Boreal
Guides
Achorotile subarctica
Achorotile subarctica is a planthopper species in the family Delphacidae, described by Scudder in 1963. The species is associated with cold northern regions, as indicated by its specific epithet. It belongs to a genus of small delphacid planthoppers. Taxonomic status varies across sources, with some databases listing it as accepted and others as synonym.
Acidota crenata
Crenate Ocellate Rove Beetle
Acidota crenata is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae. The species has a Holarctic distribution, occurring across northern and central Europe, extending eastward through Russia to East Asia, and present in North America including Canada and the United States. It is one of approximately 15 species in the genus Acidota, which are characterized by distinctive ocellate (eye-spotted) patterns on the elytra. The specific epithet 'crenata' refers to the crenate (scalloped or notched) margins characteristic of this species.
Acilius sylvanus
Woodland Predaceous Diving Beetle
Acilius sylvanus is a predaceous diving beetle described by Hilsenhoff in 1975. It belongs to the family Dytiscidae, a group of aquatic beetles adapted for underwater predation. The species is known from forested wetland habitats in North America.
Acleris fuscana
Small Aspen Leaftier Moth
Acleris fuscana is a small tortricid moth commonly known as the Small Aspen Leaftier Moth. The species has been recorded across northern Europe and North America, with observations concentrated in boreal and hemiboreal regions. It is treated as an ambiguous synonym of Acleris obtusana in some taxonomic sources, reflecting ongoing nomenclatural uncertainty. The common name references larval behavior of tying aspen leaves together.
Acleris implexana
Acleris implexana is a small tortricid moth with a wingspan of 13–14 mm, distributed across boreal regions of Europe and North America. Adults are active in late summer and autumn, with larvae feeding on Pinus and Salix species. A notable ecological association involves larvae feeding within pine cone willow galls induced by the gall midge Rabdophaga strobiloides. The species is represented by two recognized subspecies: A. i. implexana in North America and A. i. ferrumixtana in Europe.
Actebia fennica
Finnish Dart, black army cutworm, Eversmann's rustic
Actebia fennica is a noctuid moth with a Holarctic distribution spanning boreal regions of North America and Eurasia. Adults are active from July to September with a single generation per year. The species exhibits a documented behavioral response to landscape fire smoke, with females doubling egg production when exposed to volatiles from burning vegetation. Larvae feed on a diverse range of host plants including grasses, forbs, and woody species in coastal and disturbed habitats.
Adela purpurea
Purple Fairy Moth
Adela purpurea is a species of fairy longhorn moth in the family Adelidae, described by Francis Walker in 1863. It is widespread across boreal North America, ranging from the Yukon through the Canadian provinces to Quebec and south to northern New Jersey. Adults are active in spring, with flight periods varying by latitude from April in New England to May-June in northern Canada. The species has been observed visiting willow blossoms.
Agabus anthracinus
Agabus anthracinus is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is widespread across northern North America, ranging from the northern United States through Canada to Alaska. Records also indicate presence in Europe and Northern Asia. The species is accepted and documented in major taxonomic databases, though detailed biological studies remain limited.
Agabus fuscipennis
Agabus fuscipennis is a diving beetle species in the family Dytiscidae, belonging to the fuscipennis-group as defined by Larson (1989). It is characterized by a holarctic distribution, occurring across both the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. In North America, it is transcontinental in boreal regions. In Europe, it has a restricted distribution, recorded from Austria, Belarus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Italy, Kaliningrad, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sardinia, Sicily, Slovakia, Sweden, and Ukraine.
Agoliinus aleutus
Agoliinus aleutus is a scarab beetle species in the subfamily Aphodiinae, distributed across northern regions of North America and the Russian Far East. The species was described from the Aleutian Islands, as reflected in its specific epithet. It belongs to a genus of dung beetles, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Agoliinus corruptor
Agoliinus corruptor is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Aphodiinae, described by Brown in 1929. It is known from a limited number of observations and collection records across northwestern North America. The species appears to be associated with temperate to boreal regions in western Canada and the northern United States.
Agonum cupreum
Cypress Ground Beetle
Agonum cupreum is a ground beetle in the subfamily Platyninae, described by Dejean in 1831. It is known from boreal and northern temperate regions of North America including Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States. As a member of the genus Agonum, it is likely a ground-dwelling predator inhabiting moist or wetland-associated habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited.
Agrotis ruta
Subarctic Dart
Agrotis ruta is a noctuid moth with a Holarctic distribution, first described by Eduard Friedrich Eversmann in 1851. It is primarily found in northern regions of North America and Eurasia. The species has a wingspan of 40–46 mm. Agrotis patula was synonymized with this species in 1989.
