16 Insects That Start With E, From Earwigs to Eastern Tiger Swallowtails
October 26, 2026
Insects that start with E form a bigger group than most people expect. The InsectIdentification.org database lists 55 entries under the letter E, and WhatStartsWith.com counts 79 in its own list. The names range from garden pests to some of North America’s most graceful butterflies.
This article profiles 16 of them. Twelve of the 16 begin with “Eastern,” the common-name prefix for species tied to the eastern half of North America, so the list suits American backyards, woodlots, and gardens well. The other four are the earwig, the Eyed Paectes, the Eggplant Flea Beetle, and the Ebony Jewelwing.
The group includes pollinators, predators, a wood-eating termite, and a few insects that bite or sting. The table below gives a quick comparison, and the profiles follow in order.
| Insect | Group | Typical Habitat | Role for People |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earwig | Earwig | Damp mulch, garden debris | Mixed: nuisance and predator |
| Eastern Yellowjacket | Wasp | Underground nests, woodland edges | Stinging pest, predator |
| Eyed Paectes | Moth | Woodlands, forest edges | Harmless |
| Eggplant Flea Beetle | Beetle | Vegetable gardens | Crop pest |
| Eastern Subterranean Termite | Termite | Soil, decaying wood | Structural pest |
| Ebony Jewelwing | Damselfly | Wooded streams | Harmless predator |
| Eastern Tiger Swallowtail | Butterfly | Woodlands, gardens | Pollinator |
| Eastern Tent Caterpillar | Moth (larva) | Wild cherry, apple trees | Cosmetic tree pest |
| Eastern Shieldback | Katydid | Woodland leaf litter | Harmless |
| Eastern Pondhawk | Dragonfly | Ponds, marshes | Predator of small pests |
| Eastern Hercules Beetle | Beetle | Hardwood forests | Harmless |
| Eastern Eyed Click Beetle | Beetle | Rotting logs | Harmless |
| Eastern Comma | Butterfly | Woodland edges | Harmless |
| Eastern Carpenter Bee | Bee | Wooden structures, gardens | Pollinator and wood borer |
| Eastern Treehole Mosquito | Mosquito | Tree holes, containers | Biting pest |
| Eastern Blood-sucking Conenose | True bug | Woodrat nests, wooded areas | Biting insect |
1. Earwig
Earwigs are probably the best-known insects that start with E, mostly because of the pincers on the tail end. The European earwig (Forficula auricularia) is the species most American gardeners meet. It hides under flowerpots, boards, and wet mulch during the day.
Earwigs are characterized by pincer-like cerci on the abdomen. Contrary to popular belief, they do not crawl into human ears. They are mostly nocturnal omnivores that eat a mix of plants and insects. The pincers help with catching prey, defense, and courtship. Per this insect vocabulary page, the ear-crawling story is a myth.
Common Mistake: Treating every earwig in the garden as a pest. They eat aphids and other small insects, though large numbers can also chew seedlings and soft petals. Removing damp debris near foundations and beds usually reduces numbers without chemicals.
2. Eastern Yellowjacket
The Eastern yellowjacket (Vespula maculifrons) is a black-and-yellow wasp that most Americans meet at late-summer picnics. Workers measure roughly half an inch long and have a narrow waist and a smooth, shiny body. Unlike honey bees, they can sting repeatedly.
Colonies usually nest underground, often in abandoned rodent burrows. In spring a lone queen starts the nest, and the colony grows through summer. Early-season workers hunt caterpillars and flies, which makes them useful predators. By late summer they shift toward sugar and scavenge from soda cans, fruit, and garbage bins.
Gardeners and hikers often step on hidden entrances by accident. For more alphabet-based bug names, the list of insects that start with H covers hornets and other relatives worth comparing.
Important Note: Nests should be left alone. A licensed pest professional can remove one safely, and anyone stung who develops trouble breathing, facial swelling, or dizziness should seek emergency medical care.
3. Eyed Paectes
The Eyed Paectes (Paectes oculatrix) is a small, mottled moth in the family Euteliidae. Its name points to the eye-like marking on its forewings. It is easy to overlook, since it rests with its wings folded against bark and leaves.
Adults fly at night and often show up around porch lights in warm months. InsectIdentification.org lists it last among its E entries, which makes it a handy end marker for anyone working through the alphabet.
Like most moths, it is harmless to people and homes. It matters mostly as a food source for bats, birds, and spiders. Moth watchers can attract it and similar species with a white sheet and a light on a summer night.
4. Eggplant Flea Beetle
The Eggplant flea beetle (Epitrix fuscula) is a tiny black beetle that causes outsized damage in vegetable gardens. Adults measure only about a sixteenth of an inch. They jump like fleas when disturbed, thanks to enlarged hind legs.
Adults chew many small round holes in leaves, leaving a “shothole” pattern on eggplant, potato, and tomato. Young transplants suffer most because they have little leaf area to spare. The larvae feed on roots underground, though that damage usually goes unnoticed.
Home gardeners have several low-cost options:
- Cover seedlings with floating row cover until they are well established.
- Plant a few extra seedlings as a sacrificial border.
