Central-united-states
Guides
Acronicta heitzmani
Heitzman's Dagger, Heitzman's dagger moth
Acronicta heitzmani is a species of dagger moth in the family Noctuidae, first described by Charles V. Covell and Eric H. Metzler in 1992. The species is endemic to the central United States, with documented occurrence in Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, and Ohio. It is a relatively small noctuid moth with forewing lengths of 12–14.5 mm in males and 12.5–15 mm in females. Like other members of the genus Acronicta, it is a nocturnal species attracted to artificial light sources.
Anisostena kansana
Anisostena kansana is a small leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, specifically within the tortoise beetle subfamily Cassidinae. Adults measure 4.1–5.3 mm and display distinctive metallic coloration: the head and elytra are greenish-blue, while the pronotum is reddish-orange with a greenish-blue anterior area. The species is known from a limited geographic range in the central United States, with records from Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Oklahoma. It has been documented feeding on Tripsacum dactyloides (eastern gamagrass).
Ataenius robustus
saline prairie scarab beetle
Ataenius robustus, commonly known as the saline prairie scarab beetle, is a species of aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is native to North America, with recorded occurrences across the central United States. The species belongs to a diverse genus of small scarab beetles, many of which are associated with dung and decomposing organic matter.
Brochymena myops
rough stink bug, tree stink bug
Brochymena myops is a species of rough stink bug native to North America, belonging to the genus Brochymena commonly known as "tree stink bugs" for their bark-like camouflage. The species ranges from Quebec to Florida and westward through the central United States to Texas. Adults are active during warm periods throughout the year, including winter sunny days, and are frequently mistaken for the invasive brown marmorated stink bug. Like other Brochymena species, B. myops is not considered an agricultural or household pest.
stink-bugnativepredatorypine-forestcamouflagewinter-activenon-pestrough-stink-bugtree-stink-bugHemipteraPentatomidaeBrochymenaNorth-Americacentral-United-Statessoutheastern-United-Statesconifer-associatedbark-mimicryoverwintering-adultsingle-generationdecaying-wood-inhabitantbeneficial-insectHalyiniStål-1872Heteropteratrue-bugCampylacantha olivacea vivax
Campylacantha olivacea vivax is a subspecies of grasshopper in the family Acrididae, subfamily Melanoplinae. It is found in the central and southwestern United States including Colorado, Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri. The species exhibits uniform green to brown coloration without bright contrasting patterns. It belongs to a genus characterized by specific male subgenital plate morphology useful for identification.
Catocala abbreviatella
Abbreviated Underwing
Catocala abbreviatella, the Abbreviated Underwing, is a moth in the family Erebidae. It is a medium-sized underwing moth with a wingspan of 40–50 mm. Adults are active from July to August, with likely one generation per year. The species is distributed across the central United States, from Indiana south and west to Texas and Oklahoma, and north to Nebraska and Wisconsin.
Glyptoscelis cryptica
Glyptoscelis cryptica is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1824. It is known from the central United States. Information regarding its biology, host plants, and ecology remains poorly documented in available sources.
Odonteus filicornis
earth-boring scarab beetle
Odonteus filicornis is an earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. The species was described by Thomas Say in 1823. It is native to North America and has been documented across the central United States and southern Canada.
Okanagana balli
Prairie Cicada
Okanagana balli is a species of cicada in the family Cicadidae, described by William T. Davis in 1919. It is commonly known as the Prairie Cicada and occurs in the central United States. As a member of the genus Okanagana, it belongs to a group of annual cicadas rather than the periodical cicadas famous for their mass emergences. The species inhabits prairie and grassland ecosystems.
Proctacanthus hinei
Western Red-tailed Marauder
Proctacanthus hinei is a species of robber fly (family Asilidae) known as the Western Red-tailed Marauder. It belongs to a genus of large, predatory flies characterized by prominent beards and aggressive hunting behavior. The species is distinguished from congeners by reddish femora and occurrence in the central United States. Like other Proctacanthus species, it preys primarily on other insects and has a life cycle involving soil-dwelling larvae.
Telamona westcotti
Telamona westcotti is a Nearctic treehopper species in the family Membracidae, subfamily Smiliinae. Like other members of the genus Telamona, it possesses a pronounced pronotal extension. The species was described by Goding in 1893 and occurs in the central United States and southern Canada.
Walshia amorphella
Walshia amorphella is a small moth in the family Cosmopterigidae described by James Brackenridge Clemens in 1864. It is a gall-forming species that induces galls on the host plant Amorpha fruticosa. The species is known from the central United States, with records from Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Kansas, and Texas. Its gall-forming habit supports an associated microcommunity of other organisms.