Amara hyperborea
Amara hyperborea is a seed-eating ground beetle in the subfamily Harpalinae. The species has a Holarctic distribution spanning boreal and subarctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is known from northeastern China, southern Mongolia, Finland, and across northern North America including Alaska and Canada.
Ampedus apicatus
Poplar Click Beetle
Ampedus apicatus, commonly known as the Poplar Click Beetle, is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. The common name suggests an association with poplar trees (Populus spp.), though specific ecological relationships require confirmation. The species is documented across multiple Canadian provinces.
Ampedus miniipennis
Small Click Beetle
Ampedus miniipennis is a small click beetle in the family Elateridae, first described by LeConte in 1853. It is found across northern and eastern Canada, from Alberta to Newfoundland and Labrador, extending into the Northwest Territories. The species is rarely encountered, with very few documented observations.
Ancylis nubeculana
Little Cloud Ancylis Moth
Ancylis nubeculana, known as the Little Cloud Ancylis Moth, is a species of tortricid moth described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1860. The species belongs to the subfamily Olethreutinae within the family Tortricidae, a large group of small moths commonly called leafroller moths. It has been documented across parts of Canada and the northern United States. The common name references the distinctive cloud-like markings on its forewings.
Apamea plutonia
Dusky Apamea Moth, Dusky Quaker
Apamea plutonia, known as the Dusky Apamea Moth or Dusky Quaker, is a small noctuid moth native to northern North America. First described by Grote in 1883, it is characterized by its very dark, nearly black forewings and forewing length of 16–17 mm. The species occurs primarily in boreal regions with scattered populations extending southward. Its larvae are cutworms that feed on grasses.
Aphelia alleniana
wide-striped leafroller, Allen's tortrix moth
Aphelia alleniana is a tortricid moth native to northern North America, ranging from Alaska across Canada to parts of the western and northeastern United States. Adults are active in late June to mid-July, with larvae feeding on herbaceous and woody plants while constructing characteristic leaf-roll shelters. The species overwinters as a third-instar larva and completes a single generation per year.
Aphrophora gelida
Boreal Spittlebug
Aphrophora gelida, commonly known as the boreal spittlebug, is a species of spittlebug in the family Aphrophoridae. It is native to North America and has been recorded across a broad geographic range including Alabama, Alberta, British Columbia, California, and Connecticut. The species belongs to a genus associated with coniferous habitats.
Aplectoides condita
Large-spotted Dart
Aplectoides condita is a noctuid moth native to North America, commonly known as the Large-spotted Dart. The species has a transcontinental distribution across central and southern Canada, with southern extensions into the eastern United States and the Rocky Mountain region. Adults are active from late spring through mid-summer. Larvae have been successfully reared on conifer hosts, showing a documented preference for tamarack over balsam fir.
Apotomis funerea
Funereal Apotomis Moth
Apotomis funerea is a species of tortricid moth in the family Tortricidae, subfamily Olethreutinae. Described by Edward Meyrick in 1920 from a basionym of Argyroploce funerea, this species occurs in boreal and temperate regions of North America. The common name "Funereal Apotomis Moth" reflects its dark, somber coloration. Like other members of genus Apotomis, it is associated with coniferous or mixed forest habitats where larval host plants occur.
Araneus yukon
Yukon Orbweaver
Araneus yukon is a species of orb-weaving spider in the family Araneidae. It was described by Herbert W. Levi in 1971. The species is known from boreal and subarctic regions of Russia and Canada, reflecting its tolerance for cold climates. Like other members of the genus Araneus, it constructs spiral orb webs to capture flying insect prey. The specific epithet 'yukon' refers to the Yukon region of northwestern Canada, indicating the type locality or a significant portion of its known range.
Archips alberta
Alberta leafroller
Archips alberta is a species of tortricid moth commonly known as the Alberta leafroller. It occurs across boreal Canada and south through mountainous regions to Utah. The species inhabits coniferous forests, where larvae are presumed to feed on conifer foliage, though specific host records are not well documented. Adults are active during the growing season in northern forest ecosystems.
Arctia parthenos
St. Lawrence tiger moth
Arctia parthenos, commonly known as the St. Lawrence tiger moth, is a medium-sized moth in the family Erebidae. It was first described by Thaddeus William Harris in 1850. The species inhabits boreal North America across a broad latitudinal range from Alaska to Labrador, with southern extensions into the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains. Adults are active from late May to early August with one generation per year. The larvae feed on woody plants including willow, alder, and birch.
