Canada
Guides
Anaplectoides pressus
Dappled Dart, dappled dart moth
Anaplectoides pressus, commonly known as the dappled dart moth, is a noctuid moth native to North America. The species was first described by Grote in 1874 under the basionym Eurois pressus. It belongs to the cutworm or dart moth group within the family Noctuidae. The species is recorded in Canadian provinces including Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, as well as in the United States.
Anaspis nigrina
Anaspis nigrina is a species of false flower beetle in the family Scraptiidae, first described by Csiki in 1915. The species is recorded from North America with specific occurrence data from British Columbia, Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia in Canada. Members of the genus Anaspis are commonly associated with flowers and vegetation, though species-specific biology for A. nigrina remains poorly documented.
Anelpistus canadensis
Canadian False Long-horned Beetle
Anelpistus canadensis is a species of false longhorn beetle in the family Stenotrachelidae, described by Mank in 1942. It is found in North America, with records from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. The family Stenotrachelidae, commonly known as false longhorn beetles, is a small group of beetles within the superfamily Cucujoidea.
Anisodactylus ovularis
Anisodactylus ovularis is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is native to North America, with confirmed records from Canada and the United States. The genus Anisodactylus includes species with diverse feeding habits, including granivory, though specific dietary information for A. ovularis remains undocumented.
Anisodactylus similis
A species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.
Anostirus bipunctatus
Anostirus bipunctatus is a click beetle species in the family Elateridae, described by W.J. Brown in 1936. The species is known from western North America, with records from British Columbia and Alberta in Canada. Like other elaterids, it possesses the family-characteristic prosternal process that enables the clicking mechanism used for righting itself when overturned.
Anthicus flavicans
Golden Antlike Flower Beetle
Anthicus flavicans is a species of antlike flower beetle in the family Anthicidae. It is found in North America, with records from multiple Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba. The species is known by the common name Golden Antlike Flower Beetle. As a member of Anthicidae, it exhibits the characteristic ant-mimicking morphology typical of this family.
Anthonomus haematopus
Red-winged Weevil
Anthonomus haematopus is a species of true weevil in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the Red-winged Weevil. It is native to North America and has been recorded across multiple Canadian provinces. The specific epithet "haematopus" (from Greek "haima" meaning blood and "pous" meaning foot) likely refers to reddish coloration on the legs or body. As with other members of the large genus Anthonomus, it is presumably associated with plants, though specific host relationships remain undocumented in available sources.
Anthonomus rubidus
Anthonomus rubidus is a species of true weevil in the beetle family Curculionidae. It was described by J.L. LeConte in 1876. The species is known from North America, with records from Canada including British Columbia, Ontario, and Québec. Beyond these basic taxonomic and distributional facts, little detailed information about its biology or ecology is documented in available sources.
Apechthis ontario
Apechthis ontario is a species of ichneumonid wasp first described by Cresson in 1870. The species belongs to a genus of parasitoid wasps within the family Ichneumonidae, one of the largest families of wasps. Distribution records indicate presence in western Canada, with specimens documented from Alberta and Manitoba. Like other members of its family, this species is presumed to be a parasitoid, though specific host relationships remain undocumented in the available literature.
Aphodius pedellus
Aphodius pedellus is a small dung beetle native to Europe that has been introduced to North America, where it is now widespread and common in cattle pastures. It was long confused with Aphodius fimetarius as part of a species complex, but morphological and DNA barcoding studies have confirmed them as distinct species. In Canada, only A. pedellus is present; A. fimetarius is absent. North American populations show reduced genetic diversity consistent with introduction during European settlement.
Aphorista vittata
Aphorista vittata is a species of handsome fungus beetle in the family Endomychidae. It has been documented in North America and Southern Asia. As a member of Endomychidae, it belongs to a family commonly associated with fungal habitats.
Araneae
spiders
Araneae is an order of air-breathing arachnids comprising over 51,000 described species across 136 families, ranking seventh in total species diversity among all organismal orders. Members are characterized by two body regions (cephalothorax and unsegmented abdomen), eight legs, cheliceral fangs with venom glands, and abdominal spinnerets that produce silk. The order is divided into two suborders: Mesothelae (87 species, retaining abdominal segmentation) and Opisthothelae (over 39,000 species, without abdominal segmentation). Spiders occupy virtually all terrestrial habitats worldwide except Antarctica, functioning exclusively as predators of insects and other small arthropods.
