Canada
Guides
Macrosteles quadrilineatus
Aster leafhopper, Six-spotted leafhopper
Macrosteles quadrilineatus is a small leafhopper species native to the United States and a major agricultural pest. It is the primary vector of aster yellows phytoplasma, transmitting the pathogen to vegetable crops including carrot, celery, lettuce, and potato. Adults migrate northward in spring on southerly winds, often arriving in the Midwest and northern regions earlier and in greater numbers than resident overwintering populations. The species exhibits polyphagous feeding behavior on numerous grasses, cereals, and broadleaf plants.
Macrosteles tesselatus
Macrosteles tesselatus is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by Hamilton in 1983. The species belongs to the genus Macrosteles, a group of small, agile insects commonly associated with grasses and herbaceous plants. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to feed on plant phloem. The species has been documented across northern North America including Alaska and multiple Canadian provinces.
Macrotylus sexguttatus
Macrotylus sexguttatus is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, first described by Provancher in 1887. It is a small predatory or phytophagous true bug with a North American distribution centered in eastern Canada. The species name 'sexguttatus' (six-spotted) likely refers to a distinctive dorsal color pattern. Like other members of the genus Macrotylus, it is associated with herbaceous vegetation.
Magdalis inconspicua
wedge-shaped bark weevil
Magdalis inconspicua is a species of wedge-shaped bark weevil in the family Curculionidae. It was described by G.H. Horn in 1873. The species is found in North America, with documented occurrences in Canada including New Brunswick, Ontario, and Québec.
Malporus formicarius
Malporus formicarius is a species of antlike flower beetle in the family Anthicidae. It is found in North America, with records from Canada including Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The species is characterized by its ant-like morphology, a trait common among anthicid beetles. It is not a significant agricultural pest and should not be confused with Cylas formicarius, the sweetpotato weevil.
Margarinotus faedatus
clown beetle
Margarinotus faedatus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae. It is found in North America, with records from eastern Canada and the eastern United States.
Megapenthes solitarius
Megapenthes solitarius is a click beetle (family Elateridae) described by Fall in 1934. The species is known from limited records in Canada, with confirmed observations in Alberta, New Brunswick, and Quebec. Available data suggest it is rarely encountered, with only three observations documented on iNaturalist.
Megaxyela tricolor
Megaxyela tricolor is a species of sawfly in the family Xyelidae, the most primitive living family of Hymenoptera. The genus Megaxyela is characterized by its large body size relative to other xyelids. This species is known from Canada, with records from Ontario. Xyelid sawflies are typically associated with coniferous hosts, though specific host records for M. tricolor are not well documented.
Melandrya striata
Striated False Darkling Beetle
Melandrya striata is a species of false darkling beetle in the family Melandryidae, described by Thomas Say in 1824. It is distributed across much of Canada, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The species is part of a family of beetles commonly associated with decaying wood and fungal habitats. As a member of the genus Melandrya, it shares the general ecology of this group, which is adapted to moist, decomposing substrates in forested environments.
Melanophthalma pumila
Melanophthalma pumila is a species of minute brown scavenger beetle in the family Latridiidae. First described by LeConte in 1855 under the name Corticaria pumila, it was later transferred to the genus Melanophthalma. The species belongs to a family of small beetles commonly associated with moldy or decaying plant material. Records indicate presence in multiple Canadian provinces.
Melanophthalma villosa
Melanophthalma villosa is a species of minute brown scavenger beetle in the family Latridiidae. This family comprises small beetles commonly known as plaster beetles or fungus beetles, typically associated with mold and fungal growth in various habitats. The species was described by Zimmermann in 1869. Like other members of Latridiidae, it is presumed to feed on fungal hyphae and spores, though specific ecological studies on this species are limited. It has been recorded across multiple Canadian provinces.
Melanoplus islandicus
island short-wing grasshopper, forest locust, island locust
Melanoplus islandicus is a spur-throated grasshopper in the family Acrididae, found in coastal regions of Alaska, Canada, and the Great Lakes area. Populations have declined due to habitat loss and invasive species, prompting conservation concern. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service proposed it for Endangered Species Act listing in 2003, though it remains unlisted.