Arctosyrphus willingii
northern longbeak
Arctosyrphus willingii, known as the northern longbeak, is a species of hoverfly in the family Syrphidae. It is a medium-sized fly, 11–12 mm in length, with distinctive sexual dimorphism in frons width and wing coloration. The species was formerly classified under the genus Lejops. It is restricted to boreal and subarctic regions of North America.
Arhopalus foveicollis
Pitted Longhorn Beetle
Arhopalus foveicollis is a longhorned beetle (Cerambycidae) described by Haldeman in 1847. It is widely distributed across boreal and montane regions of North America, with records from Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, Manitoba) and presumably the northern United States. The species is associated with coniferous forests, particularly pine habitats. Like other members of the genus Arhopalus, it is a wood-boring beetle that develops in dead or dying conifer wood.
Arpedium
Arpedium is a Holarctic genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Omaliinae: Anthophagini) first described by Erichson in 1839. The genus comprises approximately 14 species distributed across the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions, including Europe, Japan, North America, and Central Asia. At least one species, A. cribratum, has been identified as a subnivium specialist—active beneath winter snowpack and rare or inactive during summer. The genus has undergone taxonomic revision, with five new species described recently and several synonymies resolved.
Arpedium cribratum
Arpedium cribratum is a small rove beetle (Staphylinidae: Omaliinae) in the Quadrum species group. It is one of four arthropods identified as a possible subnivium specialist—organisms that have evolved to live in the air gap beneath winter snowpack and appear rare or inactive during summer. The species is transcontinental and boreal in distribution, occurring across northern North America.
Athous productus
Two-punctured Click Beetle
Athous productus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, distributed across central and eastern Canada from Alberta to Newfoundland and Labrador. Adults are characterized by two distinct punctures on the pronotum. The species has been documented in 39 iNaturalist observations, suggesting it is moderately well-observed but not particularly abundant. Like other elaterids, it possesses the family's characteristic prosternal process that enables the clicking mechanism used for righting itself when flipped.
Athysanella macleani
Athysanella macleani is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, first described from Alaska and the Yukon Territory in 1985. It belongs to the genus Athysanella, a group of small, slender leafhoppers in the subfamily Athysaninae. The species is known from a limited number of specimens collected in northern North America.
Atrecus macrocephalus
Atrecus macrocephalus is a rove beetle in the tribe Othiini, characterized by its relatively large head compared to body proportions. The species occurs across northern North America and has been recorded in both Canada and the western and northeastern United States. As a member of Staphylinidae, it belongs to one of the most diverse beetle families, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited in published literature.
Autographa pseudogamma
Delicate Silver Y
A medium-sized North American noctuid moth in the Plusiinae subfamily, characterized by its distinctive wing pattern. Adults are active in mid-summer with a single generation per year. The species occupies a broad geographic range across northern and western North America.
Autographa rubidus
Rusty Looper
Autographa rubidus, commonly known as the Rusty Looper, is a noctuid moth species native to North America. The species ranges from Newfoundland west across southern Canada to southeastern British Columbia, extending south to Maine and Minnesota. As a member of the Plusiinae subfamily, it shares the characteristic looper caterpillar morphology with related species. The specific epithet "rubidus" refers to a reddish or rusty coloration, though detailed adult morphology remains poorly documented in available sources.
Batrachedra pinicolella
Pine Cosmet
A small conifer-feeding moth in the family Batrachedridae. Formerly cryptic within a species complex, integrative taxonomic studies using DNA barcoding, nuclear markers, and ddRAD sequencing distinguished it from the newly described B. confusella. It has a boreo-montane distribution pattern and is associated primarily with Norway spruce.
Beckerus appressus
Beckerus appressus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, first described by Randall in 1838 under the basionym Elater appressus. It is a small, relatively obscure species with limited published biological information. The species is known primarily from eastern Canadian provinces, with scattered records indicating a boreal or temperate distribution pattern typical of many northern click beetles.
Bembidion immaturum
Bembidion immaturum is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by Carl Lindroth in 1954. It is a small carabid beetle distributed across northern North America, extending into Russia. The species belongs to the large genus Bembidion, which contains hundreds of species of small ground beetles commonly found in moist habitats.
Bisnius siegwaldii
Bisnius siegwaldii is a rove beetle (Staphylinidae) in the tribe Staphylinini. It is a medium-sized species with a broad distribution across northern North America and Russia. The species was originally described as Philonthus siegwaldii in 1843. Records indicate presence in boreal and temperate regions of Canada and the United States.
Blera nigra
Golden-haired Wood Fly
Blera nigra, commonly known as the golden-haired wood fly, is a Nearctic syrphid fly species first described by Williston in 1887. Adults are flower-visiting hoverflies that feed on nectar and pollen. The species exhibits distinct sexual dimorphism in facial coloration and antennal structure. Larvae are of the rat-tailed type, developing in tree rot holes or exuding sap.