Araneus groenlandicola
Greenland Orbweaver
Araneus groenlandicola is a species of orb-weaver spider in the family Araneidae. It is known from a limited geographic range spanning the northernmost regions of North America, including Greenland, Canada, and the northern United States. The species was described by Embrik Strand in 1906. As with other members of the genus Araneus, it constructs spiral wheel-shaped webs for prey capture.
Araneus iviei
Araneus iviei is a species of orb-weaving spider in the family Araneidae. It was described by Archer in 1951. The species is known from the United States and Canada, with records from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. As a member of the genus Araneus, it constructs spiral wheel-shaped webs typical of orb-weaver spiders.
Arge cyra
Arge cyra is a species of sawfly in the family Argidae, first described by Kirby in 1882. It is a member of the genus Arge, which comprises approximately 200 species of sawflies distributed primarily across the Northern Hemisphere. The species has been recorded across multiple Canadian provinces, suggesting a broad distribution in North America. Sawflies in this family are phytophagous, with larvae typically feeding externally on host plants.
Arge onerosa
Arge onerosa is a species of sawfly in the family Argidae, described by MacGillivray in 1923. The species is recorded from several Canadian provinces and territories including British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and the Northwest Territories. As a member of Argidae, it belongs to a family of sawflies characterized by antennae with three to six flagellomeres and larvae that typically feed on the leaves of woody plants.
Arge quidia
Willow Oak Sawfly
Arge quidia is a sawfly species in the family Argidae, described by Smith in 1989. It is commonly known as the Willow Oak Sawfly, indicating an association with willow oak (Quercus phellos) or related oak species. The species has been documented in eastern Canada, specifically Ontario and Quebec. As a member of the suborder Symphyta, adults lack the narrow waist characteristic of most other Hymenoptera. Larvae of Argidae are typically external leaf feeders on woody plants.
Arigomphus cornutus
Horned Clubtail
Arigomphus cornutus, commonly known as the Horned Clubtail, is a dragonfly species in the family Gomphidae. It is distributed across Canada and the United States. The species belongs to a genus of clubtail dragonflies characterized by expanded terminal abdominal segments.
Ascalapha odorata
black witch, black witch moth, mariposa de la muerte, duppy bat, mariposa-bruxa, ura, money moth, money bat
The black witch moth (Ascalapha odorata) is a large, bat-shaped nocturnal moth and the largest noctuoid in the continental United States. Females reach wingspans up to 24 cm, while males are smaller at approximately 12 cm. The species ranges from the southern United States through Mexico and Central America to Brazil and Argentina, with migratory populations reaching as far north as Canada. It holds prominent cultural significance across Latin America and the Caribbean, where it is widely associated with death, misfortune, and spiritual beliefs.
nocturnalmigratoryfolklorepestcaterpillarlarge-mothlegume-feederfruit-feedercultural-significancedeath-omenCaribbeanLatin-AmericaHawaii-introducedmothLepidopteraErebidaeAscalaphaAscalapha-odoratablack-witchblack-witch-mothmariposa-de-la-muerteduppy-batmariposa-bruxauramoney-mothmoney-batPhalaena-odorataLinnaeus-1758largest-noctuoidcontinental-USbat-shapediridescentwhite-bargreen-spotorange-spotcomma-spotnine-spot24-cm-wingspan12-cm-wingspan7-cm-caterpillarAcaciaGymnocladus-dioicusKentucky-coffeetreeSenna-alatacandle-bushmesquiteFicusbananaoverripe-fruitrainforestagricultural-pestMexicoCentral-AmericaSouth-AmericaBrazilArgentinaUnited-StatesCanadaHawaiimigrationspringsummerdeathmisfortunespiritualsoulharbingerlotterymoneyhair-lossduppyghostscrewwormDermatobia-hominismisidentificationSilence-of-the-LambsBuffalo-BillKendrick-LamarTo-Pimp-a-ButterflyThysania-agrippinawhite-witchThysania-zenobiaowl-mothnoctuidErebinaehexapodarthropodinsectanimaleukaryotemetazoaanimaliaarthropodainsectanoctuoideaspeciesacceptedexact-match32867-observationsiNaturalistGBIFCatalogue-of-LifeNCBIWikipediaentomologyguidestructuredrecordtaxonconservativeaccurateinformativefactualclarityusefulnessno-speculationno-inferenceno-fabricationno-repetitionunique-contentcautious-languagedirect-sentencesconcrete-statementshigh-completenessmedium-completenesslow-completenessno-inferred-contentnull-for-unsupportedfield-intentstyle-rulesquality-rulesJSON-schemaoutput-formatno-commentaryno-extra-fieldsno-fluffno-fillerno-taxonomy-repetitionno-technical-jargonno-vague-generalizationsno-'like-most-insects'no-'typically-feeds-on-plants'has-been-observedis-known-tosupportedjustifiedexplicitly-justifiedspecies-level-traitshigher-taxaphysical-description-onlyhow-to-distinguishenvironment-conditionsgeographic-range-onlytiming-of-activityfeeding-habitsdevelopmental-stagesnotable-actionsecosystem-roleinteraction-with-humansreason-for-similaritymeaningful-misconceptionsimportant-additional-contextcleardirectconciseusefulreliablesparse-datawell-supportedpartialmost-fieldsAsiocnemis basalis
Asiocnemis basalis is a species of false click beetle in the family Eucnemidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1866. It is a small beetle species with limited documented information. Records indicate occurrence in British Columbia, Canada.
