Things are truly buzzin’ now! We’ve reached that time of year when bug fanatics are at serious risk of giving themselves whiplash from trying to catch a glimpse of the insects whizzing by. Remember bug fans: slow down, take a beat, and sit by some flowers for a bit. They’ll come to you!
Submit your bug pictures to bugid@missoulabutterflyhouse.org (and remember to include your name, the date, and the location where you took the photo)!
Header Photo: Goldenrod Leaf Miner Beetle (Microrhopala vittata). Kelly Dix, April 14th, 2025. Lolo, MT.
Greater Bee Fly
Bombylius major
It’s easy to see where the greater bee fly gets its name. This widespread fuzzy fly is easily mistaken for a bumblebee as it darts from flower to flower, collecting nectar. Greater bee flies are spectacular aviators, exhibiting a unique flight technique known as “yawing.” Yawing allows the fly to rotate on a vertical axis, making their movements unpredictable and difficult to track. Adults emerge in early spring, and are usually seen from March – May.
Brenna Shea, April 15th, 2025. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Satyr Comma
Polygonia satyrus
Commas, so named for the white “comma” on the cryptically-patterned underside of their wings, can be some of the trickiest butterflies to identify. Luckily, the species the Satyr Comma is most often confused with, the Eastern Comma (Polygonia comma), is not found in Montana. Commas are hardy, long-lived butterflies. They mature in late summer and early autumn and overwinter in their adult stage. They emerge in the spring to mate and lay eggs; because of their long lifespan, adults can be seen year-round, although they are less common in late spring and early summer.
Kelly Dix, April 13th, 2025. Larry Creek, Florence, MT.
Stink Bug
Chlorochroa sp.
Stink bugs in the Chlorochroa genus are difficult to differentiate without dissection, but all 20 species have one thing in common: they stink. However, the composition of their defensive “stink” varies between species. As true bugs, they have piercing and sucking mouthparts that they use to pierce and consume plant tissues.
Kelly Dix, April 14th, 2025. Lolo, MT.
Bandwing Grasshopper Nymph
Subfamily Oedipodinae
Identifying grasshoppers can be challenging, and ID’ing them as nymphs is even more challenging. We can at least narrow this young nymph down to the Oedipodinae subfamily: bandwing grasshoppers. Few grasshopper species overwinter as nymphs; they typically overwinter as eggs. When this nymph takes flight as an adult, its wings display bright colors, a method used to startle predators (and occasionally unsuspecting humans).
Jean Pocha, April 5th, 2025. Helmville, MT.
Bronze Ground Beetle
Carabus nemoralis
Often one of the first beetles observed in the spring, C. nemoralis, the bronze or European ground beetle, is commonly found under piles of decaying leaves leftover from the previous year. While non-native, gardeners welcome this ground beetle; they feed on common garden pests like slugs and their eggs.
Kelly Dix, April 14th, 2025. Lolo, MT.
Jumping Spider
Subfamily Salticinae
Is there anything more heartwarming than locking eyes with a jumping spider? These adorable “gateway spiders,” as we refer to them around the office, have massive eyes and excellent vision, relying on their eyesight to capture prey (as opposed to webs/touch, like most spiders). They do not construct webs, although they will deploy a silk dragline when exploring, so they always know their way around.
Brenna Shea, April 15th, 2025. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Mason Bee
Osmia sp.
There are about 150 species of mason bees in North America. They tend to be metallic green, blue-black, or blue-green in color and have beefy little bodies. Most species are active in early to late spring. Depending on the species, they either excavate a nest in the soil or use hollow stems (or bee hotels put out by bee lovers). This particular species constructs in existing holes (approximately 6 mm in diameter), often in wood but sometimes in other locations such as hoses, bamboo, or abandoned pipes. Eggs are laid in individual cells that are made of clay / mud or other materials.
Kelly Dix, April 13th, 2025. Larry Creek, Florence, MT.
California Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis californica
California, Compton, and Milbert’s Tortoishells are all found in our area and are generally smaller than the Mourning Cloak. The California’s brightly colored dorsal (upper) side of the wings is opposite to their ventral (under) side, which looks more like a dead leaf. Caterpillars feed on various species of wild lilac (Ceanothus). California tortoiseshells stick mainly to the west, but sometimes stray to the midwest and east after population irruptions.
Ed Moreth, April 10th, 2025. Plains, MT.