Great-plains
Guides
Agrilus paracelti
Agrilus paracelti is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Knull in 1972. It belongs to the hyperdiverse genus Agrilus, the largest genus in the family. The species is documented from North America and has been collected from hackberry (Celtis spp.) in Oklahoma. Like other members of its genus, it is presumed to have larvae that tunnel in woody host plants.
Agrotis daedalus
Agrotis daedalus is a noctuid moth species native to the Great Plains of North America. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 38 mm and are active in early spring, with one generation per year. The species is distributed from west Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona west to northern Nevada, and north to southern Alberta and south-central Saskatchewan.
Amblycheila cylindriformis
Great Plains Giant Tiger Beetle
Amblycheila cylindriformis is a flightless tiger beetle native to the Great Plains of North America. It is the largest tiger beetle species in North America, with adults reaching 25–38 mm in length. The species is strictly nocturnal and inhabits grassland environments, where adults walk on bare ground and larvae construct deep burrows in specific soil types.
Apamea burgessi ona
A subspecies of cutworm moth in the family Noctuidae, distributed in the North American Great Plains. The nominate subspecies Apamea burgessi burgessi occurs in the eastern portion of the range, while A. burgessi ona occupies more western localities. Like other members of the genus Apamea, it is nocturnal and attracted to light sources. The species complex presents identification challenges due to individual variation and overlapping morphological traits with related taxa.
Apantesis blakei
Blake's Tiger Moth
Apantesis blakei, commonly known as Blake's Tiger Moth, is a species of tiger moth in the family Erebidae. First described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1864, this species was formerly classified under the genus Grammia but was transferred to Apantesis along with related genera. It is native to the North American Great Plains and southern prairie provinces of Canada, where its larvae feed on a documented range of grass and sedge species.
Apantesis favorita
A tiger moth species in the family Erebidae, described by Berthold Neumoegen in 1890. This species was formerly placed in the genus Grammia but was transferred to Apantesis along with related tiger moth genera. It has a restricted distribution in the Great Plains sand dune ecosystems and exhibits a narrow adult flight period in late spring. The species is notable for its specialized habitat association with prairie sand dunes, a rare ecosystem type in North America.
Apantesis margo
Margo's Tiger Moth
Apantesis margo is a tiger moth in the family Erebidae, described by Schmidt in 2009. It was originally placed in the genus Grammia but transferred to Apantesis in a taxonomic revision that consolidated several related genera. The species is restricted to grassland and transitional habitats in the north-central United States and adjacent regions, with flight activity concentrated in late spring. The specific epithet honors the author's wife.
Apiomerus spissipes
Plains Bee Assassin
Apiomerus spissipes is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae, commonly known as the Plains Bee Assassin. It ranges broadly across the Great Plains of North America and is replaced further east by the closely related but generally darker A. crassipes. The species is known for its habit of ambushing pollinators on flowers, particularly bees, though it will prey on other insects as well. Its coloration has been observed to include pale ventral surfaces with black front and hind margins.
Attenuipyga minor setosa
Attenuipyga minor setosa is a subspecies of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, order Hemiptera. It is recognized as a valid subspecies and has been documented from the northern Great Plains region of North America. The nominate subspecies Attenuipyga minor minor is found in western North America, while A. m. setosa occurs in the Dakotas region.
Beameria
Aridland Cicadas
Beameria is a genus of small cicadas in the family Cicadidae, comprising at least three described species. Members are among the smallest cicadas in North America, with body lengths around 16 mm. The genus is associated with prairie habitats and has been documented producing high-frequency calling songs. Beameria was established by Davis in 1934.
Beameria venosa
Aridland Cicada
Beameria venosa is one of the smallest cicada species in North America, with a body length of approximately 16 mm. It is a prairie obligate species distributed across the Great Plains from Nebraska and Colorado south to Texas and New Mexico, with additional records from Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, and Arizona. The species produces a high-frequency calling song that is audible to humans but appears to function as a predator avoidance mechanism by being inaudible to birds and lizards. It is listed as vulnerable in Missouri due to its dependence on restricted prairie habitats.
