Remember last week when I said that spring was in full swing? Even after living in Montana for over a decade, second winter always sneaks up on me. Call me an optimist, I guess. Regardless, the bugs persevere. (And hopefully, all our gardens will, too!)
Header Photo: Ground Spider in the family Gnaphosidae. Carolyn Taber, April 10th, 2024. Rattlesnake Wilderness Area, Missoula, MT.
Orange-winged Carpet Moth
Epirrhoe plebeculata
These small, inconspicuous moths belong to the family Geometridae. Moths in this family are more easily recognized by their larvae, which are commonly referred to as “inchworms.” Inchworms get their name from the way they move; they only exhibit prolegs at the end of the abdomen, which results in a jerky movement allowing them to “inch” along.
Connie Geiger, April 15th, 2024. Spokane Hills, Helena, MT.
Bronze Ground Beetle
Carabus nemoralis
Often one of the first beetles observed in the spring, C. nemoralis is commonly found under piles of decaying leaves leftover from the previous year. While non-native, gardeners welcome this ground beetle; they feed on common garden pests like slugs and their eggs.
Carolyn Taber, April 11th, 2024. Lower Rattlesnake, Missoula, MT.
Mining Bee
Andrena sp.
The genus Andrena contains over 1,500 species of bees, making it not only the largest genus of insects but of animals as a whole. They are docile, solitary, ground nesting bees with a preference for sandy soils. Despite their diversity, no known species are parasitoids or social, but if conditions are perfect, you may find several nesting in aggregations. These species overwinter as adults and emerge in early spring to mate and lay eggs. We only see one generation per year.
Sal Culotta, April 12th, 2024. St. Ignatius, MT.
Bandwing Grasshopper nymph
Subfamily Oedipodinae
Grasshopper ID is tough, and identifying them as nymphs is even harder! We can at least narrow this young nymph down the Oedipodinae subfamily: bandwing grasshoppers. Few grasshopper species overwinter as nymphs; they typically overwinter as eggs. When this nymph takes flight as an adult, its wings display bright colors, a method used to startle predators (and occasionally unsuspecting humans).
Connie Geiger, April 12th, 2024. Scratchgravel Hills, Helena, MT.
Running Crab Spider
Family Philodromidae
This attractive spider may look like a wolf spider at first – and even hunts down her prey in a similar fashion – but running crab spiders belong to a family all their own. Their cephalothorax has a more “flattened” shape than wolf spiders, and when compared side by side, they certainly seem “leggier.” These spiders are very active, and often found traversing plants (or in this case, rocks) to hunt their prey.
Carolyn Taber, April 10th, 2024. Rattlesnake Wilderness Area, Missoula, MT.
Cutworm and Dart Moths
Subfamily Noctuinae
Caterpillars are notoriously hard to ID, as they grow quickly and often change color and patterning as they increase in size. There is little information on this group of moths, with an unknown number of species across the globe. Cutworm and dart moths are diverse, with well over 400 species in North America alone.
Connie Geiger, April 12th, 2024. Scratchgravel Hills, Helena, MT.
Jumping Spider
Subfamily Salticinae
Is there anything more heartwarming than locking eyes with a jumping spider? These adorable “gateway spiders,” as we refer to them around the office, have massive eyes and excellent vision, relying on their eyesight to capture prey (as opposed to webs/touch, like most spiders). They do not construct webs, although they will deploy a silk dragline when exploring, so they always know their way around.
Caitlin Parke, April 11th, 2024.
Boulder, MT.
Echo Azure
Celastrina echo
This species of butterfly falls in a subfamily of butterflies known as “blues” because, well, the top-side of their wings is blue. As larvae, many butterflies in this subfamily “associate with ants; the ants provide protection from natural enemies in exchange for sugary secretions from specialized glands near the tail ends of the larvae” (Pacific Northwest Insects). They can be found in the western United States west from the Great Plains; southwestern Canada; and northern Mexico.
Kelly Dix, April 11th, 2024. Coyote Coulee, Hamilton, MT.
