If you spend even a brief amount of time watching what’s left of our blooming flowers, you’re bound to see a whole host of insects turn up. Most of this week’s photos come from the Rocky Mountain Gardens here at the G.W. Marks Exploration Center. On sunny days, pollinators take full advantage of the blooming bounty the gardens have to offer.
Submit your bug pictures to bugid@missoulabutterflyhouse.org (and remember to include your name, the date, and the location where you took the photo)!
Header Photo: Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)
Brenna Shea, October 9th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti
After emerging in late July and August and taking a short “summer hibernation,” Milbert’s are resuming activity before they overwinter. They, along with seven other hardy butterfly species in western Montana, have special “antifreeze chemicals” to survive winter. A cozy hibernaculum, which could be a hollow tree cavity, a crack in bark, or deep leaf litter, protects them from the elements. After literally chilling out for three months, they may be seen flying as early as mid-February on sunny, 50-degree days. In April, they are actively looking for food and mates. With little to no flowers around, they dine on oozing sap, as well as scat and mud for minerals and salt. All told, they can live nine to ten months.
Klara Briknarova, October 9th, 2024. Missoula, MT.
Woolly Aphid
Subfamily Eriosomatinae
On sunny fall afternoons, it sometimes looks like it is snowing. But it’s not snow; it’s the annual fall swarming of woolly aphids. These insects are tiny. If it were not for their woolly appearance, you might not notice them at all. Their appearance comes from white, cottony wax filaments they produce from special glands that make them appear like small, flying cotton balls. This wax helps prevent them from drying out, protects them from predators, and makes it easier for them to slip through and around plant hairs. There are many different species of woolly aphid, each specific to a host tree. They inhabit alder and maple, ash, and birch trees.
Brenna Shea, October 9th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
House Fly
Musca sp.
Flies, especially those in the Musca genus, are often regarded as house pests, but flies are important, often overlooked pollinators, and right now, they’re providing crucial pollinator services as some of our other more popular pollinators die off or settle in for winter. Flies dominate pollinator networks in harsh environments like the arctic, and some species are the sole pollinators of foods like chocolate! So don’t disregard them simply as pests. They are just as important as our more charismatic insects.
Brenna Shea, October 9th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Running Crab Spider
Apollophanes sp.
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 cepholothorax 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 walls, in this case) to hunt their prey.
Qin Yu, October 9th, 2024. Missoula, MT.
Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus
This relatively small butterfly (about 20-30 mm) is found across North and Central America in various habitats. It is truly cosmopolitan, ranging from cities to farmlands, tropical forests to mountains. It physically resembles the group of butterflies known as the blues but belongs to a separate subfamily, Theclinae. It is recognized by the orange and blue spots near the delicate tail-like extensions on its hind wings.
Klara Briknarova, October 8th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Plant Bug
Tribe Mirini
Most plant bugs (family Miridae) feed on vegetation and are herbivores, often feeding on a particular host tree or plant. Some prey on other invertebrates, and many are omnivores, feeding on both plants and invertebrates. As a group, they are typically small and delicate, with long, slender legs and antennae, and have a special crease in the front wing.
Brenna Shea, October 7th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Furrow Bee
Halictus sp.
Many species of furrow bees in the genus Halictus are eusocial (living in cooperative colonies), with nest sizes ranging from 2 to over 200 bees. Furrow bees are docile and will only sting if they are repeatedly harassed. The sting is not very painful; the Schmidt Pain Index describes their sting as “light, ephemeral, almost fruity. As if a tiny spark has singed a single hair on your arm.”
Brenna Shea, October 9th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Western Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
Our pollinators aren’t wasting any time in wrapping up their duties this season. Western honey bees, while a non-native species, are one of the most recognizable bees in our gardens. As generalist pollinators, the 10-15 mm long bees will gather nectar and pollen from just about any flower they can find. On fruitful afternoons, you can easily spot the large pollen baskets on their hind legs. They then haul the pollen back to their hive to feed their young.
Lisa Winn, October 9th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Blow Fly
Family Calliphoridae
Blow flies (also known as carrion flies, greenbottle or bluebottle flies) are stunning representatives of the order Diptera, flashing gorgeous metallic blues and greens; a striking contrast from their preferred food sources which usually consist of decaying carcasses. But occasionally you’ll find a blow fly sipping nectar from flowers – the more “fragrant,” the better. Nectar provides the carbs required to power flight, while carcasses provide the protein boost this group needs to produce eggs.
Brenna Shea, October 9th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Black-margined Flower Fly
Syrphus opinator
Many Syrphid Flies do a great job at making you think you’re dealing with a wasp, hornet, or bee. Often seen hovering near or perched on flowers, the adults feed on pollen and nectar. Depending on the species, larvae feed on decaying plant or animal matter, other insects (aphids and leafhoppers) and play important roles in natural pest control. Hoverflies are also important pollinators for a variety of wild plants and agricultural crops around the world. While different species may show a preference for specific flowers, they appear to prefer white and yellow colored flowers.
Brenna Shea, October 7th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