Bobitobus fungicola
Bobitobus fungicola is a rove beetle (family Staphylinidae) in the subfamily Mycetoporinae. The species name 'fungicola' indicates an association with fungi. It has a broad transcontinental distribution across northern North America, extending from Alaska and Yukon through Canada to the northeastern United States. The species was described by Campbell in 1982.
Boletina
fungus gnats
Boletina is a species-rich genus of fungus gnats in the family Mycetophilidae, characterized by a mainly Holarctic distribution. The genus has historically been taxonomically challenging due to morphological similarities among species and paraphyletic relationships with related genera including Aglaomyia, Coelosia, and Gnoriste. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies and taxonomic revisions have clarified some relationships, though the genus remains under active investigation. Boletina species are particularly diverse in northern Europe, where ongoing research continues to reveal new species.
Boloria
Lesser Fritillaries
Boloria is a genus of brush-footed butterflies in the family Nymphalidae, commonly known as the lesser fritillaries. The genus includes approximately 50 species distributed across the Holarctic region, with greatest diversity in boreal and montane habitats. The related genus Clossiana is now generally treated as part of Boloria, though it may warrant subgeneric recognition. Species in this genus are typically associated with wetlands, peat bogs, damp meadows, and forest clearings, and many have highly specific larval host plant requirements.
Bombus perplexus
Perplexing Bumble Bee, Confusing Bumblebee
Bombus perplexus is a bumble bee species native to northern North America, ranging across Canada and into the eastern United States. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism in coloration, with queens being predominantly black with pale hairs while workers and males display more extensive yellow and white hair patterns. It occupies diverse habitats including taiga, tundra, temperate forests, and urban gardens. The species has been documented visiting a variety of flowering plants for nectar and pollen collection.
Boreaphilus
Boreaphilus is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae) established by C.R. Sahlberg in 1832. The genus belongs to the subfamily Omaliinae and tribe Coryphiini. Species are distributed across northern regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, with records from Scandinavia, Russia, Japan, and northern North America. The genus includes at least two described species: B. albanicus and B. astur.
Boreaphilus henningianus
Boreaphilus henningianus is a rove beetle (Staphylinidae) with a Holarctic distribution spanning northern Eurasia and North America. The species is associated with cold, northern habitats and has been recorded from boreal and subarctic regions. It belongs to the tribe Coryphiini within the subfamily Omaliinae.
Boreidae
snow scorpionflies, snow fleas
Boreidae, commonly known as snow scorpionflies or snow fleas, are a small family of approximately 30 species of scorpionflies in the order Mecoptera. These tiny, wingless insects are notable for their unusual winter activity period, emerging on snow surfaces during cold months when most other insects are dormant. Recent molecular research indicates Boreidae are more closely related to fleas (Siphonaptera) than to other scorpionflies, a finding that has significant implications for understanding the evolutionary relationships within Mecoptera. The family has a boreal and high-altitude distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, with species documented across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Boreogalba
Boreogalba is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Braconidae, established by Mackauer in 1962. As a member of the Ichneumonoidea superfamily, species in this genus are presumed to be koinobiont or idiobiont parasitoids of other insects, though specific host associations remain poorly documented. The genus is characterized by morphological features typical of braconid wasps, including reduced wing venation and a compact body form. Taxonomic knowledge of Boreogalba is limited, with few species descriptions and minimal biological study.
Boreostiba websteri
Boreostiba websteri is a species of rove beetle (Staphylinidae) in the subfamily Aleocharinae, described from North America in 2011. The species belongs to a genus associated with boreal and northern temperate regions. It is known from limited collection records in eastern Canada and Alaska.
Boreus brumalis
mid-winter boreus, snow scorpionfly
Boreus brumalis, commonly known as the mid-winter boreus or snow scorpionfly, is a small, wingless insect in the family Boreidae. Despite its common name, it is neither a scorpion nor a fly, but belongs to the order Mecoptera. Adults are active during winter months and can be observed running across snow and ice. This species is found in North America, including the northeastern United States. Males possess distinctive upward-curving genitalia that resemble a scorpion's stinger, though the insect cannot sting. Snow scorpionflies are believed to be ancient relatives of fleas.
Boreus coloradensis
snow scorpionfly
Boreus coloradensis is a species of snow scorpionfly in the family Boreidae, described by Byers in 1955. Despite their common name, these insects are neither scorpions nor true flies. Adults are active during winter months and have been observed on snow, ice, and moss. They belong to one of the smallest insect orders, Mecoptera, and are believed to be ancient relatives of fleas.