Europe-native
Guides
Dienerella ruficollis
Red-necked plaster beetle
A small beetle in the family Latridiidae, commonly known as the red-necked plaster beetle. This species is associated with damp, moldy environments and has been introduced to North America from Europe. It is frequently found in buildings and other human-modified habitats where fungal growth occurs.
Laricobius erichsonii
Laricobius erichsonii is a small predatory beetle in the family Derodontidae, native to Europe and the sole European representative of the genus. It has been introduced to North America as a biological control agent for the balsam woolly aphid (Adelges piceae), with releases in eastern Canada since 1933 and in Oregon and Washington from 1957–1960. The species is one of the more numerous predators of A. piceae in its native range. It belongs to the widespread Holarctic group within Laricobius, characterized by an elongate body and transverse, fully explanate pronotum.
Lasioglossum zonulum
Sweat bee
Lasioglossum zonulum is a small sweat bee in the family Halictidae, native to Europe and introduced to North America. It belongs to the subgenus Dialictus, one of the most species-rich groups of bees globally. Like other Lasioglossum species, it is a ground-nesting bee that visits flowers for pollen and nectar. The species is notable for being frequently captured in bowl traps used for bee monitoring, a trait common to many small halictid bees.
Oberea erythrocephala
Leafy Spurge Stem Boring Beetle, Red-headed Leafy Spurge Stem Borer
Oberea erythrocephala is a slender, elongate longhorn beetle introduced to North America as a biological control agent for leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula). Adults have distinctive red heads, black eyes, and grayish-black hind wings. The species is univoltine and oligophagous, feeding and developing only on certain Euphorbia species in the subgenus Esula. It was approved for release in the United States in 1980 and has since established populations across at least fifteen states and several Canadian provinces. The beetle is considered secondary to Aphthona flea beetles in leafy spurge management due to its narrower host range.
Poecilocrypticus formicophilus
Adventive Ant-loving Teneb
Poecilocrypticus formicophilus is a small tenebrionid beetle native to Europe, where it has been recorded in Belgium. The species has been introduced to North America and is now established across the conterminous United States. Its common name reflects its association with ant colonies, a relationship characteristic of the genus. The species is frequently documented on iNaturalist, suggesting it is readily encountered by observers.
Tipula paludosa
European crane fly, leatherjacket
Tipula paludosa is a crane fly species native to northwestern Europe that has become an invasive agricultural pest in North America. The larvae, known as leatherjackets, cause significant damage to lawns, pastures, and cereal crops by feeding on roots and underground stems. Adults are short-lived, do not feed, and are characterized by their long, thin legs and grayish-brown bodies. The species has a strictly annual life cycle with precise seasonal timing of each developmental stage.
Yponomeuta padella
orchard ermine, cherry ermine
Yponomeuta padella is a small ermine moth native to Europe and parts of Asia, now introduced to North America. Adults are active from July to August and are attracted to light. The species is notable for forming part of a cryptic species complex with Y. malinellus, Y. cagnagella, Y. rorella, and Y. evonymella, requiring genital examination or host plant association for reliable identification. Larvae feed on Prunus and Crataegus species, and the moth has demonstrated invasive potential with documented outbreaks causing significant defoliation in introduced and expanded ranges.