Lepidoptera or lepidopterans is an order of winged insects that includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organisms, making it the second largest insect order with 126 families and 46 superfamilies. and one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world.
Image: Peacock butterfly (Aglais io) 2
Image: Sphinx moth (Adhemarius gannascus)
Face of a caterpillar with the mouthparts showing
Caterpillar prolegs on Papilio machaon
The Pterygota are a subclass of insects that includes all winged insects and the orders that are secondarily wingless.
Pterygota