At first glance, caddisflies look much like their closest living relatives—the moths and butterflies. How to tell the two groups (orders) apart? Zoom in on their wings and mouthparts. Moth […]

Tissue moths overwinter in caves where the temperature stays just above freezing, emerging in early spring. (We suspect that they wait out winter in other protected, temperature-stable locations, too.) A […]

Poison Hemlock Moths, and their sole host plant, Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum), were introduced from Europe. The plant arrived in North America in the 1800s, and the first recorded moth in […]

Perhaps you had some of these insects enter your home last fall. They weren’t looking to eat anything, just a warm place to hang out until spring. And maybe you […]

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 […]

Mourning Cloaks are extra special—they’re Montana’s state insect! They’re also relatively easy to identify in flight on account of their larger size, gold-yellow border, brilliant blue dots, and brownish-maroon interior. […]

Size: Wingspan 1 3/4 – 2 1/2 inches (4/5 – 6.4 cm) Photo by: Kelly Dix on 3/30/22 near Florence, MT

Size: Wingspan 1 5/8 – 1 7/8 inches (4.2 – 4.8 cm) Photo by: Kristi DuBois on 3/27/22 in Mineral County, MT