Blissus canadensis
Blissus canadensis is a species of true bug in the family Blissidae, described by Leonard in 1970. It belongs to a genus containing several economically important chinch bug species that are pests of turfgrass and agricultural crops. The species is recorded from the northern Great Plains region of North America.
Bolbocerosoma biplagiatum
Bolbocerosoma biplagiatum is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae, described by Dawson & McColloch in 1924. It belongs to the subfamily Bolboceratinae, a group characterized by their burrowing behavior and association with soil and organic matter. The species is known from the central United States, with records spanning from Colorado to Wisconsin and southward to Texas and Oklahoma.
Bonneyana osborni
Bonneyana osborni is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Deltocephalinae, and tribe Platymetopiini. It was described by Ball in 1900. The species is known from the western Great Plains region of North America, with records from Colorado and Nebraska. Like other members of the Platymetopiini, it likely inhabits grassland environments.
Boreocanthon praticola
Boreocanthon praticola is a small dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. Its distribution spans the Great Plains from southern Canada to Texas, extending into the American Southwest and northwestern Mexico. The species exhibits a strong ecological association with prairie dog colonies, where it feeds primarily on prairie dog dung pellets. It has been documented in the fossil record from the La Brea tar pits in California, indicating a broader historical range.
Brachypnoea lecontei
Texas Live Oak Leaf Beetle
Brachypnoea lecontei is a leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. The species was described in 2003 following taxonomic revision of LeConte's original 1858 specimen, which had been synonymized with Brachypnoea puncticollis until genetic and morphological study of type material confirmed its distinct status. It is found in the Great Plains of the United States and has a documented association with Texas live oak.
Brachystola magna
Plains Lubber Grasshopper, Western Lubber Grasshopper, Homesteader
Brachystola magna is one of the largest grasshoppers in North America, a flightless species inhabiting the Great Plains from the Canadian border to central Mexico. Adults reach 4–6 cm in length, with females substantially larger and heavier than males. The species exhibits a two-year life cycle, with eggs overwintering twice before hatching. Though primarily herbivorous, adults display notable omnivory including scavenging and predation on other insects. The species has historical scientific significance as the subject of Walter Sutton's pioneering work on reduction division and chromosome theory.
Bradycinetulus fossatus
fossate bolboceratine, fossate earth-boring dung beetle
Bradycinetulus fossatus is a large, robust bolboceratine geotrupid beetle found in sand dune and sandy grassland habitats of the south-central United States. The species is characterized by its chunky body form and fossorial (burrowing) adaptations typical of the subfamily. It is attracted to lights at night and has been documented in Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. The species is part of a small genus of North American bolboceratines that are poorly studied relative to their ecological role in sandy ecosystems.
Cabrulus labeculus
Cabrulus labeculus is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Deltocephalinae, described by DeLong in 1926. It belongs to the tribe Paralimnini, a group of small to medium-sized leafhoppers often associated with grassland and wetland habitats. The species has been documented in the northern Great Plains region of North America.
Calosoma lepidum
neat beautiful black searcher
Calosoma lepidum is a ground beetle in the subfamily Carabinae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1844. Adults are sub-brachypterous, indicating reduced flight capability. The species inhabits open prairie habitats with short grass in the northern Great Plains and adjacent montane regions.
Catocala luciana
Shining Underwing, Luciana Underwing Moth
Catocala luciana is a medium-sized underwing moth in the family Erebidae, first described by Herman Strecker in 1874. The species is native to western North America, with a distribution spanning the Great Plains from southern Canada to the southwestern United States. Like other members of the genus Catocala, it possesses cryptic forewings that conceal brightly patterned hindwings, a characteristic defensive adaptation. Adults are active in late summer and early autumn.
Ceuthophilus pallidus
plains camel cricket
Ceuthophilus pallidus, the plains camel cricket, is a native North American camel cricket in the family Rhaphidophoridae. It is distinguished from other Ceuthophilus species by its pale coloration and association with plains and grassland habitats rather than caves. The species is wingless and nocturnal, with exceptionally long antennae adapted for navigation in dark environments. It belongs to a genus of approximately 90 North American species, many of which are habitat specialists.
