Editing Lepidoptera (section)

=== Pests ===
[[File:Acronicta psi - caterpillar 320px.ogv|thumb|right|Caterpillar hatchling of the [[grey dagger]] (''Acronicta psi'') eating leaves from a tree]]
The [[larva]]e of many lepidopteran species are major pests in [[agriculture]]. Some of the major pests include [[Tortricidae]], [[Noctuidae]], and [[Pyralidae]]. The larvae of the Noctuidae genus ''[[Spodoptera]]'' (armyworms), ''[[Helicoverpa]]'' (corn earworm), or ''[[Pieris brassicae]]'' can cause extensive damage to certain crops.<ref name="scoble"/> ''[[Helicoverpa zea]]'' larvae (cotton bollworms or tomato fruitworms) are [[polyphagous]], meaning they eat a variety of crops, including [[tomato]]es and [[cotton]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/fieldcrops/insects/corn_earworm/index.html |title=IPM: Field Crops: Corn Earworm (Heliothis Zea) |first=Kelly A. |last=Cook |author2=Weinzier, R. |year=2004 |publisher=IPM |page=1 |access-date=17 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209184546/http://www.ipm.uiuc.edu/fieldcrops/insects/corn_earworm/index.html |archive-date=9 February 2009 }}</ref> ''[[Peridroma saucia]]'' (variegated cutworms) are described as one of the most damaging pests to gardens, with the ability to destroy entire gardens and fields in a matter of days.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Encyclopedia of Entomology|last=Capinera|first=John L.|date=2008|publisher=Springer Netherlands|isbn=9781402062421|editor-last=Capinera|editor-first=John L.|pages=4038–4041|language=en|doi=10.1007/978-1-4020-6359-6_3936|chapter = Variegated Cutworm, Peridroma saucia (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)}}</ref>

Butterflies and moths are one of the largest taxa to solely feed and be dependent on living plants, in terms of the number of species, and they are in many ecosystems, making up the largest biomass to do so. In many species, the female may produce anywhere from 200 to 600 eggs, while in some others it may go as high as 30,000 eggs in one day. This can create many problems for agriculture, where many caterpillars can affect acres of vegetation. Some reports estimate that there have been over 80,000 caterpillars of several different taxa feeding on a single oak tree. In some cases, phytophagous larvae can lead to the destruction of entire trees in relatively short periods of time.<ref name="Resh and Carde"/>{{Rp|567}}

Ecological ways of removing pest Lepidoptera species are becoming more economically viable, as research has shown ways like introducing parasitic wasps and flies. For example, ''[[Sarcophaga aldrichi]]'', a fly which deposited larvae feed upon the pupae of the [[forest tent caterpillar moth]]. Pesticides can affect other species other than the species they are targeted to eliminate, damaging the natural ecosystem.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Friendly Flies: Good News, Bad News |author=Hahn, Jeff |url=http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/YGLNews/YGLN-June1503.html |publisher=[[University of Minnesota]] |journal=Yard & Garden Line News |volume=5 |issue=9 |date=15 June 2003 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720092257/http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/YGLNews/YGLN-June1503.html |archive-date=20 July 2011 }}</ref> Another good biological pest control method is the use of [[pheromone trap]]s. A pheromone trap is a type of [[insect trap]] that uses [[pheromone]]s to lure [[insect]]s. Sex pheromones and aggregating pheromones are the most common types used. A pheromone-impregnated lure is encased in a conventional trap such as a Delta trap, [[pan trap|water-pan trap]], or funnel trap.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Insect Attractants and Traps |author1=Weinzierl, R. |author2=Henn, T. |author3=Koehler, P. G. |author4=Tucker, C. L. |url=http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in080 |publisher=Office of Agricultural Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |journal=Alternatives in Insect Management |series=Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida |date=June 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311182351/http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in080 |archive-date=11 March 2011 }}</ref>

Species of moths that are [[detritivore]]s would naturally eat [[detritus]] containing [[keratin]], such as [[hair]]s or [[feather]]s. Well known species are [[Tineidae|cloth moth]]s (''[[Tineola bisselliella|T. bisselliella]]'', ''[[Tinea pellionella|T. pellionella]]'', and ''[[Trichophaga tapetzella|T. tapetzella]]''), feeding on foodstuffs that people find economically important, such as [[cotton]], [[linen]], [[silk]] and wool [[fabric]]s as well as [[fur]]s; furthermore they have been found on shed [[feather]]s and [[hair]], [[bran]], [[semolina]] and [[flour]] (possibly preferring [[wheat]] flour), [[biscuit]]s, [[casein]], and [[insect]] specimens in [[museum]]s.<ref name="Garbe (1994)"/>