The lowest level you can ID to is a good choice. “Moths and Butterflies” is a good choice for caterpillars*, and so would any higher level. So would a family or lower level if you can ID it there correctly. (If you ID’d it at a lower level and somebody moved it to “Moths and Butterflies” they likely thought the lower level ID was wrong and moved it up to what they were confident was right. Of course, maybe they were wrong.) The default identification for a beetle should definitely be “Beetles” – unless it’s a True Bug or some other kind of insect, or at least the identifier thinks it is. Many of us who do a lot of identifications move fast and don’t leave explanations. If you want one, please ask the identifier. Most of us are happy to explain for people who actually care enough to ask. So many people don’t.
- *yes, I know some of the caterpillars I ID to “Moths and Butterflies” turn out to be Sawflies, but identifiers seem able to cope with that, though sometimes not graciously.