Blood, Sweat, and Tears: A Review of the Hematophagous, Sudophagous, and Lachryphagous Lepidoptera

ORCID

Goddard: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2617-7141

MSU Affiliation

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology and Plant Pathology

Creation Date

2026-09-30

Abstract

Although adult Lepidoptera are not often considered medically relevant, some butterflies and moths are notorious for their consumption of mammalian body fluids. These Lepidoptera can be blood-feeding (hematophagous), tear-feeding (lachryphagous), or sweat-feeding (we use the term "sudophagous"). Blood-feeding Lepidoptera have been observed piercing the skin of their hosts during feeding, while tear-feeding Lepidoptera have been observed frequenting the eyes of hosts in order to directly obtain lachrymal fluid. These behaviors have negative human health implications and some potential for disease transmission. In this study, articles concerning feeding behavior of blood, sweat, and tear-feeding Lepidoptera were reviewed, with emphasis on correlations between morphological characters and feeding behaviors. Harmful effects and vector potential of these Lepidoptera are presented and discussed. © 2013 The Society for Vector Ecology.

Keywords

blood-feeding, disease potential, Lepidoptera, medical effects, moths

Publication Date

11-11-2013

Publication Title

Journal of Vector Ecology

Publisher

Society for Vector Ecology

First Page

289

Last Page

294

Rights

© 2013 The Society for Vector Ecology

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Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1948-7134.2013.12042.x