With bright orange coloration behind the head and underneath the abdomen, this species of giant stonefly can grow up to 3 inches in length.They are weak, uncoordinated-looking flyers—looking like they […]
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What can you see around Western Montana right now?
Mining Bee, male (genus Andrena)
Andrenas are commonly referred to as “mining bees,” because they construct underground nests. If you scour the ground along park trails, you may spy the holes of Andrena nests, usually […]
Read MoreWestern Encephalitis Mosquito, female (Culex tarsalis)
We appreciate Kristi’s willingness to photograph an insect that typically receives a different sort of greeting. Adults are really quite elegant, with many species covered in iridescent scales and males […]
Read MoreMason Bee (genus Osmia)
There are about 150 species of mason bees in North America. They tend to be metallic green, blue-black, or blue-green in color and have beefy little bodies. Most species are […]
Read MoreBlue Orchard Mason Bee, male (Osmia lignaria)
There are about 150 species of mason bees in North America. They tend to be metallic green, blue-black, or blue-green in color and have beefy little bodies. Most species are […]
Read MoreSweat Bee (family Halictidae)
Some species of sweat bees are attracted to our sweat, alighting on our skin and lapping it up for moisture and salt. They sometimes sting if disturbed, though the sting is not very painful. […]
Read MoreEcho Azure (Celastrina echo)
This species of butterfly falls in a subfamily of butterflies known as the blues because …well, the top-side of their wings is blue in color. They are generally one of the first blues seen […]
Read MoreThin-legged Wolf Spider (genus Pardosa)
Some of the largest spiders encountered in Montana are wolf spiders …and when you see one carrying around a blue, pea-sized “golf ball,” you take notice. Wolf spider mothers attach […]
Read MoreStonefly Naiads (order Plecoptera)
Before taking to the air, stoneflies develop on the beds of rivers and streams. In this case, the scenic Blackfoot River. Stonefly nymphs (called naiads) can be readily identified by […]
Read MoreColorful Zale Moth (Zale minerea)
The Colorful Zale Moth is on the wing in spring and early summer in mixed hardwood-conifer forest at lower elevations. They are nocturnal and attracted to lights, so you may […]
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