Soldier Beetles (Cantharidae) are also called Leatherwings for their soft flexible wing covers (elytra). Flat, long, and velvety, soldier beetles have brown to black bodies often marked with red or […]

Tachinid flies are mostly robust flies with spiny abdomens. Adult tachinid flies prefer sucking up sweet nectar from flowers, but larvae prefer protein. Of the 1,345 species of tachinid flies in North America, larvae are […]

This is our most widespread silkmoth in the US. It is also one of our largest, with a wingspan of up to 6 inches. Like our other giant silkmoths, males have […]

We couldn’t find a lot of information for this beetle, but we do know that it can perform the family’s signature click trick. Gently pick one up and you’ll not only hear the clicking […]

What looks like an aphid that’s ready to explode is actually what’s left over after being parasitized by a Braconid wasp (family Braconidae, subfamily Aphidiinae). Braconid wasps are tiny, only about 1/8 […]

The honey bee was one of the first domesticated insects and is the primary species kept by beekeepers for honey production and pollination services. Thanks to their domestication, they can […]

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 Boisduval’s is a larger blue, approaching one and half inches and is on the wing in late spring into summer in a wide variety of habitats (mountain meadows, forest openings, […]

The eyespot on the underside of the forewing can often help identify this relatively small butterfly, but as with all things, they vary a lot. The color of their wings […]

Havilah shares, “Camping along the Lochsa and these were swarming around us!” What a cool experience! The Pale Swallowtail is the only whitish (off-white to rich oucre) and black swallowtail […]