A living guide to Kauaʻi
Insects, Spiders & Relatives of Kauaʻi
Explore the island’s native and introduced species, habitats, watersheds and conservation work. Each record connects its description, images and sources with the interactive Atlas.
Page 2 of 11
Koa Seedworm
Cryptophlebia illepida
Koa Seedworm (Cryptophlebia illepida) belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Acleris zimmermani
Acleris zimmermani
Acleris zimmermani is a leafroller associated with Rubus.
Nuritamburia thoracina
Nuritamburia thoracina
Nuritamburia thoracina belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera.
Light Brown Apple Moth
Epiphyas postvittana
Light Brown Apple Moth (Epiphyas postvittana) belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Iliahia flavopicta
Iliahia flavopicta
Iliahia flavopicta belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Spheterista glaucoviridana
Spheterista glaucoviridana
Spheterista glaucoviridana belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Spheterista hoihoi
Spheterista hoihoi
Spheterista hoihoi belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Spheterista pterotropiana
Spheterista pterotropiana
Spheterista pterotropiana belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Spheterista pleonectes
Spheterista pleonectes
Spheterista pleonectes belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Pararrhaptica leopardella
Pararrhaptica leopardella
Pararrhaptica leopardella was originally described as Archips leopardellus from a single male collected at Kaholuamano, Kauaʻi, at about 4,000 feet in April 1895.
Pararrhaptica pilikuanani
Pararrhaptica pilikuanani
Pararrhaptica pilikuanani belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Pararrhaptica huihui
Pararrhaptica huihui
Pararrhaptica huihui belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Omnivorous Leafroller Moth
Platynota stultana
Omnivorous Leafroller Moth (Platynota stultana) belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Omnivorous Platynota Moth
Platynota rostrana
Omnivorous Platynota Moth (Platynota rostrana) belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Mexican Leaf-Roller
Amorbia emigratella
Mexican Leaf-Roller (Amorbia emigratella) belongs to Tortricidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Oleander Hawkmoth
Daphnis nerii
Oleander Hawkmoth (Daphnis nerii) belongs to Sphingidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Maile Pilau Hornworm
Macroglossum pyrrhosticta
Maile Pilau Hornworm (Macroglossum pyrrhosticta) belongs to Sphingidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Hawaiian Sphinx
Hyles calida
Hyles calida is an endemic Hawaiian hawkmoth.
White-lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata
White-lined Sphinx (Hyles lineata) belongs to Sphingidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Swinhoe's Striated Hawkmoth
Hippotion rosetta
Swinhoe's Striated Hawkmoth (Hippotion rosetta) belongs to Sphingidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Yam Hawkmoth
Theretra nessus
Theretra nessus is a large hawkmoth with a reported wingspan of 90–130 mm.
Elegant Sphinx
Sphinx perelegans
Elegant Sphinx (Sphinx perelegans) belongs to Sphingidae in the order Lepidoptera.
Pink-spotted Hawkmoth
Agrius cingulata
Pink-spotted Hawkmoth (Agrius cingulata) belongs to Sphingidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Plain Grey Hawkmoth
Psilogramma increta
Plain Grey Hawkmoth (Psilogramma increta) belongs to Sphingidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Chinese Yellow Swallowtail
Papilio xuthus
Chinese Yellow Swallowtail (Papilio xuthus) belongs to Papilionidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus
Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus) belongs to Hesperiidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Banana Skipper
Erionota thrax
Banana Skipper (Erionota thrax) belongs to Hesperiidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Kamehameha Butterfly
Vanessa tameamea
Kamehameha Butterfly (Vanessa tameamea) belongs to Nymphalidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) belongs to Nymphalidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis
American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis) belongs to Nymphalidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta
Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) belongs to Nymphalidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Gulf Fritillary
Dione vanillae
Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae) belongs to Nymphalidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Forbes' Kauaʻi Long-horned Beetle
Plagithmysus forbesianus
Plagithmysus forbesianus is the replacement name for the Kauaʻi beetle originally called P. forbesii by Perkins.
Kauaʻi ʻAhakea Long-horned Beetle
Plagithmysus permundus
Kauaʻi ʻAhakea Long-horned Beetle (Plagithmysus permundus) belongs to Cerambycidae in the order Coleoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Kauaʻi Annectant Long-horned Beetle
Plagithmysus annectans
The Hawaiian cerambycid literature uses Plagithmysus annectens for the Kauaʻi koa-associated beetle; the federal source imported into this record uses the spelling annectans.
