Holarctic-distribution
Guides
Aclypea opaca
dark carrion beetle, beet carrion beetle
Aclypea opaca is a carrion beetle in the family Silphidae, commonly known as the dark carrion beetle or beet carrion beetle. The species is native to northern and central Europe and has been introduced to North America, where it occurs in Alaska and the Northwest Territories. Unlike many carrion beetles, species in the genus Aclypea are phytophagous, feeding on living plant material rather than carrion.
Adalia bipunctata
Two-spotted Lady Beetle, Two-spot Ladybird, Two-spotted Ladybug
Adalia bipunctata is a small predatory ladybird beetle native to the Holarctic region, with populations in Europe, North America, and Central Asia. It is one of the most extensively studied ladybird species due to its complex color polymorphism and ecological interactions. The species exhibits remarkable variation in elytral coloration, ranging from the classic red-with-two-black-spots form to multiple melanistic variants. Populations show geographic variation in life history: European populations are typically multivoltine, while some introduced populations (e.g., Japan) exhibit univoltine cycles with extended adult inactivity. The species has declined significantly in parts of its native North American range but remains common in western and central Europe. It is frequently employed as a biological control agent against aphid pests in greenhouses and agricultural systems.
Agabus discolor
Agabus discolor is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, first described by Harris in 1828. The species has a broad geographic distribution spanning North America and the Palearctic region. As a member of the predaceous diving beetles, it is an aquatic predator inhabiting freshwater environments. The species was originally described under the genus Colymbetes before being transferred to Agabus.
Alopecosa pictilis
Painted Wolf Spider
Alopecosa pictilis is a wolf spider species in the family Lycosidae, first described by Emerton in 1885. It is one of approximately 150 species in the genus Alopecosa, a group of ground-dwelling hunting spiders distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. The species exhibits the typical wolf spider characteristics of active hunting behavior and maternal care of egg sacs. Records indicate it has been observed in at least 29 documented occurrences.
Ametor scabrosus
Ametor scabrosus is a water scavenger beetle (family Hydrophilidae) found across northern and western North America, with additional records from East Asia including China, Korea, and the Russian Far East. The species was described by Horn in 1873. Like other members of the genus Ametor, it inhabits aquatic environments where it contributes to decomposition processes.
Anurida
Anurida is a genus of springtails (Collembola) in the family Neanuridae, established in 1865 by Laboulbène. The genus has cosmopolitan distribution with species occupying diverse habitats including intertidal marine zones, river floodplains, riparian areas, and forest ecosystems. Well-studied species include the intertidal specialist Anurida maritima, which exhibits complex tidal-entrained behaviors, and the terrestrial A. granaria, which has documented mycophagous associations. The genus shows notable morphological diversity in chaetotaxy and eye reduction, with some species groups exhibiting cryptic genetic divergence despite morphological similarity.
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misera
Aphileta misera is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae. It has a broad distribution spanning North America, Europe, and Russia from Siberia to the Far East. As a member of the sheet-web weaving spiders, it constructs small webs in low vegetation. The species was first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1882.
Arctosa raptor
Raptor Wolf Spider
Arctosa raptor is a species of wolf spider in the family Lycosidae. It has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning northern Eurasia and North America, with records from Russia (including Kamchatka), Nepal, the United States, and Canada. The species was first described by Polish arachnologist Władysław Kulczyński in 1885. Like other wolf spiders, it is an active hunter that does not construct webs to capture prey.
Bembidion transparens
Bembidion transparens is a ground beetle species in the family Carabidae, first described by Gebler in 1830. It has a transcontinental distribution spanning North America and Europe. The species is divided into three subspecies, with the nominate subspecies Bembidion transparens transparens being the most widely recognized. It belongs to the large and diverse genus Bembidion, which contains hundreds of species of small predatory beetles.
