4 insects starting with the letter P — each with origin, classification, and notes.
If you've been searching for insects that start with P, you'll find 4 detailed insects below. We're not interested in giving you only a list of names — every entry on this page links to a full profile with the kind of detail you'd actually want to know.
For insects, that means taxonomy, habitat, diet, life cycle, and ecological role.
| Pill Bug | Pine Weevil | Punkie | Puss Moth |
A land-dwelling crustacean — not an insect but an isopod — that rolls into a perfect sphere when threatened, lives in moist soil and leaf litter, and plays an essential role in breaking down decaying plant matter.
The most economically damaging forest pest in Europe — the large pine weevil is a dark, mottled brown weevil whose adults feed on the bark of young conifer trees, girdling and killing transplanted seedlings; it is the primary threat to commercial conifer replanting across Scandinavia and northern Europe, where it can destroy entire newly planted coupes; adults feed at night, concealing themselves under bark and debris by day.
A regional Northeastern U.S. name for tiny biting midges, especially common in coastal Maine and the Maritime provinces — small enough to bite through screens and disproportionately painful for their size.
A large, furry, pale grey moth whose caterpillar is one of the most extraordinary in Britain — vivid green with a dark saddle, a fierce face-like pattern, and two whip-like tails that it waves when threatened; adults are beautifully marked with grey and cream patterning and are among the most striking moths of woodland edges and riverside willows.
That's our current list of insects starting with the letter P. We add new entries every week — if you have a favorite insect starting with P that isn't on this page, let us know and we'll write it up.
Looking for more? Try insects that end with P, or contain P anywhere in the name.