What’s Buzzin’

What can you see around Western Montana right now?

Crane Flies (family Tipulidae)

Kelly managed to snap photos of two species of crane flies, with one nectaring. With their slender body and stilt-like legs, crane flies kind of look like mosquitoes on steroids. But […]

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Nomad Bee (genus Nomada)

There are about 280 species of Nomad Bees in North America. They are evolutionarily unique because they do not collect pollen to feed their offspring. Instead, they steal it. They […]

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Broad-nosed Weevil (Otiorhynchus raucus)

This beetle resides in the snout and bark beetle family (Curculionidae), the most speciose family, boasting more than 60,000 species worldwide. The elbowed, clubbed antennae are unique to this group, […]

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Ichneumon Wasp (family Ichneumonidae)

There are well over 3,300 species of Ichneumon wasps north of Mexico, making their identification difficult. Placing them in the family is more straightforward. Ichneumons have a lot of segments […]

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Slender Crab Spider (genus Tibellus)

We believe this may be Tibellus oblongus, one of seven species of Tibellus in North America north of Mexico. Slender crab spiders are ambush hunters, almost always found lying in wait on stems, […]

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Sigmoid Prominent (Clostera albosigma)

These elegant-looking moths can be found coast-to-coast in the US and southern Canada, but tend to be rare in the southeastern states. The caterpillars feed on poplar, willow, and aspen […]

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The Joker (Feralia jocosa)

After developing in a pupa prior to winter, these green beauties are now on the wing (from March to June). Not always green, they will turn dark yellow when exposed […]

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