Melanotus castanipes
Chestnut-footed Click Beetle
Melanotus castanipes is a click beetle in the family Elateridae. It is a medium-sized species, measuring 13–19 mm in length, with a uniformly black or slightly browner head and an elongated body with tapering elytra. The species is distributed across eastern Canada and is known for its long antennae, which extend beyond the posterior margin of the pronotum. Like other click beetles, it possesses the characteristic clicking mechanism for righting itself when overturned.
Melanotus hyslopi
Melanotus hyslopi is a click beetle species (family Elateridae) described by Van Zwaluwenburg in 1921. The species is recorded from Ontario and Québec, Canada. Like other members of the genus Melanotus, the larvae are wireworms—soil-dwelling pests of agricultural crops. The species is poorly known compared to its congener Melanotus communis, which has been studied extensively as a corn wireworm pest.
Melanotus leonardi
Melanotus leonardi is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1853. The genus Melanotus contains multiple species of wireworms, the soil-dwelling larval forms that are agricultural pests. Larvae of related Melanotus species, including M. communis, are known as corn wireworms and damage crop roots and tubers. Adults possess the characteristic click mechanism of Elateridae, using a prosternal process and mesosternal socket to produce an audible snapping sound.
Melanotus miscellus
Melanotus miscellus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, described by Quate in 1967. It belongs to a genus containing several agricultural pest species whose larvae are known as wireworms. The species is recorded from Ontario and Québec, Canada. Specific ecological and biological details for M. miscellus remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Melanotus morosus
Melanotus morosus is a species of click beetle (family Elateridae) described by Candèze in 1860. It belongs to a genus containing agricultural pest species, though specific information about this particular species is limited. The genus Melanotus includes several economically important wireworm species whose larvae damage crop roots.
Melanotus prasinus
Melanotus prasinus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae, described by Blatchley in 1910. The species belongs to the genus Melanotus, a group of soil-dwelling beetles whose larvae are commonly known as wireworms. As with other members of this genus, the larvae are likely subterranean and feed on plant roots, though specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented. The species has been recorded in Ontario, Canada.
Melasis tsugae
Melasis tsugae is a species of false click beetle in the family Eucnemidae, described by Hopping in 1926. It is known from British Columbia, Canada. Very little published information exists regarding its biology, ecology, or specific host associations.
Meledonus californicus
Meledonus californicus is a species of tachinid fly described by Coquillett in 1895. The genus Meledonus belongs to the tribe Voriini within the subfamily Dexiinae. The species is known from North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Tachinid flies in this group are generally parasitoids of other insects, though specific host associations for this species have not been documented in the available literature.
Melocosa fumosa
Melocosa fumosa is a wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, first described by James Henry Emerton in 1894. The species is documented from the United States and Canada. As a member of the genus Melocosa, it belongs to a group of wolf spiders characterized by burrowing behavior and specific eye arrangement patterns. The species has been recorded in iNaturalist with over 100 observations, indicating it is encountered with moderate frequency by naturalists.
Memnonia maia
Memnonia maia is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Hamilton in 2000. It belongs to the subfamily Deltocephalinae and tribe Hecalini. The species is recorded from the Canadian prairie provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Meriellum proteus
Meriellum proteus is a longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, tribe Callidiini. The species was originally described by Kirby in 1837 as Callidium proteus. It is known from northern North America, with records from Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, Labrador, and Manitoba. The genus Meriellum contains relatively few species, and this taxon represents a small, understudied cerambycid lineage.
Meringopus relativus
Meringopus relativus is a species of ichneumon wasp described by Cresson in 1879. The species belongs to the genus Meringopus, a group of parasitoid wasps within the large family Ichneumonidae. Records indicate occurrence in southern Alberta, Canada.
Merinus laevis
Smooth Darkling Beetle
Merinus laevis is a species of darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, commonly known as the Smooth Darkling Beetle. It is native to eastern North America, with confirmed records from Ontario and Québec in Canada. As a member of the darkling beetle family, it likely occupies habitats typical of tenebrionids, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented in published literature.
