Boreal-forest
Guides
Trypodendron retusum
Trypodendron retusum is a small ambrosia beetle in the subfamily Scolytinae, described by Wood & Bright in 1992. The species belongs to the genus Trypodendron, a group of wood-boring beetles that cultivate fungal gardens in their galleries. It occurs in boreal and temperate forests of North America, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and New Brunswick in Canada. Like other Trypodendron species, it is presumed to be an ambrosia beetle that feeds on fungal symbionts rather than wood tissue, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented.
Vespula infernalis
cuckoo yellowjacket, American cuckoo yellowjacket
Vespula infernalis is an obligate social parasite (inquiline) that invades and usurps colonies of other yellowjacket species, primarily Vespula acadica in North America. Unlike most parasitic wasps, it exhibits intensely aggressive behavior during colony takeover, using specialized morphological adaptations including a large, heavily curved stinger to subdue host workers. The species lacks a worker caste and cannot build nests or rear its own young, instead forcing host workers to feed and care for its brood through dominance behaviors including mauling and forced trophallaxis.
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vandykei
Vicelva vandykei is a small rove beetle (Staphylinidae) described by Hatch in 1957. The species is known from limited specimens and observations across a broad circumpolar distribution spanning northwestern North America and the Russian Far East. Records indicate presence in British Columbia, Yukon, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and the Magadan area of Russia. As a member of the subfamily Phloeocharinae, it is associated with forest floor habitats and decaying organic matter.
Xylechinus montanus
crenulate bark beetle
Xylechinus montanus is a species of crenulate bark beetle described by Blackman in 1940. It is a member of the weevil family Curculionidae and has been recorded in North America, with distribution records from Alaska and western Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan. As a bark beetle, it is likely associated with woody vegetation, though specific ecological details remain limited.
Zeiraphera unfortunana
Purple-striped Shootworm Moth, purplestriped shootworm
Zeiraphera unfortunana is a tortricid moth species native to boreal and subarctic regions of North America. The larvae are specialized feeders on coniferous trees, particularly spruce and fir species, where they develop in shoots and buds. The species was described by Powell in 1983 and is one of several Zeiraphera species known as 'budworms' or 'shootworms' due to their larval feeding habits.
Zerconidae
Zerconidae is a family of mesostigmatid mites found primarily in soil and litter habitats across the Northern Hemisphere. The family includes approximately 20 genera and numerous species, with documented occurrences in North America, Europe, Turkey, and other regions. These mites have been collected from diverse habitats including boreal forests, temperate woodlands, reforested areas, felled sites, and forest canopies. Several genera are recognized, including Zercon, Prozercon, Mixozercon, Boreozercon, and Halozercon.