Kauaʻi Band-legged Seed Bug
Neseis alternata
Neseis alternata is the Kauaʻi band-legged seed bug, described by Usinger in 1942.
Kauaʻi Disenochus Ground Beetle
Disenochus micantipennis
The beetle historically called Disenochus micantipennis is accepted in modern taxonomy as Blackburnia micantipennis.
Kauaʻi Eopenthes Click Beetle
Eopenthes kauaiensis
Eopenthes kauaiensis is a Kauaʻi click beetle described by Sharp in 1908.
Kauaʻi Flightless Stag Beetle
Apterocyclus honoluluensis
Kauaʻi Flightless Stag Beetle (Apterocyclus honoluluensis) belongs to Lucanidae in the order Coleoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Kauaʻi Forest Rhyncogonus Weevil
Rhyncogonus sylvicola
Kauaʻi Forest Rhyncogonus Weevil (Rhyncogonus sylvicola) belongs to Curculionidae in the order Coleoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Kauaʻi Holio Long-horned Beetle
Plagithmysus polystictus
Kauaʻi Holio Long-horned Beetle (Plagithmysus polystictus) belongs to Cerambycidae in the order Coleoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Kauaʻi Kalia Long-horned Beetle
Plagithmysus ignotus
Plagithmysus ignotus is associated with Elaeocarpus, the native tree known as kālia, in the Hawaiian host synthesis.
Kauaʻi Naʻenaʻe Philodoria Moth
Philodoria naenaeiella
Kauaʻi Naʻenaʻe Philodoria Moth (Philodoria naenaeiella) belongs to Gracillariidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Kauaʻi Nesomimesan Sphecid Wasp
Nesomimesa kauaiensis
Kauaʻi Nesomimesan Sphecid Wasp (Nesomimesa kauaiensis) belongs to Crabronidae in the order Hymenoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Kauaʻi Nesotocus Weevil
Nesotocus kauaiensis
Kauaʻi Nesotocus Weevil (Nesotocus kauaiensis) belongs to Curculionidae in the order Coleoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Kauaʻi Parti-colored Oliarus Planthopper
Oliarus consimilis
Oliarus consimilis was described from four males and a female collected in lower forest above Līhuʻe, at about 800 feet, in May 1923.
Kauaʻi Swamp Long-horned Beetle
Plagithmysus paludis
Plagithmysus paludis is a Kauaʻi longhorn beetle whose host remained unresolved in the historical host index.
Kauaʻi Thinfooted Bush Cricket
Thaumatogryllus variegatus
Kauaʻi Thinfooted Bush Cricket (Thaumatogryllus variegatus) belongs to Gryllidae in the order Orthoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Kauaʻi Yellow-faced Bee
Hylaeus kauaiensis
Kauaʻi Yellow-faced Bee (Hylaeus kauaiensis) belongs to Colletidae in the order Hymenoptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Ioxanthan Looper
Kauaiina ioxantha
Kauaiina ioxantha was described by Meyrick in 1899 as Xanthorhoe ioxantha from a single Kaholuamano specimen collected in April at 4,000 feet.
Kauaʻi Picture-wing Fly
Drosophila musaphilia
Kauaʻi Picture-wing Fly (Drosophila musaphilia) belongs to Drosophilidae in the order Diptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Drosophila kikiko
Drosophila kikiko
Drosophila kikiko belongs to Drosophilidae in the order Diptera. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Pacific Hawaiian Damselfly
Megalagrion pacificum
Pacific Hawaiian Damselfly (Megalagrion pacificum) belongs to Coenagrionidae in the order Odonata. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Orangeblack Hawaiian Damselfly
Megalagrion xanthomelas
Orangeblack Hawaiian Damselfly (Megalagrion xanthomelas) belongs to Coenagrionidae in the order Odonata. Its recorded origin status is endemic.
Acanthocoris sp. A
Acanthocoris sp. A
Acanthocoris sp. A belongs to Coreidae in the order Hemiptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Sweetpotato Bug
Physomerus grossipes
Sweetpotato Bug (Physomerus grossipes) belongs to Coreidae in the order Hemiptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Lesser Grass Blue
Zizina otis
Lesser Grass Blue (Zizina otis) belongs to Lycaenidae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Large Orange Sulphur
Phoebis agarithe
Large Orange Sulphur (Phoebis agarithe) belongs to Pieridae in the order Lepidoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Hylaeus strenuus
Hylaeus strenuus
Hylaeus strenuus belongs to Colletidae in the order Hymenoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
Ageniaspis citricola
Ageniaspis citricola
Ageniaspis citricola belongs to Encyrtidae in the order Hymenoptera. Its recorded origin status is introduced.