Metachroma longulum
Metachroma longulum is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, described by Horn in 1892. It is a member of the genus Metachroma, which comprises small to medium-sized leaf beetles found primarily in North America. The species has been recorded in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Like other members of its family, it is associated with vegetation, though specific host plants and ecological details remain poorly documented.
Metapelma spectabile
Metapelma spectabile is a relatively large chalcidoid wasp, measuring approximately six millimeters in body length—exceptional for this group of typically minute parasitoids. The species belongs to the family Eupelmidae and is parasitic on wood-boring insects, likely targeting beetle families such as Buprestidae and Cerambycidae. It can be encountered in the field on tree trunks with exposed dead wood, unlike most eupelmids which require rearing from hosts.
Metepeira foxi
Metepeira foxi is an orb-weaving spider in the family Araneidae, first described by Gertsch and Ivie in 1936. The genus Metepeira is known for constructing distinctive combination webs consisting of a small orb web paired with a tangled, cobweb-like snare and a tubular retreat. Species in this genus are primarily found in North America, with highest diversity in western and southwestern regions. M. foxi occurs in the United States and Canada, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented compared to better-studied congeners such as M. labyrinthea and M. incrassata.
Metrioptera sphagnorum
bog katydid
Metrioptera sphagnorum, the bog katydid, is a shield-backed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is found in North America, particularly in Canada. The species is notable for its distinctive acoustic behavior: males produce a prolonged trill song that alternates regularly between two intensity levels, with corresponding audio and ultrasonic frequency modes.
Metylophorus purus
common barklouse
Metylophorus purus is a species of barklouse in the family Psocidae, originally described as Psocus purus by Walsh in 1862. It belongs to a group of small, soft-bodied insects commonly associated with bark, foliage, and decaying plant material. The species is considered common within its range and represents one of approximately 100 species in the genus Metylophorus.
Microhypnus striatulus
Striated Click Beetle
Microhypnus striatulus is a species of click beetle in the family Elateridae. It is known from eastern and western Canada, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. The species was first described by LeConte in 1853. It is one of few described species in the genus Microhypnus, a group of small click beetles. Available information on its biology and ecology remains limited.
Microhyus setiger
Microhyus setiger is a species of weevil in the family Curculionidae, first described by LeConte in 1876. This small beetle belongs to a genus of weevils whose biology and ecology remain poorly documented in scientific literature. Distribution records indicate presence in eastern North America, specifically in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Québec.
Microon canadense
Microon canadense is a species of weevil in the family Brentidae, described by Brown in 1944. As a member of the genus Microon, it belongs to a group of small brentid weevils. The species epithet "canadense" indicates a Canadian type locality or distribution. Information regarding its biology, ecology, and specific identification features remains poorly documented in available sources.
Microrhagus audax
Microrhagus audax is a species of false click beetle in the family Eucnemidae, described by Horn in 1886. The species belongs to a family of wood-boring beetles whose larvae develop in decaying wood and are associated with forest ecosystems. Very little specific information is available for this particular species, with most knowledge inferred from family-level characteristics.
Microscapha clavicornis
Microscapha clavicornis is a small beetle species in the family Melandryidae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1866. It belongs to a genus characterized by compact body forms and clubbed antennae, as suggested by the species epithet. The species has been documented in eastern Canada, with records from New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec. Like other members of Melandryidae, it is likely associated with decaying wood and fungal habitats, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Mompha definitella
A small moth in the family Momphidae, first described by Zeller in 1873. This species is known from limited observations in western Canada. Like other Momphidae, it likely has narrow wings and a compact body form. The specific epithet 'definitella' refers to its original description under the genus Laverna.
Mordellistena morula
Mordellistena morula is a small beetle species in the family Mordellidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1862. It belongs to a genus characterized by humpbacked bodies and pointed abdomens that enable their distinctive tumbling escape behavior. The species has been recorded across multiple Canadian provinces.