Cicadettana kansa
Kansas Grass Cicada
Cicadettana kansa is a small North American cicada species formerly classified in the genus Cicadetta. Adults are lime green in coloration and produce a soft, barely audible buzzing call. The species inhabits mixed shortgrass prairie and is active in late spring and summer. It is distinguished from the similar C. calliope by having 4–5 apical cells in the hind wing rather than 6.
Cicindela fulgida fulgida
Crimson Saltflat Tiger Beetle
Cicindela fulgida fulgida is a subspecies of tiger beetle restricted to saline and alkaline habitats in the central and western Great Plains of North America. Adults are active primarily during spring and fall, with larvae constructing distinctive turreted burrows in dry, salt-encrusted soils. The species exhibits strong habitat fidelity to wet, alkaline environments including saline flats and dry alkaline creek beds. Larval burrows feature unique above-ground turret structures thought to function in thermoregulation.
Cicindela lengi jordai
Jorda's Tiger Beetle
Cicindela lengi jordai is a southwestern subspecies of the blowout tiger beetle, distinguished from the nominate subspecies by broadly coalesced elytral maculations. It inhabits dry sand habitats including blowouts, dune margins, sand flats, and sandy roadsides in the Great Plains region. The subspecies was described by Rotger in 1974 and is considered uncommon throughout its range despite relatively broad habitat tolerance.
Cicindela lengi lengi
Blowout Tiger Beetle
Cicindela lengi lengi is the nominate subspecies of the blowout tiger beetle, a tiger beetle restricted to dry sand habitats in the central and northern Great Plains of North America. It is distinguished from the superficially similar C. formosa by its narrower body form, longer and narrower labrum, and obliquely straight (rather than C-shaped) humeral marking. Adults are active from late summer into early fall, with peak activity in September. The subspecies is characterized by dark coloration on the underside of the thorax, unlike the coppery underside seen in the northern subspecies C. lengi versuta.
Cicindela lengi versuta
Adroit Tiger Beetle
Cicindela lengi versuta is a subspecies of blowout tiger beetle found in the northern Great Plains and adjacent regions of North America. It is distinguished from the nominate subspecies by a distinct coppery underside to the thorax. The subspecies inhabits dry sandy habitats including sand blowouts, dune margins, and sandy roadsides, often in boreal coniferous forest areas in the northern part of its range. Adults are active during late summer, with observations concentrated in September.
Cicindela limbata
Sandy Tiger Beetle
Cicindela limbata, the sandy tiger beetle, is a North American tiger beetle species specialized for life in dry sand dune habitats. It is characterized by extensive white maculations on the elytra that serve as thermal reflectance adaptations. The species exhibits a fragmented distribution across the Great Plains and boreal regions, with five recognized subspecies showing geographic variation in maculation patterns and body size correlated with local climate conditions. Populations display behavioral thermoregulation through midday burrowing into sand to avoid extreme surface temperatures.
Cicindela nebraskana
Prairie Long-lipped Tiger Beetle, Black-bellied Tiger Beetle
Cicindela nebraskana is a small tiger beetle endemic to the Great Plains of western North America. The species is distinguished by its elongated labrum (upper lip), which gives adults a notably long-faced appearance compared to congeners. Males possess bright white labrum and mandibles, while females show partially or completely dark mouthparts. The species is considered rare and has been documented at very few localities despite its relatively broad geographic range.
Cicindela purpurea audubonii
Audubon's tiger beetle
A subspecies of tiger beetle in the genus Cicindela, Cicindela purpurea audubonii is one of the most commonly encountered tiger beetles in grassland habitats throughout the central Great Plains and Rocky Mountains. It exhibits two distinct color morphs within populations: a green morph with a faint purple tinge and metallic purple elytral border, and a rarer all-black morph. The subspecies follows a spring-fall life cycle strategy, emerging in fall as sexually immature adults, overwintering in burrows, and re-emerging in spring to mate and oviposit. It is distinguished from similar green claybank-associated species by its reduced elytral markings and purple marginal coloration.
