Grassland-insects
Guides
Athysanella secunda
Athysanella secunda is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Blocker and Wesley in 1985. It belongs to the genus Athysanella, which comprises leafhoppers primarily associated with grassland habitats in North America. The species is documented from Saskatchewan, Canada, though detailed ecological and biological information remains limited in published literature.
Balclutha confluens
Balclutha confluens is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Rey in 1894. The genus Balclutha is a large and widespread group of leafhoppers, with many species occurring in grassland and agricultural habitats. This particular species is documented from the northeastern United States, with records from Vermont. Leafhoppers in this genus are typically small, active insects that feed on plant sap and are often abundant in late summer and fall.
Cerodontha
Cerodontha is a large genus of leaf-miner flies in the family Agromyzidae, containing at least 280 described species. Larvae feed internally on plant tissues, creating distinctive mines in leaves, stems, or leaf sheaths of grasses, sedges, and other monocots. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with significant diversity in the Nearctic, Palearctic, and Australasian regions. Several species are associated with economically important crops and pasture grasses.
Conocephalini
Common Meadow Katydids
Conocephalini is a tribe of katydids within the subfamily Conocephalinae, commonly known as meadow katydids and conehead katydids. Members are among the most abundant orthopterans in eastern North America and adjacent Canada. The tribe includes genera such as Conocephalus (lesser meadow katydids), Neoconocephalus (conehead katydids), and Orchelimum (greater meadow katydids). Many species exhibit omnivorous feeding habits and produce species-specific acoustic signals for mate attraction.
Eribolus longulus
Eribolus longulus is a species of frit fly in the family Chloropidae, first described by Loew in 1863. Like other members of this family, it is a small dipteran with reduced wing venation. The genus Eribolus contains species that are generally poorly studied, with limited published information on their biology and ecology.
Hesperiidae
Skippers
Hesperiidae, commonly known as skippers, is a large family of diurnal butterflies in the order Lepidoptera. The family contains over 3,500 recognized species distributed worldwide, with greatest diversity in tropical regions. Skippers are named for their rapid, darting flight patterns. A distinctive morphological feature is the antenna tip, which is modified into a narrow hook-like projection rather than the rounded club found in most other butterfly families. The family was formerly placed in its own superfamily Hesperioidea but is now classified within Papilionoidea based on recent molecular studies.
Irbisia
black grass bugs
Irbisia is a genus of plant bugs in the family Miridae, comprising more than 20 described species. Members are small, black insects measuring 5–8 mm in length. They are commonly known as black grass bugs due to their frequent occurrence in spring grasses. The genus was established by Reuter in 1875.
Leptogastrinae
Leptogastrinae is a subfamily of robber flies (Asilidae) comprising more than 450 described species. Members are distinguished from other asilids by their slender, elongate bodies and cryptic behavior in vegetation. Unlike the robust, bee-mimicking species common in other subfamilies, Leptogastrinae are nearly invisible as they navigate through tall grasses. They share the predatory habits characteristic of the family Asilidae.
Merocoris
leaf-footed bugs
Merocoris is a genus of leaf-footed bugs in the family Coreidae, comprising approximately eight described species. Unlike typical leaf-footed bugs that possess flattened, leaf-like hind tibiae, members of this genus exhibit distinctive morphological modifications: notably curved hind tibiae and club-shaped (incrassate) hind femora. The genus has been documented across the Americas from North America through Central America to South America.
Merocoris curtatus
Merocoris curtatus is a species of leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae, described by McAtee in 1919. It is native to North America with confirmed records from California. The genus Merocoris belongs to the subfamily Meropachyinae, a group of coreids that typically lack the expanded, leaf-like hind tibiae characteristic of many other leaf-footed bugs. Species in this genus are generally small, compact, and associated with herbaceous vegetation in grassland and open habitats.
Peconus
Peconus is a genus of leafhoppers in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Deltocephalinae, and tribe Paralimnini. It was established by Oman in 1949 and belongs to the large group of true bugs (Hemiptera) characterized by piercing-sucking mouthparts. As a member of the Paralimnini, it is part of a tribe associated with grassland and wetland habitats. The genus is taxonomically accepted but poorly documented in published literature.
Phyllodinus
Phyllodinus is a genus of delphacid planthoppers in the family Delphacidae. The genus contains six described species distributed across Asia and North America. It was established by Van Duzee in 1897. Species in this genus are small, jumping insects associated with grasses and sedges.
Spathanus
Spathanus is a genus of leafhoppers in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Deltocephalinae, and tribe Scaphoideini. The genus was described by DeLong in 1945 and contains species primarily distributed in North America. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized leafhoppers with morphological features characteristic of the Scaphoideini tribe. As with other leafhoppers, they are plant-feeding insects that use piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract sap from host plants.
Stenodemini
Stenodemini is a tribe of plant bugs (family Miridae) comprising approximately 18 genera and over 60 described species. Members are primarily associated with grasses and grassland habitats. The tribe includes economically and ecologically significant genera such as Stenodema, Leptopterna, Notostira, and Trigonotylus. Species within this tribe show complex feeding relationships with multiple grass host plants, with ecological separation often achieved through temporal partitioning and microhabitat specialization.