Summer is truly upon us, and submissions are flying in so fast that we couldn’t fit them all into one issue. This week features some of our first swallowtail submissions, which seem to be having a slow start to the season. But then again, it feels like we all are. That’s all set to change this weekend; make sure to pack your sunscreen while you’re out on the bug hunt!
Header Photo: Pale Swallowtail (Papilio eurymedon). Judy and Bob Hoy, June 15th, 2024. Stevensville, MT.
Acmon Blue
Plebejus acmon
There is some contention regarding the true range of the Acmon Blue, with some claiming that they are restricted to CA and OR, whereas Lupine Blues (also found in CA and OR) range across western North America. However, there is little genetic evidence establishing where the Acmon’s range ends and where the two species overlap. The next batch of these blues will overwinter as eggs on host plant stems and debris on the ground beneath. In late spring, the eggs hatch. Larvae mainly feed on plants in the heath family and are protected/tended by ants who feed on the larvae’s sugary secretions.
Glenn Marangelo, June 29th, 2024. Potomac, MT.
Western Red Damsel
Amphiagrion abbreviatum
The bright red color of this Odonate might make you think you’re looking at a Meadowhawk Dragonfly. But look closer: One of the more common ways to distinguish damselflies from dragonflies is by how they hold their wings at rest. Dragonflies hold their wings out to the side, while damselflies hold them down their back. This damselfly is the only red species in the west and one of only two species in North America. The other species is found east of the Great Plains and is creatively named the Eastern Red Damselfly.
Kara Briknarova, June 23rd, 2024. Missoula, MT.
Mariposa Copper
Lycaena mariposa
Coppers belong to the Lepidopteran family Lycaenidae, the Gossamer-winged butterflies. This group is the second-largest butterfly family with over 6,000 described species, outpacing mammals as a whole by several hundred. The Mariposa Copper inhabits mountain meadows and forest edges from southern Alaska to as far south as the Sierra Nevadas. Adults are on the wing for a short period in July and August; their offspring feed from plants in the heather family, particularly blueberries and huckleberries.
Glenn Marangelo, June 29th, 2024. Potomac, MT.
Salmonfly Cicada
Platypedia areolata
The salmonfly cicada belongs to the wing-tapping cicada genus (Platypedia) and does not possess the classic tymbals we associate with other cicada species. Instead, these cicadas communicate by rapidly moving their wings to produce a popping or crackling sound. This method of sound production is known as crepitation and is not nearly as loud as the constant din of other cicadas’ tymbal rattling. It takes five years for these insects to complete their lifecycle, spending all but a few weeks of that time underground. Unlike the massive, all-at-once, emergence of “periodical” cicada species in the central and eastern US that emerge every 13 or 17 years, Salmonfly Cicadas are an “annual” cicada, meaning that individuals emerge and are present every year.
Glenn Marangelo, June 29th, 2024. Potomac, MT.
Northern Carrion Beetle
Thanatophilus lapponicus
As their name suggests, these beetles are found on carrion, like this magpie carcass. The larvae feed on the carcass, while adults feed on both the carcass and other insects at the feeding site, especially maggots (fly larvae). This widespread species, found across North and Central America (as well as Eurasia), experiences two generations per year, even in temperate climates like that in western Montana. The second generation overwinters in its adult stage.
John Krempel, June 23rd, 2024. Miller Creek, Missoula, MT.
Cow Path Tiger Beetle
Cicindela purpurea
This beautiful, shiny beetle can range in color from green to purple, and is often called the Purple Tiger Beetle. They are widely distributed across North America, except for in the SE and parts of the SW US. These insects are FAST. Tiger beetles have been clocked running at 1.38 feet per second (about 29 body lengths). That may not sound like a lot, but factoring in their size, it’s similar to a grizzly bear running over 135 miles per hour. They actually run so fast, that they outrun the capacity of their eyes and brain to process what they are seeing fast enough… so they literally run themselves blind and need to stop, look around and then continue their pursuit of their prey.
Glenn Marangelo, June 29th, 2024. Potomac, MT.
White-spotted Pine Sawyer
Monochamus scutellatus
This conspicuous long-horned beetle inhabits coniferous forests across North America, especially in the northern United States, upper Midwest, and much of Canada. The males have one white spot at the front of the elytra (wing covers), and females have other white specks throughout the lower portions of the elytra. Males have ridiculously long antennae to help them seek out a mate.
Jeanne Parker, June 29th, 2024. Huson, MT
Fireweed Clearwing Moth
Albuna pyramidalis
Clearwing moths (family Sesiidae) are weird and wonderful, mimicking wasps in surprising detail. In many, the wings have large areas devoid of scales. Fireweed Clearwing Moths fly by day and are attracted to flowers. The fast-flying males hover over the blossoms to nectar, while the heavier, sluggish females rest on the foliage or flowers. Larvae bore into the roots of evening primrose and fireweed, sometimes up to 2 ft below the soil surface. These moths are present in Canada, Alaska, the northeastern United States, northern Michigan, and Wisconsin, and in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Mountain ranges.
Molly Anton, June 26th, 2024. Rocky Mountain Gardens, Missoula, MT.
Ornate Checkered Beetle
Trichodes ornatus
These boldly patterned beetles are common on yarrow and other flowers in western North America (Alaska-California to Northwest Territories-Saskatchewan-Texas). Adults feed primarily on pollen and occasionally on small insects, while the larvae parasitize leafcutter bee or wasp nests. After hatching on flower heads, larvae wait for a visiting bee or wasp, attach themselves, and hitch a ride to the nest. Bee or wasp larvae are their targets, although the literature suggests they can sustain themselves on pollen, which results in a lengthier development time.
Wendy Brooke, June 28th, 2024. Missoula, MT.
Hayden’s Ringlet
Coenonympha haydenii
Hayden’s Ringlet is a small-to-medium-sized butterfly (3.5 – 3.8 cm) with a constricted range. It is typically found in open areas like mountain meadows and forest clearings in Southwest Montana, southeast Idaho, and western Wyoming. Very little information is available on the species, including its namesake, Hayden. We will only see one generation, with adults on the wing from late June to early August.
Glenn Marangelo, June 29th, 2024. Potomac, MT.
Simple Wave (mating pair)
Scopula junctaria
The Simple Wave is a small (20-26 mm) moth with a widespread distribution across North America. It inhabits mixed and deciduous forests across Canada, the US, and Mexico, though it is absent from much of the Great Plains (not many trees, so… go figure). The single generation of adults we see each year takes wing from late spring to mid-summer.
Misty Nelson, June 26th, 2024. Big Creek, Bitterroot Valley, MT.
Filmy Dome Spider
Neriene radiate
The Filmy Dome Spider belongs to the subfamily Linyphiinae, the sheet-weavers. They will construct a dome-shaped web facing the ground and hang upside down from the top. This spider has a holarctic distribution and is found throughout North America and Europe. Despite her bright patterning, which could be interpreted as warning coloration, she poses no threat to humans and only possesses a mild venom.
Misty Nelson, June 26th, 2024. Big Creek, Bitterroot Valley, MT.
