This stunning beetle’s name, auripennis, means “golden winged,” although they range from iridescent green to gold, with an uncommon black form. They are a type of Leaf Beetle (family Chrysomelidae), a […]

This strange looking beetle is likely the Black Meloe (Meloe niger). They are active primarily in April and May. As you might guess from their short, stubby wings, the adults are flightless ground-dwellers. […]

Move over Sara! Up until a few years ago, this beautiful butterfly was typically referred to as the Sara Orangetip (and still is according to just about every butterfly guide). […]

These small butterflies can be found in western Montana from May to mid-June in a variety of habitats, including mixed conifer/deciduous woodlands and bogs. Almost any place where acidic soils […]

According to Pacific Northwest Insects author Merrill A. Peterson, “Although we have many dung feeders, only one of those species (Canthon simplex) performs the famous and comical behavior of rolling dung balls. […]

We featured the Echo Azure about a month ago; since then they’ve been busy ensuring the next generation takes wing. This species of butterfly falls in a subfamily of butterflies known as […]

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 […]

We think this genus of beetles would be the perfect subject for a future Bug Bytes episode. These nondescript beetles spend much of their life inside an ant nest. Larvae help themselves to leftover scraps […]