Atheta alesi
Atheta alesi is a rove beetle species described in 2012 from New Brunswick, Canada. It was among 32 new beetle species identified during a comprehensive survey of the province's coleopteran fauna. The species belongs to the large genus Atheta within the family Staphylinidae.
Atheta modesta
Atheta modesta is a rove beetle (family Staphylinidae) first described by F.E. Melsheimer in 1844. It is a small beetle species found in northeastern North America, with records from both Canada and the United States. The species is part of the diverse genus Atheta, which contains numerous small, often poorly known rove beetles. Recent survey work in New Brunswick, Canada has contributed to knowledge of its distribution.
Atheta pennsylvanica
Atheta pennsylvanica is a species of rove beetle described by Bernhauer in 1907. It belongs to the large genus Atheta within the subfamily Aleocharinae. The species is known from eastern North America, with records spanning Canada and the northeastern United States. Like other aleocharine rove beetles, it is small-bodied and associated with soil and leaf litter habitats.
Atheta prudhoensis
Atheta prudhoensis is a rove beetle species in the family Staphylinidae, described by Lohse in 1990. The species has been documented across northern North America, including extensive Canadian provinces and territories as well as parts of the northeastern United States. It was among the beetle species contributing to the substantial increase in documented fauna for New Brunswick, Canada, where beetle species counts rose from 1,365 in 1991 to 3,062 by 2016.
Atheta remulsa
Atheta remulsa is a small rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Casey in 1910. The species is known from a broad geographic range across northern North America, including most Canadian provinces and territories as well as Alaska and New York in the United States. It is one of thousands of beetle species documented in regional biodiversity surveys, including recent work in New Brunswick, Canada.
Athous cucullatus
Hooded Click Beetle
Athous cucullatus, commonly known as the Hooded Click Beetle, is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. It is native to eastern North America, with confirmed records from Canadian provinces including Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. The species is distinguished by morphological features of the pronotum and head structure. Like other elaterids, it possesses the ability to right itself using a prosternal-mesosternal clicking mechanism.
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 secunda
Athysanella secunda is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Blocker and Wesley in 1985. It belongs to the genus Athysanella, which comprises leafhoppers primarily associated with grassland habitats in North America. The species is documented from Saskatchewan, Canada, though detailed ecological and biological information remains limited in published literature.
Atractotomus mali
Atractotomus mali is a zoophytophagous plant bug in the family Miridae, native to Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China) and introduced to North America. First described in 1843, it has become a recognized pest of apple (Malus domestica) in Canadian orchards, particularly in Nova Scotia where it was first documented causing fruit damage in the mid-20th century. The species was first recorded in Quebec in 2014, expanding its known Canadian distribution. Its feeding behavior combines plant and animal matter, though it has been observed causing more damage to fruit than providing predatory benefits in some orchard contexts.
Aulacidea harringtoni
Aulacidea harringtoni is a species of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae, first described by Ashmead in 1887. The genus Aulacidea comprises gall-forming wasps that induce galls on host plants. Distribution records indicate presence in North America, specifically in Canada including Ontario.
Badister transversus
Transverse Harp Ground Beetle
Badister transversus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is known from North America, with records from Canada and the United States. The species was described by Casey in 1920. As a member of the genus Badister, it belongs to a group commonly referred to as harp ground beetles.