Cicindela purpurea cimarrona
Cimarron Tiger Beetle
Cicindela purpurea cimarrona is a subspecies of the purple tiger beetle complex found in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions of North America. As part of the spring-fall life history group within the true Cicindela, adults emerge in fall as sexually immature individuals, overwinter in burrows, and re-emerge in spring to mate and reproduce. This subspecies is one of several color variants within C. purpurea, which exhibits notable polymorphism including green, blue, black, and bronze-purple morphs. The specific epithet 'cimarrona' references its association with the Cimarron River region and surrounding grassland habitats.
Cicindela scutellaris scutellaris
Festive Tiger Beetle
Cicindela scutellaris scutellaris, the nominate subspecies of the festive tiger beetle, occupies deep, dry sand habitats across the Great Plains of North America. It is characterized by metallic coppery-yellow to greenish elytral reflections and variable development of marginal white maculations. This subspecies forms part of a broadly distributed and highly polymorphic species complex, with extensive intergradation occurring with subspecies lecontei along the upper Missouri River. Populations are typically found in association with Cicindela formosa, with which they share habitat preferences but not complete range overlap.
Cicindela tranquebarica diffracta
Diffracted Tiger Beetle
Cicindela tranquebarica diffracta is a subspecies of the oblique-lined tiger beetle, distinguished from the nominate form by more diffused and broken elytral maculations. It occurs in sandy and clay soils across the Great Plains and western North America. Like other members of the C. tranquebarica complex, it is a spring-fall active species with larvae that construct typical tiger beetle burrows in appropriate substrates.
Cicindela tranquebarica kirbyi
Kirby's Oblique-lined Tiger Beetle, Kirby's Tiger Beetle
Cicindela tranquebarica kirbyi is a subspecies of the oblique-lined tiger beetle found in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions of North America. It is a spring-fall species that emerges in fall as sexually immature adults, overwinters in burrows, and becomes active again in spring for mating and oviposition. The subspecies is distinguished from the nominate eastern form by broader white maculations on the elytra. It occurs in both saline and dry sandy habitats, showing greater habitat flexibility than many tiger beetle species.
Colaspis crinicornis
Colaspis crinicornis is a leaf beetle species in the family Chrysomelidae, native to the Great Plains of the United States. It was described by Schaeffer in 1933. Historically not considered a pest, its populations have increased substantially in corn and soybean fields in southeastern Nebraska over the past decade. The species has a univoltine life cycle, overwintering as larvae in soil and emerging as adults in summer. Adults feed on above-ground foliage while larvae feed on below-ground plant portions.
Collops pulchellus
Collops pulchellus is a species of soft-winged flower beetle in the family Melyridae. Records indicate it has been collected on flowers of Gutierrezia sarothrae (broom snakeweed) in shortgrass prairie habitats of Oklahoma and New Mexico. The species appears to be associated with late-season flowering of its host plants, with observations in September and October. Like other members of the genus Collops, adults are likely predatory on small insects visiting the same flowers.
Collops reflexus
Collops reflexus is a species of soft-winged flower beetle in the family Melyridae. Like other members of the genus Collops, it is a predatory beetle found in association with flowering plants. The genus is recognized for its ecological role as a predator of pest insects in agricultural systems, including cotton. Collops reflexus has been documented in field observations on flowers of Gutierrezia sarothrae (broom snakeweed) in northeastern New Mexico, where it occurs alongside other flower-visiting beetles.
Commellus hyphen
A leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, described by Hamilton in 1995. It belongs to the subfamily Deltocephalinae and tribe Paralimnini. Distribution records indicate occurrence in the northern Great Plains region of North America, including Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and North Dakota.
Cophura powersi
Cophura powersi is a species of robber fly in the family Asilidae, described by Wilcox in 1965. The species was named in honor of entomologist Jack Powers, who collected the type specimens in the Dakotas. It belongs to a genus of robber flies that are primarily found in western North America.