Ceraticelus bulbosus
dwarf spider
Ceraticelus bulbosus is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae. It has been recorded across a broad geographic range spanning North America and Eurasia, including the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Finland, and Russia from Europe to the Far East. The species was first described by Emerton in 1882. As a member of the subfamily Erigoninae, it belongs to a diverse group of small spiders commonly known as dwarf or money spiders.
Cercyon unipunctatus
Cercyon unipunctatus is a small water scavenger beetle in the family Hydrophilidae, widespread across the Holarctic region. It is one of the most broadly distributed species in the genus Cercyon, occurring naturally across Europe, Northern Asia, and introduced to North America. The species was first described by Linnaeus in 1758 and belongs to the C. unipunctatus species group, which contains multiple closely related taxa in Asia. It is primarily associated with moist, decomposing organic matter.
Cholevini
small carrion beetles
Cholevini is a tribe of small carrion beetles in the family Leiodidae, comprising over 20 genera and 200 described species. In North America, the tribe is represented by four genera: Catops (17 species), Sciodrepoides (3 species), and monotypic Prionochaeta and Catoptrichus. Species are primarily associated with decomposing organic matter, with most inhabiting forest environments. Some species occupy specialized habitats including tundra, caves, and rodent burrows. The tribe has a Holarctic distribution with some species restricted to North America extending south to Mexico.
Cicadula ciliata
Cicadula ciliata is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Osborn in 1898. It belongs to the subfamily Deltocephalinae and tribe Cicadulini. The species has been recorded from scattered locations across North America and Asia, with distribution records from Alaska, Alberta, Arizona, Arkansas, and Mongolia (Arhangay). Very few observations exist in citizen science databases, with only 3 records on iNaturalist. The specific epithet 'ciliata' refers to hair-like fringes, likely describing some aspect of the species' morphology.
Colias
Clouded Yellows, Sulphurs
Colias is a genus of approximately 90 butterfly species in the family Pieridae, distributed throughout the Holarctic including Arctic regions, as well as South America, Africa, China, and India. The genus is characterized by yellow, orange, or white wing coloration with black marginal borders. Species are known as "clouded yellows" in the Palearctic and "sulphurs" in North America. The genus exhibits complex taxonomic challenges due to rampant hybridization, clinal variation, and limited diagnostic morphological differences between species.
Delia radicum
cabbage root fly, cabbage maggot, spring cabbage fly, smaller cabbage fly
Delia radicum is a significant agricultural pest fly in the family Anthomyiidae, commonly known as the cabbage root fly or cabbage maggot. The larval stage causes damage by tunneling into roots and lower stems of cruciferous crops, while adults are small, grayish flies that emerge in spring. The species has a Holarctic distribution, occurring across Europe, North Africa, Asia, and North America. Research has documented complex interactions with microbial symbionts including Wolbachia and gut microbiota, which influence host fitness and plant-insect chemical ecology.
Drassodes neglectus
Neglected Ground Hunter Spider
Drassodes neglectus is a ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae, characterized by its ground-dwelling hunting behavior. The species occurs across a broad geographic range spanning Russia (Far East, Middle to East Siberia), Kazakhstan, and North America. It belongs to a genus of active hunters that do not construct webs for prey capture. Available records indicate it has been documented in 35 iNaturalist observations.
Ectemnius cephalotes
Large Ectemnius
Ectemnius cephalotes is a species of square-headed wasp in the family Crabronidae. It is a solitary, fossorial wasp that constructs underground nests. The species has a broad distribution spanning Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. It is one of the larger members of the genus Ectemnius, which comprises approximately 80 species worldwide.
Ectobius lapponicus
Dusky Cockroach
Ectobius lapponicus, commonly known as the dusky cockroach, is a small, non-pest cockroach species native to Europe and northern Asia. It was introduced to North America, with first recorded sightings in 1984 in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. The species has a documented life cycle involving specific overwintering stages, including a diapause in the egg and one of the nymphal instars. Unlike many cockroach species associated with human structures, E. lapponicus is primarily an outdoor species.