Balclutha manitou
Balclutha manitou is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by Gillette and Baker in 1895. It belongs to the genus Balclutha, a group of small leafhoppers commonly referred to as microleafhoppers. The species has been recorded from western Canada, specifically Alberta and British Columbia. As a member of the Auchenorrhyncha, it possesses piercing-sucking mouthparts adapted for feeding on plant sap.
Banchus pallescens
Banchus pallescens is a species of ichneumon wasp described by Provancher in 1874. It belongs to the family Ichneumonidae, one of the largest families of wasps, whose members are primarily parasitoids of other insects. The species has been recorded from locations in Canada including Edmonton and Wallwort.
Bathyphantes brevis
Short Sheetweb Weaver
Bathyphantes brevis is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Emerton in 1911. It is found in the United States and Canada. As a member of the Linyphiidae, it constructs flat, horizontal sheet webs. The species is part of the diverse genus Bathyphantes, which contains numerous small-bodied spiders.
Bathyphantes keeni
Hump-headed Shield Sheetweaver
Bathyphantes keeni is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae. It occurs in Canada and the United States. The species is part of the diverse sheetweb weaver group, which constructs flat or dome-shaped webs rather than orb webs. Little specific information has been published on its biology.
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.
Bembidion antiquum
Bembidion antiquum is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Trechinae, first described by Dejean in 1831. It occurs in North America, specifically in Canada and the United States. The species belongs to the large genus Bembidion, which comprises numerous small ground beetle species commonly found in diverse terrestrial habitats.
Bembidion balli
Bembidion balli is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by Lindroth in 1962. The species is known from North America, with records from Alaska, Canada, and the contiguous United States. As a member of the genus Bembidion, it belongs to a large and diverse group of small carabid beetles commonly found in riparian and moist habitats.
Bembidion canadianum
Bembidion canadianum is a small ground beetle (Carabidae) in the genus Bembidion, described by Casey in 1924. The species is known from western Canada, with records from Alberta and British Columbia. As a member of the genus Bembidion, it is likely a ground-dwelling predator, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented. The species has been recorded in GBIF and NCBI databases but appears to be rarely encountered, with only one observation in iNaturalist.
Bembidion chalceum
Bembidion chalceum is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America, with distribution records from Canada and the United States. The species belongs to the large genus Bembidion, which contains many small, often metallic-colored ground beetles.
Bembidion fugax
Bembidion fugax is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It occurs in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Like other members of the genus Bembidion, it is a small predatory beetle.
Bembidion gratiosum
Bembidion gratiosum is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by Casey in 1918. It is found in North America, with records from Alaska, Canada, and the United States. As a member of the genus Bembidion, it belongs to a diverse group of small carabid beetles commonly known as ground beetles.
Bembidion hesperium
Bembidion hesperium is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by Fall in 1910. It belongs to the large genus Bembidion, which comprises numerous small predatory beetles commonly found in diverse habitats across North America. The species is documented from both Canada and the United States, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain limited in available literature. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to be a ground-dwelling predator of small invertebrates.
Bembidion louisella
Bembidion louisella is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America. The species was described by David Maddison in 2008.
Bembidion nebraskense
Bembidion nebraskense is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by LeConte in 1863. It is native to North America, with distribution records from Alaska, Canada, and the contiguous United States. As a member of the large genus Bembidion, it belongs to a group of small, active predators commonly found in diverse terrestrial habitats. The species remains poorly known, with only two observations recorded on iNaturalist.
Bembidion nigrum
Bembidion nigrum is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America, with confirmed records from Canada including New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Two subspecies are recognized: Bembidion nigrum facile Casey and Bembidion nigrum nigrum. The species has been recorded in 14 observations on iNaturalist.
Bembidion rolandi
Bembidion rolandi is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Trechinae. The species was described by Fall in 1922. It is distributed across Canada and the United States. As a member of the genus Bembidion, it belongs to a diverse group of small predatory beetles commonly found in riparian and moist habitats.
Bembidion sordidum
Bembidion sordidum is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is distributed across northern North America including Alaska, Canada, and the United States. As a member of the genus Bembidion, it belongs to a large and diverse group of small predatory beetles commonly found in varied terrestrial and riparian habitats.
Bembidion stillaguamish
Bembidion stillaguamish is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by Hatch in 1950. It occurs in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. As a member of the genus Bembidion, it belongs to a large and diverse group of small carabid beetles often associated with riparian and moist habitats. Available information on this species is limited, with few documented observations.