- Remove weeds in the nightshade family, which shelter the beetles.
- Rotate eggplant to a new bed each year.
5. Eastern Subterranean Termite
The Eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes) is the most widespread termite in the eastern United States. Workers are pale and soft-bodied, and they live in underground colonies that need moisture. They eat wood from the inside out, so damage can stay hidden for years.
In spring, mature colonies release winged reproductives, called swarmers, which often emerge on warm days after rain. Swarmers look similar to flying ants. Termites have straight antennae, a thick waist, and four wings of equal length.
Homeowners can check for these signs:
- Pencil-width mud tubes running up foundation walls or crawl-space piers.
- Discarded translucent wings near windowsills or doors after a spring swarm.
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped with a screwdriver handle.
- Blistered or sagging paint or flooring near damp areas.
Key Insight: Eastern subterranean termites are natural recyclers in forests, where they break down fallen logs. They become pests only when colonies find a way into a structure, so fixing leaks and keeping wood off the soil is the best prevention.
6. Ebony Jewelwing
The Ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) is one of the most eye-catching damselflies in eastern North America. Males have a metallic green-blue body and solid black wings. Females have dark brown wings with a small white spot near each tip.
These damselflies live along shaded, slow-moving woodland streams. They flutter in a loose, butterfly-like way and often perch on streamside leaves with their wings partly open. They catch small flies, gnats, and mosquitoes in the air, so they are a welcome sight near water.
Males defend small stretches of stream and court females with wing displays. Readers who like shiny insect names can also browse the list of insects that start with J.
7. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
The Eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) is among the most recognizable butterflies in the country. It is native to North America and common in many habitats across the eastern United States. Its wingspan runs from 3½ to 5½ inches, with yellow wings crossed by black “tiger” stripes and long tails on the hindwings.
Females come in two forms. One is yellow like the male. The other is dark, with faint stripes and blue scaling on the hindwings. Black-form females are common in the south and less common in Minnesota. Males often gather at mud puddles to drink minerals, a behavior called puddling.
The species ranks high among common butterflies in Minnesota. It tops the list of commonly reported butterflies and moths on Butterflies and Moths of North America’s Minnesota page. The Minnesota Seasons profile adds identification details and notes the species is not listed as a conservation concern in the state.
Pro Tip: For the best places to see butterflies in Minnesota, check woodland edges, damp stream banks, and prairie gardens with native nectar plants on sunny mornings in mid-summer. Swallowtails favor flowers such as milkweed and wild bergamot, and they linger at muddy patches.
Tiger-themed names are easy to find for readers who enjoy the stripes. The list of animals that start with T has more.
8. Eastern Tent Caterpillar
The Eastern tent caterpillar (Malacosoma americanum) is a native moth whose larvae build silken tents in early spring. The tents sit in the forks of wild cherry, crabapple, and other trees in the rose family. The caterpillars are hairy and black, with a white stripe down the back and blue and orange markings along the sides.
They leave the tent several times a day to feed on leaves, then return to rest and shelter. By early summer the caterpillars wander off to spin cocoons, and the brown adult moths appear a few weeks later. Females lay shiny, dark egg masses that wrap around twigs and overwinter.
Healthy trees usually grow a second set of leaves after defoliation. Burning tents in the tree is a common mistake, since it can scorch the branch. Tent caterpillars are often confused with fall webworms, but the two differ in timing and tent placement.
| Feature | Eastern Tent Caterpillar | Fall Webworm |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Spring | Late summer into fall |
| Tent Location | Forks of branches | Ends of branches |
| Feeding Habit | Leaves the tent to feed | Feeds inside the web |
9. Eastern Shieldback
The Eastern shieldback (Atlanticus pachymerus) is a stocky katydid that spends most of its life near the ground. Its short, rounded wings are useless for flight, and a broad, shield-like plate covers the front of its body. Mottled brown coloring helps it blend into leaf litter.
It lives in woodlands and shady thickets across much of the eastern United States. It is mostly active at night and eats leaves, seeds, and dead insects. In late summer and fall, males call from the forest floor, adding to the nighttime chorus.
Because it hides by day, most people find one only by accident while raking leaves or moving logs. It poses no threat to gardens or homes. Other animals with shield-like names turn up in the list of animals that start with S.
10. Eastern Pondhawk
The Eastern pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis) is a fast, aggressive dragonfly that patrols ponds, marshes, and slow streams. Females and young males are bright green with dark bands along the abdomen. Mature males turn a pale powder blue with a green face.
Pondhawks often perch on the ground, lily pads, or low plants and then dash out to grab prey. Their menu includes mosquitoes, flies, butterflies, and even other dragonflies. That appetite makes them a helpful predator around backyard ponds.
Anyone hoping to spot one can use these tips:
- Look low, near the water’s edge, rather than high in the air.
- Visit on warm, sunny afternoons from late spring through summer.
- Walk slowly, since perched pondhawks are easily startled.
For other predators with a P name, see the list of animals that start with P.
11. Eastern Hercules Beetle
The Eastern Hercules beetle (Dynastes tityus) is one of the largest beetles in North America. Males carry a long horn on the thorax and a shorter one on the head, and they can approach 2.5 inches with horns included. Females lack horns.
