This unique species of lady beetle has a descriptive, but gruesome, common name. Being all black in color, except for two red dots in the center of each wing cover […]

Our best guess for this immature bug (nymph) is a Conchuela Bug. These stink bugs come in a range of colors—olive-green, brown, gray, or black, with southern populations darker across their western North […]

These small, tawny orange butterflies start to emerge in mid to late summer and can be found in just about any habitat; including sagebrush, woodland clearings, gardens, and small streams. Caterpillars […]

The Western Pond Fly is a type of flower fly (family Syrphidae) that does a pretty convincing job of mimicking a yellowjacket, down to the wings. Yellowjackets and their relatives (subfamily […]

The Drone Fly was introduced to North America from Eurasia prior to 1874 and is now found throughout most of the world. The adults are European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) […]

If you’ve ever noticed nearly perfect ovals, circles or semicircles cut out of leaves (and even flowers), you might have some leafcutter bees nearby. These small bees readily inhabit “bee […]

We were thrilled to see this caterpillar in our inbox, as this species is uncommon (BugGuide). Paddle Caterpillars are so-named for the pairs of long black hairs with flattened tips that resemble paddles. […]

Cathy observed these caterpillars feeding on her Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea), an attractive shrub with ruby-colored twigs. Western Red-humped Caterpillars are generalist hardwood feeders and choose from a wide […]

If you find a green tree cricket in North America, you can be certain it is in the genus Oecanthus. Most can be identified to species by examining the markings on the underside of […]

Shield-backed Katydids (subfamily Tettigoniinae) have a “shield” that extends back over their wings, which are usually short. They often sport brown or black coloration to blend in with their environment […]