Ethiopia contains exceptionally diverse landscapes ranging from Afro-montane highlands and forests to dry lowlands, savannas and intensively cultivated agricultural systems. These environmental gradients support a diverse insect fauna with major ecological, agricultural and conservation importance. This review examines Ethiopian entomology at species level, with particular emphasis on Lepidoptera as a relatively well-documented indicator group, while also considering economically important agricultural insects and post-harvest pests. A published national review recorded 2,438 Lepidoptera taxa in 48 families, including 664 endemic taxa, demonstrating both high diversity and substantial taxonomic distinctiveness. More recent field research at Wolaita Sodo University documented 50 day-flying Lepidoptera species from six families during 2022–2023, illustrating how local inventories can reveal substantial diversity even within relatively small landscapes. Agricultural entomology adds a second dimension: invasive and damaging species such as the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, have become important maize pests in Ethiopia, while diverse storage insects affect staple and export crops after harvest. The review synthesizes species richness, habitat associations, agricultural importance, identification methods and research gaps. Results indicate that Ethiopia requires stronger integration of classical taxonomy, specimen-based collections, DNA barcoding, ecological monitoring, geospatial analysis and farmer-oriented integrated pest management. A national species-level entomology strategy would improve biodiversity documentation while strengthening early detection and management of invasive and economically important insects.
Keywords:Ethiopia; entomology; insect species; Lepidoptera; butterflies; moths; insect biodiversity; endemic species; agricultural pests