The wing covers are usually greenish-gray or olive with black blotches. The shade can shift with humidity, which surprises people who find one on a dry day versus a wet one. Adults fly at night and come to lights in summer.
The larvae are large white grubs that live in rotting hardwood logs and stumps and take a year or more to mature. The species lives in eastern and southeastern forests. It is harmless to people and gardens, and rotting logs left in a yard give the grubs a place to grow.
12. Eastern Eyed Click Beetle
The Eastern eyed click beetle (Alaus oculatus) wears a defense that looks like a pair of owl eyes. Two large black spots ringed in white sit on the thorax, and they can startle birds and other predators. The body is mottled gray and black and reaches about an inch and a half in length.
Click beetles are named for the sound they make when they flip themselves into the air. The sequence works like this:
- The beetle lands on its back and arches its body.
- A peg on the front of the thorax locks into a notch below it.
- The peg releases suddenly, snapping the body and launching the beetle upward.
The larvae are predators that live in rotting logs and eat the grubs of other wood-boring beetles. Adults are nocturnal and sometimes come to porch lights. They are harmless to people.
13. Eastern Comma
The Eastern comma (Polygonia comma) is a medium-sized butterfly with jagged, ragged-looking wing edges. The upper surface is orange with dark spots. The underside is brown and mottled like a dead leaf, with a thin silver mark shaped like a comma.
Unlike most butterflies, it overwinters as an adult, tucked into bark crevices or woodpiles. On warm days in early spring it is among the first butterflies to appear. It rarely visits flowers, preferring tree sap, rotting fruit, and animal dung. The caterpillars feed on nettles, hops, and elms.
The species is among the butterflies native to Minnesota. Both Minnesota Seasons and InsectIdentification.org list it among the state’s butterflies. Among Minnesota butterfly species, the best-known is the monarch. The official state butterfly of Minnesota is the Monarch, according to Butterfly Identification. The Minnesota monarch butterfly makes a long migration south each fall, while the comma tends to stay put and hibernate.
14. Eastern Carpenter Bee
The Eastern carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica) is a large, robust bee that often hovers around wooden decks, eaves, and porch rails in spring. It looks like a bumble bee, but the top of its abdomen is bare and shiny black rather than fuzzy and yellow. Males have a pale patch on the face and cannot sting, though they hover aggressively near people.
Females drill neat, round entrance holes about half an inch wide into bare or weathered softwood. They then turn and tunnel along the grain to make nest galleries. The bees do not eat the wood, but repeated nesting over many years can weaken it. Sawdust piles and yellowish stains below a hole are the usual signs.
Carpenter bees are also useful pollinators, and they sometimes cut into the base of tubular flowers to reach nectar. Painting or sealing exposed wood makes it much less attractive.
Common Mistake: Confusing carpenter bees with bumble bees. A quick check of the abdomen settles it: bare and glossy means carpenter bee, fuzzy means bumble bee.
15. Eastern Treehole Mosquito
The Eastern treehole mosquito (Aedes triseriatus) is a small, dark mosquito with silvery-white markings on its legs and body. As the name suggests, females lay eggs in water-filled holes in hardwood trees. They also use artificial containers such as old tires, buckets, and clogged gutters.
Unlike many mosquitoes that bite at dusk, this species is active during the day, mostly in and near woodlots. It can carry La Crosse virus, a cause of encephalitis that public health agencies track in the Midwest and Appalachia. Most infections are mild, but severe cases occur mainly in children.
Reducing habitat is the most effective control:
- Empty or cover containers that hold standing water at least once a week.
- Drill drainage holes in tires used as planters or swings.
- Fill accessible tree cavities with sand or mulch, or have a certified arborist treat them.
- Wear repellent registered with the EPA when walking in wooded areas during the day.
16. Eastern Blood-Sucking Conenose
The Eastern blood-sucking conenose (Triatoma sanguisuga) is a kissing bug found in the southeastern and central United States. It is dark brown to black with reddish-orange or yellowish markings around the edge of the abdomen. A cone-shaped head with a long beak gives the insect its name.
Most conenoses live in nests of woodrats and other wildlife and feed on their blood. Adults fly at night and are drawn to lights, so they sometimes end up on porches and in homes. They can bite sleeping people, often on exposed skin, and the bite may go unnoticed at first.
The species can carry the parasite that causes Chagas disease, although transmission to people in the United States is rare. Anyone who finds one should avoid crushing it, place it in a container, and contact a local health department or extension office for identification.
Important Note: This article is educational and not medical advice. Anyone bitten who develops a severe allergic reaction, fever, or swelling should contact a healthcare provider.
These 16 insects that start with E cover nearly every ecological role, from the soil-dwelling termite to the airborne swallowtail. Some, like the carpenter bee and pondhawk, help gardens. Others, like the flea beetle and conenose, call for a closer watch.
Readers who want to keep building their alphabet knowledge can try the lists of animals that start with D and animals that start with V. A hand lens, a notebook, and a few slow walks along a woodland edge are usually enough to find several of these insects close to home.