Ectoedemia
Ectoedemia is a genus of minute moths in the family Nepticulidae, established by August Busck in 1907. The genus comprises four subgenera: Ectoedemia, Etainia, Fomoria, and Zimmermannia. Species are distributed across multiple continents including Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas. The genus is notable for its leaf-mining larval ecology, with many species exhibiting narrow host plant specificity on trees and shrubs.
Nepticulidaemicrolepidopteraleaf-minerbark-minerhost-specificityparthenogenesisE.-argyropezaFagaceaeBetulaceaeQuercusspeciationsympatric-speciationphylogenomicsddRADclonal-diversitygall-inductioncecidian-stagesedentary-dispersalHolarctic-distributionGondwanan-distributionsubgenera:-Ectoedemia,-Etainia,-Fomoria,-ZimmermanniaErebia fasciata
banded alpine
Erebia fasciata, commonly known as the banded alpine, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Satyrinae. It is distributed across high-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere, ranging from central Siberia through Alaska, Yukon, and the Canadian Arctic to Hudson Bay, with additional populations on Banks Island and Victoria Island. The species exhibits a wingspan of 38–53 mm. Adults are active from May to late July depending on location, with larvae feeding on Carex species.
Formicini
Formicini is a tribe of ants within the subfamily Formicinae, established by Latreille in 1802. The tribe includes approximately 13 extant and 5 extinct genera, with Formica representing the most species-rich genus. Notable members include the slave-making genera Polyergus and Rossomyrmex, which practice dulotic social parasitism by raiding nests of related host species. The tribe exhibits diverse ecological strategies across temperate and arid regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Helophorus orientalis
Helophorus orientalis is a species of water scavenger beetle in the family Helophoridae. It has a broad geographic distribution spanning Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), North America, and Southern Asia. The species was described by Motschulsky in 1860. Like other members of the genus Helophorus, it is associated with aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats.
Hermannia
Hermannia is a genus of oribatid mites in the family Hermanniidae, established by Nicolet in 1855. These mites are characterized by a stocky body form and distinctive gastronotal setal ontogeny. The genus has a holarctic distribution with species found in arctic tundra, temperate forests, and Mediterranean regions. Several species have been well-studied including H. scabra, H. reticulata, and H. gibba, with research focusing on morphological development, population ecology, and symbiotic microorganisms.
Ilybius opacus
Ilybius opacus is a predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae, distributed across North America and the Palearctic region. It is one of numerous species in the genus Ilybius, a group of medium-sized diving beetles typically associated with freshwater habitats. The species was described by Aubé in 1837 and remains a valid, accepted taxon in current classifications.
Lesteva
ocellate rove beetles
Lesteva is a genus of ocellate rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, containing at least 60 described species. Members of this genus are small predatory beetles with distinct ocelli on the head. At least one species, L. pallipes, has been identified as a subnivium specialist—active beneath winter snowpack and rare or inactive during summer. The genus has a Holarctic distribution with species recorded across Europe, Asia, and North America.
Limonia
Limonia is a genus of crane flies in the family Limoniidae, established by Meigen in 1803. The genus is taxonomically broad and serves as a provisional grouping for species that may require reclassification to other genera. Species of Limonia are found across multiple continents, with documented diversity in East Asia, Europe, and North America. The genus includes both widespread and regionally endemic species.
Loxostege commixtalis
alfalfa webworm
Loxostege commixtalis, commonly known as the alfalfa webworm, is a crambid moth species described by Francis Walker in 1866. The species has a transcontinental distribution spanning the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. In North America, it ranges from the Atlantic provinces to the Yukon, while in Europe it occurs in Fennoscandia, Estonia, and northern Russia. Recent records document its first occurrence in the Eastern Palearctic (South-Eastern Transbaikalia and Amur Uplands). The species is a documented host for the parasitoid wasp Bracon vulgaris. Its larvae feed on succulent plants including alfalfa and sugar beet.
