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 […]

If you see a moth in an “airplane” or “T” perching posture, you can be certain it is a type of plume moth. Kristi got two nice shots that showcase […]

Allison and her son Rowan found a lot of these beetles hanging out under rocks on the banks of the Clark Fork River near the Tower St. access. The beetles […]

While these beautiful and delicate looking insects are harmless to humans, they are very capable predators that always seem to be hungry. And since they tend to feed on other […]

If you scour along the riverbank you’re likely to find molts (or exuviae) of dragonfly, damselfly, stonefly nymphs (naiads) clinging to rocks and vegetation. We’re not 100% sure what’s going […]

Peter discovered this mayfly going through its final molt in his kitchen. It must have flown into his house, which may give you pause, how did it have wings before its […]

These day-flying moths are very small, only about the size of a fingernail. They fly early in the spring, from March to late May in the Pacific Northwest. Their range […]

As far as beetles go, these guys are pretty small (ranging from 1/16 to a whopping 1/4 of an inch). Thanks to oversized hind legs, they are good jumpers—hence the […]

There are eight butterflies that you can find with regularity in western Montana this time of year: the Mourning Cloak, three different species of tortoiseshells, and four different species of […]

Plume moths are members of the micromoth group and have unusually modified wings. At rest, they look like a capital “T” or like a glider. They resemble a piece of dried […]