Forest-canopy
Guides
Archaeoprepona demophon
one-spotted prepona, banded king shoemaker, demophon shoemaker
Archaeoprepona demophon is a neotropical butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, recognized by its black wings with bright pale blue transverse bands. The species ranges from Mexico through Central America and the West Indies to northern South America. It inhabits forest edges at canopy and subcanopy levels. Larvae feed on plants in the genus Annona and Malpighia glabra, while adults are attracted to rotting fruit and dung.
Callirhytis balanacea
Callirhytis balanacea is a species of cynipid wasp in the family Cynipidae, known for inducing pea-sized galls on oak trees. The species produces distinctive pip galls on oak hosts, which exude sugary secretions that serve as food sources for other insects. It has been documented as a gall-forming insect with specific ecological interactions, including serving as a food source for hairstreak butterflies that feed on gall exudates rather than nectar.
Leucotabanus
White Horse Flies
Leucotabanus is a genus of horse flies (family Tabanidae) established by Lutz in 1913. The genus comprises approximately 16 described species distributed primarily in the Neotropical region, with particular diversity in the Amazon basin. Members are commonly referred to as White Horse Flies. Species-level taxonomy has been revised in recent decades, with several species described by Fairchild in the mid-20th century and a new species, L. fairchildi, described in 2019.
Lophocampa
Lophocampa is a genus of arctiine tussock moths in the family Erebidae, erected by Thaddeus William Harris in 1841. The genus contains approximately 75 species distributed primarily in North America. Larvae are commonly known as tussock moths and typically exhibit gregarious behavior, forming aggregated colonies on host trees. Several species are notable for their distinctive larval coloration with tufts of hair-like setae.
Mordellaria undulata
tumbling flower beetle
Mordellaria undulata is a species of tumbling flower beetle in the family Mordellidae, first described by Melsheimer in 1846. The species is distributed across North America, with confirmed records from New Brunswick, Ontario, and Québec in Canada. Like other members of Mordellidae, this beetle exhibits the characteristic hump-backed body form and ability to 'tumble' when disturbed.
Nicrophorus defodiens
Boreal Burying Beetle
Nicrophorus defodiens is a burying beetle species first described by Mannerheim in 1846. It is one of at least two burying beetle species known to breed in the forest canopy. The species exhibits communal breeding behavior, where multiple male-female associations share parental care duties on larger vertebrate carcasses. It produces approximately twice as many eggs as the related N. orbicollis, with clutch sizes averaging around 24 eggs.
Nicrophorus pustulatus
Pustulated Carrion Beetle, Blistered Burying Beetle
Nicrophorus pustulatus is a North American burying beetle distinguished by its unique ecology among congeners. Unlike typical carrion beetles that bury small vertebrate carcasses underground, this species is a canopy specialist that has undergone a remarkable host shift to exploit snake eggs as a primary breeding resource. It is the only described Nicrophorus species demonstrated to function as a true parasitoid of vertebrates, attacking live reptile eggs. Adults are medium-sized (14.0–22.2 mm), predominantly black with distinctive orange elytral spots, and lack the long dorsal setae characteristic of related species. The species exhibits flexible social mating systems and facultative parental care.
Pseudotephritis
Pseudotephritis is a genus of picture-winged flies in the family Ulidiidae, containing five described species distributed across North America, Europe, and East Asia. Species in this genus are saproxylic, with larvae developing in weakened and dying deciduous trees. Adults are typically collected in forest canopies and are attracted to fermenting baits. The genus was established by Johnson in 1902.
Zerconidae
Zerconidae is a family of mesostigmatid mites found primarily in soil and litter habitats across the Northern Hemisphere. The family includes approximately 20 genera and numerous species, with documented occurrences in North America, Europe, Turkey, and other regions. These mites have been collected from diverse habitats including boreal forests, temperate woodlands, reforested areas, felled sites, and forest canopies. Several genera are recognized, including Zercon, Prozercon, Mixozercon, Boreozercon, and Halozercon.