A review of butterflies depicted in ancient Egyptian tomb scenes and other artifacts dating from the predynastic period (c. 3000 BCE) until the end of the pharaonic era (c. 100 BCE) reveals a wide spectrum of stylistic changes over time. A cladistic analysis shows relative consistency of style during the Old Kingdom period, copying of old styles during the Middle Kingdom period, and a deviation from tradition during the New Kingdom period. The utility of a cladistic approach in assigning dates and localities to ancient Egyptian artifacts with unknown origins is demonstrated. We discuss lepidopteran symbolism in ancient Egypt, and investigate how some of these depictions may highlight historical shifts in species ranges since pharaonic times.

The eggs and larvae of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner), are widely used for mass rearing of parasitoids and predators. Life table parameters and digestive enzymatic activity (protease and α-amylase) of P. interpunctella were studied on bran of different wheat cultivars (‘Backcross Roshan’, ‘Khooshe Pishgam’, ‘Khoshki line 9’, ‘Arg’, ‘Alvand’, ‘Pishtaz’, ‘WS-89-2’, ‘Sepahan’ and ‘Bam’) when incorporated into artificial diets under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1°C, 65 ± 5% R.H., and a 16:8 h light-dark photoperiod). The net reproductive rate (R₀) of P. interpunctella was highest on ‘Backcross Roshan’ (78.05±4.80 female/ female/generation) and lowest on ‘Pishtaz’ (21.82±0.96 female/female/generation). The intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) ranged from 0.0520±0.0006 to 0.0836±0.0008 (day^-1), which was lowest on ‘Pishtaz’ and highest on ‘Backcross Roshan’. The highest and lowest levels of proteolytic activity were recorded in the fifth instar larvae fed with ‘Backcross Roshan’ (1.19 ± 0.16 U mg^-1) and ‘Bam’ (0.24 ± 0.08 U mg^-1). Also, the highest level of amylolytic activity was recorded on ‘Alvand’, ‘Backcross Roshan’, ‘Arg’ and ‘Khoshki line 9’ (0.85 ± 0.02, 0.83 ± 0.09, 0.78 ± 0.05, 0.77 ± 0.04 mU mg^-1, respectively) while the lowest activity was on ‘Sepahan’ and ‘Bam’ (0.36 ± 0.06 and 0.43 ± 0.06 mU mg^-1, respectively). The results show that, among the different wheat cultivars tested, ‘Backcross Roshan’ was the most suitable cultivar for rearing P. interpunctella, as an alternative host, in order to optimize the mass production of natural enemies.

Genus Atrytonopsis of the American Southwest and Mexico includes the distributionally anomalous species Atrytonopsis hianna of the eastern United States, which has given rise to a species that is, in addition, ecologically anomalous (not just for its genus but for US hesperiids generally): Atrytonopsis quinteri new species lives in sand dunes along a 50-km stretch of two North Carolina barrier islands (Bogue Banks and Bear Island) and on nearby man-made Radio Island. The oviposition site and larval foodplant of this skipper is the coastal grass Schizachyrium littorale, which thrives in the rigorous sand dune habitat. Atrytonopsis quinteri is bivoltine and locally abundant. Courtship can be cursory; larvae go through 6 instars; and adults have a notably distinctive facies but variable genitalia like those of A. hianna (except that some A. quinteri females more frequently express an extreme genitalic variant). Genitalia of this pair of species differ somewhat from those of their congeners, most of which are illustrated. Among these, female genitalia show that A. margarita revised status is a species separate from its current senior synonym, A. python. Atrytonopsis quinteri and A. hianna are geographically close to each other: at one point the intervening gap (mostly water and marsh) is no more than 5 km.

Two new species of Euptychia are described: Euptychia audacia Brévignon, Fratello & Nakahara n. sp. and Euptychia aquila Fratello, Nakahara & Brévignon n. sp. These two taxa, the recently described Euptychia marceli Brévignon, 2005 and E. roraima Nakahara, Fratello & Harvey, 2014, a quartet of Euptychia from the Guiana Shield region, are compared morphologically. New information on E. marceli Brévignon, 2005 is revealed, and the taxonomic status of E. rufocincta Weymer, 1911 is discussed including its possible synonymy with E. picea Butler, 1867.

Two new species, Syntomaula xanthofasciata n. sp. and S. flavoangulata n. sp. (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Cosmopterigidae) are described from Papua New Guinea and are associated with Neonauclea obversifolia (Valeton) Merr. & L.M. Perry, Uncaria appendiculata Benth., and Uncaria cordata (Lour.) Merr. (Rubiaceae). Macromorphological features and DNA barcodes provide corroborative evidence to diagnose these similarly patterned species. Illustrations of the wing pattern, wing venation, and male and female genitalia are provided. The distinctive yellow and brown forewing coloration is discussed with regard to potential mimicry.

Three new species of Idaea Treitschke, 1825 (Geometridae: Sterrhinae) are described and illustrated: Idaea knudsonaria n. sp., type locality Sierra Diablo Wildlife Management Area, Culberson County, Texas; Idaea kendallaria n. sp., type locality Santa Ana Refuge, Hidalgo County, Texas; and Idaea elizabetharia n. sp., type locality Madera Canyon, Santa Cruz County, Arizona. I. kendallaria has been reared on southern live oak, Quercus virginiana Miller.