 1828) (testaceous white-back) Coleophora albidella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) Coleophora alticolella Zeller, 1849 Coleophora anatipennella (Hübner, 1796) Coleophora argentula (Stephens, 1834) Coleophora atriplicis Meyrick, 1928 Coleophora betulella Heinemann, 1877 Coleophora binderella (Kollar, 1832) Coleophora caespititiella Zeller, 1839 Coleophora deauratella Lienig & Zeller, 1846 Coleophora discordella Zeller, 1849 Coleophora flavipennella (Duponchel, 1843) Coleophora follicularis (Vallot, 1802) Coleophora fuscocuprella Herrich-Schäffer, 1855 Coleophora glaucicolella Wood, 1892 Coleophora gryphipennella (Hübner, 1796) Coleophora juncicolella Stainton, 1851 Coleophora laricella (Hübner, 1817) (western larch case-bearer) Coleophora lassella Staudinger, 1859 Coleophora lithargyrinella Zeller, 1849 Coleophora lixella Zeller, 1849 Coleophora lusciniaepennella (Treitschke, 1833) Coleophora lutipennella (Zeller, 1838) Coleophora maritimella Newman, 1863 Coleophora mayrella (Hübner, 1813) (metallic coleophora moth) Coleophora milvipennis Zeller, 1839