Snakefly (order Raphidioptera)
Trevor spotted around 10-15 snakeflies on a ponderosa pine at Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge—lucky! These beautiful and seemingly elusive insects get their... Continue Reading
Asher’s Blue (Celastrina asheri)
We’re excited to introduce you to a new butterfly species in western North America, the Asher’s Blue! Once considered a part... Continue Reading
Nearctic Bumble Bee (Bombus vancouverensis nearcticus)
We featured this bumble bee about a month ago, but not on a Trillium ovatum backdrop. These three-petaled beauties require the services of... Continue Reading
Miner Bee (genus Andrena)
Andrenas are commonly referred to as “mining bees,” because they construct underground nests. If you scour the ground along park trails,... Continue Reading
Giant Silkmoth Cocoon (genus Hyalophora)
While this may look more like something your cat coughed up, it’s the cocoon of a Giant Silkmoth—likely the Ceanothus Silkmoth... Continue Reading
A Tumblebug (Canthon simplex)
Last week, we had a tumblebug sans dung ball, this week with! Ellen writes, “there were 2 rolling the dung along. The 2nd... Continue Reading
Cobweb Spider (Steatoda borealis)
Cobwebs spiders (family Theridiidae) are often housemates, wanted or otherwise. Even if you don’t see them, you may find their handiwork—messy,... Continue Reading
May Beetle, also called June Bug (genus Phyllophaga)
These common beetles are named for the months they are most numerous in, May and June. The adults are nocturnal, foliage... Continue Reading
Moth Pupa (order Lepidoptera)
If you spend any time digging in your garden, chances are you’ve come across one of these before. While it is... Continue Reading
Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus)
This immature female black widow is certainly beautiful …but take that red hourglass marking on her underside as a warning. While they are not aggressive... Continue Reading