Cold-hardy
Guides
Aedes japonicus
Asian bush mosquito, Asian rock pool mosquito
Aedes japonicus is an invasive mosquito species native to East Asia, first described from Tokyo in 1901. It has established populations in North America, Europe, and Hawaii through human-mediated transport of eggs in used tires and containers. The species is a competent vector for West Nile virus, La Crosse virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and St. Louis encephalitis virus, with experimental evidence for dengue and chikungunya viruses. Its cold-hardiness, ecological plasticity, and ability to exploit diverse container habitats contribute to its invasive success.
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.
Cucujus clavipes
Red Flat Bark Beetle, Flat Bark Beetle
Cucujus clavipes, the red flat bark beetle, is a saproxylic beetle distributed across North America with two recognized subspecies: C. c. clavipes in the east and C. c. puniceus in the west. The species is notable for extreme cold tolerance, particularly in the western subspecies whose larvae can survive temperatures down to -100°C through deep supercooling and vitrification. Adults are active primarily in spring and summer and are found under bark of dead hardwood trees.
Eritettix simplex
velvet-striped grasshopper, velvet-striped locust
Eritettix simplex, the velvet-striped grasshopper, is a medium-sized slant-faced grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is characterized by distinctive velvet-like dark bands along the lateral carinae of the pronotum and three longitudinal carinae on the head. The species has an extensive range across North America, with major population centers in the Great Plains and Appalachian Mountains. It feeds almost exclusively on grasses and sedges, with blue grama being a highly preferred food plant.
Heleomyzidae
Sun flies, Heleomyzid flies
Heleomyzidae is a family of small to medium-sized flies in the order Diptera, comprising over 740 described species in approximately 76 genera. The family is distributed worldwide, with the greatest diversity in the Holarctic region. Adults are frequently observed at lights in early spring and late fall. Larval ecology is diverse, with many species associated with decaying organic matter, fungi, carrion, or bird nests.
Pardosa
Thin-legged Wolf Spiders
Pardosa is a large genus of wolf spiders comprising over 500 described species with worldwide distribution except Australia. These spiders are generally small to medium-sized (3–12 mm body length), characterized by long, thin legs with prominent perpendicular spines. They occupy diverse habitats including wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, and high-elevation environments. Many species exhibit sexual dimorphism in coloration, with mature males often displaying distinct patterns from females. Species identification requires microscopic examination of genitalia.