Mantis religiosa
European mantis, praying mantis
Mantis religiosa, the European mantis, is a large hemimetabolic insect native to Europe that has established widespread populations in North America since its introduction in 1899. It is distinguished by a diagnostic black spot with white center on the inner surface of each foreleg. The species exhibits remarkable color polymorphism, appearing in shades of green, brown, and bluish-green. Females deposit brown, Styrofoam-like egg cases (oothecae) containing over 100 eggs that overwinter and hatch in spring. Sexual cannibalism occurs, with females sometimes consuming males during or after mating.
Megalepthyphantes nebulosus
Megalepthyphantes nebulosus is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae. It is one of the more widely distributed linyphiid species, occurring across North America and Eurasia. The species was first described by Sundevall in 1830. Like other members of its family, it constructs sheet webs for prey capture. The specific epithet 'nebulosus' refers to the cloudy or nebulous appearance, likely describing coloration or pattern.
Neon reticulatus
Neon reticulatus is a species of jumping spider in the family Salticidae. It has a wide distribution spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, including Turkey, the Caucasus, Russia (from European to Far East regions), Kazakhstan, Korea, and Japan. The species was first described by Blackwall in 1853. As a member of Salticidae, it possesses the characteristic large anterior median eyes and jumping locomotion typical of this family.
Nothodelphax albocarinata
Nothodelphax albocarinata is a species of planthopper in the family Delphacidae, described by Stål in 1858. It belongs to a genus of small, grass-associated delphacids found primarily in temperate and boreal regions. The species has been documented across disjunct localities in North America and northern Asia.
Pardosa tesquorum
thin-legged wolf spider
Pardosa tesquorum is a small to medium-sized wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, belonging to the genus Pardosa, commonly known as thin-legged wolf spiders. The species has a broad distribution spanning the Palearctic and Nearctic regions, occurring across Russia, Mongolia, China, the United States, and Canada. Like other members of its genus, it is characterized by long, slender legs with distinctive perpendicular spines. Specific ecological details for this species are limited in published literature.
Peritrechus convivus
dirt-colored seed bug
Peritrechus convivus is a species of seed bug in the family Rhyparochromidae, first described by Stål in 1858. It is a member of the dirt-colored seed bug group, characterized by subdued coloration typical of this family. The species has a broad distribution spanning the Holarctic region, with records from Europe, Northern Asia, and North America. Its wide geographic range suggests ecological adaptability, though specific habitat preferences remain poorly documented.
Phellopsis
Phellopsis is a genus of zopherid beetles established by J.L. LeConte in 1862. The genus contains approximately seven recognized species distributed across North America and Asia. North American species P. obcordata and P. porcata are vicariant taxa restricted to old growth boreal forests of eastern and western North America, respectively. These species were historically confused until a 2008 revision clarified their distinct status. Asian species include P. amurensis (Russian Far East to Korea), P. suberea (Japan), P. chinense (west-central China), and P. yulongensis (Yunnan Province).
Phoroctenia
Phoroctenia is a genus of true crane flies (family Tipulidae) in the subfamily Ctenophorinae. The genus is monotypic, containing only the single described species P. vittata (Meigen, 1830). It has a disjunct distribution spanning northern Europe, eastern Russia, and western North America. The genus was established by Coquillett in 1910.
Pima boisduvaliella
Silver-edged Knot-horn
Pima boisduvaliella is a species of snout moth in the family Pyralidae, commonly known as the Silver-edged Knot-horn. It has a broad distribution spanning most of Europe, parts of Asia, and northern North America. The species is notable for its larval feeding behavior inside the pods of leguminous host plants.
Piratula insularis
Lonely Wolf Spider
Piratula insularis is a wolf spider (family Lycosidae) found across northern regions of North America and Eurasia. First described by Emerton in 1885 under the name Pirata insularis, this species has since been reclassified to the genus Piratula. The species epithet "insularis" (meaning "of islands") likely refers to its occurrence on islands or isolated habitats, though the original description context is not preserved in available sources. It is one of several species in the genus Piratula, which comprises small to medium-sized wolf spiders often associated with wetland and riparian habitats.