Crambus trichusalis
Crambus trichusalis is a grass moth in the family Crambidae, described by George Duryea Hulst in 1886. It is restricted to the northern Great Plains of North America, with confirmed records from the Canadian prairies and adjacent U.S. states. The species is strongly associated with native grassland habitats.
Crossidius pulchellus
Beautiful Longhorned Beetle
Crossidius pulchellus is a longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1861. Unlike most cerambycids that develop in dead wood, this species has evolved a root-boring lifestyle in living perennial shrubs of the family Asteraceae. Adults are strongly associated with flowers of their host plants, where they feed, mate, and shelter. The species exhibits the dense vestiture (hair covering) characteristic of the genus and shows geographic variation across its range in the Great Plains and southern Rocky Mountains.
Cryptoscatomaseter criddlei
Cryptoscatomaseter criddlei is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, first described by Brown in 1928. It belongs to the genus Cryptoscatomaseter, a group of small aphodiine scarabs. The species is known from a limited number of records in the northern Great Plains and adjacent regions of North America.
Cryptoscatomaseter haldemani
Cryptoscatomaseter haldemani is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It belongs to a genus of small dung beetles found in North America. The species was described by Horn in 1887 and is distributed across the central and southern United States.
Cryptoscatomaseter paulseni
Cryptoscatomaseter paulseni is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Aphodiinae, first described from specimens collected in Kansas and Nebraska. It belongs to a genus of small dung beetles whose members are poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species is known only from a limited number of records in the central Great Plains region of the United States.
Daihinia brevipes
Great plains camel cricket
Daihinia brevipes is a camel cricket species in the family Rhaphidophoridae, commonly known as the great plains camel cricket. First described by Haldeman in 1850 as Phalangopsis brevipes, this species has been studied for its biology and potential economic importance. As a member of the camel cricket group, it is adapted to subterranean or shelter-seeking habits and is found in the Great Plains region of North America.
Dectes texanus
Dectes stem borer, Texas prick, soybean stem borer
Dectes texanus is a native North American longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae: Lamiinae) that has emerged as a significant agricultural pest of soybeans and sunflowers in the Midwestern and Great Plains regions of the United States. Adults are characterized by antennae longer than their bodies and a pale gray coloration. Larvae tunnel inside plant stems from July through October, then girdle the stem base internally before overwintering, causing pre-harvest lodging and yield losses. The species has expanded its range and pest status dramatically since the 1980s, correlating with increased soybean acreage and adoption of no-till farming practices. Originally associated with wild hosts including ragweed and cocklebur, it colonized cultivated soybeans approximately 50 years ago.
Eleodes acuta
desert stink beetle
Eleodes acuta is a large desert stink beetle in the family Tenebrionidae. It is closely related to and frequently confused with E. suturalis, with which it shares similar size, coloration, and habitat preferences. The species occurs in the Great Plains and southwestern United States, including areas of South Dakota and New Mexico. It is primarily nocturnal and exhibits the defensive head-stand behavior characteristic of the genus Eleodes.
Eleodes caseyi
desert stink beetle, clown beetle
Eleodes caseyi is a species of desert stink beetle in the family Tenebrionidae. It belongs to the genus Eleodes, commonly known as clown beetles, which are characterized by their defensive head-stand posture. The species was described by Blaisdell in 1909. Like other members of its genus, it is adapted to arid environments.
Eleodes hirsuta
Hairy Stink Beetle, Hairy Eleodes
Eleodes hirsuta is a large darkling beetle (Tenebrionidae) native to western North America, recognized by its conspicuously hairy body and defensive chemical-secreting behavior. The species belongs to the 'clown beetle' group, known for their characteristic head-stand posture when threatened. Adults are primarily nocturnal and active during warmer months in arid and semi-arid grassland habitats.
Eleodes sponsa
Eleodes sponsa is a species of darkling beetle in the family Tenebrionidae, commonly known as clown beetles. The species was described by LeConte in 1858. Members of the genus Eleodes are characterized by their defensive "head stand" behavior, where they elevate their abdomen when threatened. The species occurs in North American grassland and prairie habitats.