The Order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) includes about 160,000 described species, of which about 3,000 species occur in Florida. The larvae, caterpillars, feed mainly on plants, and as such, the order is the most diverse radiation of primarily phytophagous organisms.
Moths and butterflies have scales on their wings, a coiled proboscis to drink fluids, and prolegs on the larval abdomen. The order includes many economically important species, model organisms, biological control agents of weeds, and species of conservation concern.