Margined Whites can be found west of the Great Plains from British Columbia and Alberta south to central California, southern Arizona, and southern New Mexico. The caterpillars feed on native […]
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What can you see around Western Montana right now?
Nomad Bee (genus Nomada)
There are about 280 species of Nomad Bees in North America. They are evolutionarily unique because they do not collect pollen to feed their offspring. Instead, they steal it. They […]
Read MoreBroad-nosed Weevil (Otiorhynchus raucus)
This beetle resides in the snout and bark beetle family (Curculionidae), the most speciose family, boasting more than 60,000 species worldwide. The elbowed, clubbed antennae are unique to this group, […]
Read MoreAphodiine Dung Beetle (subfamily Aphodiinae)
Living up to its name, this beetle was found on dung (of the dog variety). You’ll also note there are some hitchhikers. We believe these are phoretic mites — mites […]
Read MoreIchneumon Wasp (family Ichneumonidae)
There are well over 3,300 species of Ichneumon wasps north of Mexico, making their identification difficult. Placing them in the family is more straightforward. Ichneumons have a lot of segments […]
Read MoreSlender Crab Spider (genus Tibellus)
We believe this may be Tibellus oblongus, one of seven species of Tibellus in North America north of Mexico. Slender crab spiders are ambush hunters, almost always found lying in wait on stems, […]
Read MoreSigmoid Prominent (Clostera albosigma)
These elegant-looking moths can be found coast-to-coast in the US and southern Canada, but tend to be rare in the southeastern states. The caterpillars feed on poplar, willow, and aspen […]
Read MoreThe Joker (Feralia jocosa)
After developing in a pupa prior to winter, these green beauties are now on the wing (from March to June). Not always green, they will turn dark yellow when exposed […]
Read MoreGiant Water Bug (Lethocerus americanus)
At up to about 3 inches in length, they truly are giant. They are commonly called “toe biters,” because as a type of true bug (piercing / sucking mouthparts) they […]
Read MorePine Needle Weevil (Pachyrhinus elegans)
The Pine Needle Weevil is a type of broad-nosed weevil, like the beetle featured at the beginning of the report. This little guy (less than ¼ inch) ranges across the […]
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