Acmaeodera parkeri is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Cazier in 1940. The species occurs in Central America and North America, with records from the southwestern United States and Mexico. Adults have been observed visiting flowers of several plant species, including Allionia incarnata (creeping four o'clock), Talinum whitei (White's flameflower), and Evolvulus arizonicus (Arizona blue-eyes).
Ring-clawed Deer Fly
Chrysops cincticornis is a deer fly in the family Tabanidae, first described by Walker in 1848. It is commonly known as the Ring-clawed Deer Fly. The species has been documented in Vermont and other parts of the United States, with 291 observations recorded on iNaturalist. Research on this species has focused on its oviposition behavior and fecundity, with laboratory studies showing females deposit eggs in gelatinous masses on mud substrates near water, averaging 156 eggs per female.
Elymana pacifica is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by Hamilton in 1985. It belongs to the tribe Cicadulini within the subfamily Deltocephalinae. The species is known from western North America, with records from British Columbia, Canada. Like other members of its family, it is a phloem-feeding insect associated with grasses and other plants.
Exenterus amictorius is an ichneumonid parasitoid wasp introduced to North America that attacks sawfly larvae (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae), particularly during the pre-spinning eonymph stage. The species exhibits adaptive host discrimination behavior that changes during the host's spinning period, lacks discrimination initially but rapidly acquires and maintains this ability. It shows strong positive density-dependent responses to host abundance and has established successfully on multiple diprionid hosts across North America. In multiparasitism situations with the native E. diprionis, E. amictorius consistently survives due to faster larval development.
Huron River Leafhopper
Flexamia huroni is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, described by Bess & Hamilton in 1999. It belongs to the genus Flexamia, a group of leafhoppers known for their specialized host plant associations with grasses. The species is named after the Huron River in Michigan, where it was first collected. Like other members of the genus, it likely exhibits strong ecological dependence on specific grass host plants.
devil crayfish, devil crawfish
Lacunicambarus diogenes, commonly known as the devil crayfish or devil crawfish, is a primary burrowing crayfish native to eastern North America. This species constructs and inhabits burrows in wet, muddy terrestrial habitats rather than living in permanent surface water. Its burrowing activities create refugia used by numerous other species, including documented use by eastern cicada killer wasps (Sphecius speciosus) as brooding habitat. The species ranges across the Atlantic Coastal Plain and Piedmont ecoregion from New Jersey to Georgia, with disjunct populations in Louisiana.
A genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) established in 1894, comprising approximately 30 species distributed across cold-temperate and Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species inhabit high-latitude or high-altitude environments. The genus was revised extensively by Saaristo & Marusik in 2004, resulting in numerous new species descriptions.
Signal Crayfish
The signal crayfish is a large North American freshwater crayfish introduced to Europe in the 1960s to replace declining native fisheries. It has become one of the most ecologically impactful invasive decapods in Europe, outcompeting native crayfish and serving as a carrier of crayfish plague (Aphanomyces astaci). The species establishes self-sustaining populations rapidly, with six age cohorts documented within a few years of introduction. It shows sex- and size-specific coloration patterns, with males displaying more saturated and brighter ventral claw surfaces than females, suggesting a role in intraspecific communication.
rhinoceros beetles
Pentodontini is the most diverse tribe within the subfamily Dynastinae (rhinoceros beetles), containing over 100 genera distributed across multiple biogeographic regions. Most genera are restricted to a single biogeographic region. The tribe is characterized by substantial morphological diversity, with generic-level identification often relying on mouthpart morphology in females and secondary sexual characters (horns, claw modifications, antennal club length) in males.
Pogonomyrmex tenuispinus is a species of harvester ant in the genus Pogonomyrmex. Like other members of this genus, it is a seed-collecting ant native to arid regions. The species was described by Auguste Forel in 1914. As a harvester ant, it likely participates in seed dispersal and ecosystem engineering through nest construction, though specific ecological studies for this species are limited.
European Paper Wasp
Polistes dominula is a highly successful invasive social wasp native to Eurasia that has established populations across North America, South America, New Zealand, South Africa, and other regions. First detected in North America near Boston in 1978, it has become one of the most abundant wasps on the continent. The species builds small, exposed paper nests in protected locations and preys primarily on live insects, particularly caterpillars. Unlike yellowjackets, it does not scavenge for meat or sugar. Its rapid spread has been attributed to ecological flexibility, superior competitive ability, and tolerance of human-altered environments.
Antlered Crane Fly
Tanyptera dorsalis is a species of crane fly in the family Tipulidae, commonly known as the Antlered Crane Fly. Males are distinguished by prominent antler-like projections on the head. The species occurs in eastern North America, with records from Canada and the United States.