Mordellistena smithi
Mordellistena smithi is a species of tumbling flower beetle in the family Mordellidae. It was described by Dury in 1902. The species is known from eastern and central Canada, with records from Manitoba, Ontario, and Québec. As a member of the genus Mordellistena, it shares the characteristic wedge-shaped body form and hump-backed profile typical of this diverse genus of small beetles.
Mordellistena suturella
Mordellistena suturella is a species of tumbling flower beetle in the family Mordellidae. It was described by Helmuth in 1864. The species belongs to a genus of small, wedge-shaped beetles commonly associated with flowers and decaying wood. Specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Mordellistena syntaenia
Mordellistena syntaenia is a small beetle species in the family Mordellidae, commonly known as tumbling flower beetles. It was described by Swedish entomologist Emil Liljeblad in 1921. The species is recorded from several Canadian provinces including Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. Like other members of its genus, it likely inhabits flowers and decaying plant material.
Mycetochara bicolor
Mycetochara bicolor is a species of darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, described by Couper in 1865. It is known from eastern Canada, with records from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. As a member of the Tenebrionidae, it belongs to a large family of beetles commonly associated with decaying plant matter and fungi.
Narpus concolor
Narpus concolor is a species of riffle beetle in the family Elmidae, first described by LeConte in 1881. It is found in North America, with distribution records from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. As a member of the Elmidae, it is associated with freshwater environments. The species has been documented in iNaturalist with limited observation records.
Neapion frosti
Neapion frosti is a species of straight-snouted weevil in the family Brentidae, originally described as Apion frosti by Kissinger in 1968 and later transferred to the genus Neapion. It is a small beetle known from eastern Canada, with records from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. The genus Neapion contains species associated with various host plants, though specific ecological details for N. frosti remain poorly documented.
Nebria obliqua
Oblique Mountains gazelle beetle
Nebria obliqua is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by LeConte in 1867. It belongs to the subgenus Reductonebria and is one of two recognized subspecies: the nominate N. o. obliqua and N. o. chuskae. The species is distributed across northern North America, including Alaska, Canada, and the contiguous United States.
Nedyus apicalis
Pointed Minute Seed Weevil
Nedyus apicalis is a small weevil in the family Curculionidae, commonly known as the Pointed Minute Seed Weevil. The species was described by O'Brien and Wibmer in 1982. It belongs to the genus Nedyus, which comprises minute seed-feeding weevils. The species has been documented across several Canadian provinces.
Negastrius rupicola
Negastrius rupicola is a click beetle species described by Wells in 1996. It belongs to the family Elateridae, a large group of beetles characterized by their ability to click and jump when threatened. The species is known from British Columbia, Canada. Very little published information exists regarding its biology, ecology, or specific habitat requirements.
Nemastoma bimaculatum
Gold-spotted Harvestman
Nemastoma bimaculatum is a small harvestman species native to western Europe, recognized by its distinctive coloration. It has been introduced to North America, where established populations occur in Ontario, Canada. The species was first documented in North America by LeSage (1977).
Nematoplus collaris
Nematoplus collaris is a species of false longhorn beetle in the family Stenotrachelidae. It is known from eastern North America, with records from New Brunswick, Ontario, and Québec in Canada. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1855. Very little published information exists regarding its biology, habitat preferences, or ecology.
Nematus abbotii
Nematus abbotii is a species of sawfly in the family Tenthredinidae, first described by William Kirby in 1882. It belongs to the subfamily Nematinae, a diverse group of herbivorous sawflies associated with various woody and herbaceous plants. The species has been documented in Canada, particularly Ontario, with limited observational records available.
Neoantistea magna
Thick-hooked Comb-tailed Spider
Neoantistea magna is a species of true spider in the family Hahniidae, a group commonly known as the sheet-web weaving spiders. It is found in the United States and Canada, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba. The species belongs to the marronoid clade, a genetically defined group of spiders that includes diverse ecologies and behaviors. The common name "Thick-hooked Comb-tailed Spider" refers to characteristic structures on the posterior abdomen.