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 […]

As you can see, unlike many caterpillars that venture out on their own to feed, these guys like company and spend a large part of their caterpillar life with a bunch of friends in […]

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 […]

The Mourning Cloak is Montana’s state butterfly and one of the first butterflies we see each year (as early as March). After overwintering as an adult, these hardy butterflies will find a mate, lay eggs, and […]

These insects primarily feed on the leaves and seeds of box-elder, maple, and ash trees, using their long “beak” to suck the juices. Western Box Elders are “true bugs” –members […]

Some of the largest spiders encountered in Montana are wolf spiders (family Lycosidae). Most live on the ground and hunt for their prey at night. Long legs adapted for running, along […]