Platypezinae
flat-footed flies
Platypezinae is a subfamily of small, fungus-associated flies in the family Platypezidae, commonly known as flat-footed flies. The subfamily contains approximately 250 described species across at least 14 valid genera. Members are distinguished by flattened bodies, distinctive wing venation, and modified hind legs with broadened tibiae and tarsi. The genus Microsania is cosmopolitan in distribution, while Agathomyia is primarily Holarctic with some Oriental representatives.
Pocadicnemis pumila
dwarf spider
Pocadicnemis pumila is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by John Blackwall in 1841. It has a notably wide distribution spanning multiple continents, including North America, Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus, Russia (from European Russia to the Far East), Iran, and Japan. The species belongs to a family commonly known as sheet-web weavers or money spiders, though specific behavioral details for this species remain poorly documented.
Polyergus
Amazon ants, slave-raiding ants, slave-making ants
Polyergus is a genus of 14 described species of obligate slave-making ants found throughout the northern hemisphere. Workers possess highly specialized dagger-like mandibles adapted for piercing the heads of host ants during raids, but have lost the ability to perform brood care or feed themselves. All colonies depend entirely on captured workers from the genus Formica to perform nest maintenance, foraging, and brood rearing. New colonies are founded when a single queen invades an existing Formica nest, eventually killing the host queen and assuming control of the worker force.
Protolampra
Protolampra is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Noctuinae. The genus was established by McDunnough in 1929 and contains four recognized species. Species within this genus are distributed across northern Europe and North America, with records from Scandinavia, Denmark, and the northeastern United States including Vermont.
Rhacognathus
heather bug (R. punctatus)
Rhacognathus is a genus of predatory stink bugs in the family Pentatomidae, subfamily Asopinae. The genus includes four described species distributed across the Holarctic: R. punctatus in Europe, R. americanus in North America (now possibly extinct), and R. callosus and R. corniger in Asia. Species in this genus are characterized by their distinctive body shape and predatory feeding habits on other insects.
Rhamphomyia
dance flies
Rhamphomyia is a large genus of dance flies (Empididae) comprising over 600 species arranged in 8 subgenera. The genus exhibits remarkable diversity in mating systems, including sex-role reversal where females compete for mates and males provide nuptial gifts. Several species display elaborate visual ornaments used in courtship, such as inflatable abdominal sacs and modified leg scales. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with particular diversity in the Holarctic region, including specialized radiations in arctic tundra environments.
Rhynocoris leucospilus
Rhynocoris leucospilus is a species of assassin bug in the family Reduviidae. The species has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning Europe, northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. Five subspecies have been recognized, reflecting regional variation across this wide distribution. As a member of the Harpactorinae subfamily, it possesses the raptorial forelegs characteristic of predatory assassin bugs.
Sisyra nigra
Black Spongillafly, Black Spongefly
Sisyra nigra is a small lacewing in the family Sisyridae, commonly known as the Black Spongillafly. It is the most widely distributed of the three British Sisyridae species and occurs across the Holarctic region. The species has a unique life cycle with fully aquatic larvae that are specialized predators of freshwater sponges, while adults are terrestrial and dispersive. S. nigra is notable for its distinctive achiasmatic sex chromosome segregation mechanism during male meiosis, which differs from other Neuroptera and supports the basal phylogenetic position of Sisyridae within the order.
Stenus latissimus
Stenus latissimus is a species of rove beetle in the subfamily Steninae, first described by Bernhauer in 1938. Members of the genus Stenus are known for their specialized hunting adaptations, including the ability to eject mouthparts using blood pressure to capture prey. The species has a transcontinental distribution spanning northern Asia and western North America. As with other Steninae, it is a specialist predator of small invertebrates.
Tachydromia
Tachydromia is a cosmopolitan genus of minute, predatory hybotid flies (Diptera: Hybotidae) with approximately 17 described species in the Nearctic region and numerous species globally, though with reduced diversity in East and Southeast Asia and Africa. The genus includes both fully winged species and a distinct complex of flightless, ant-like species found in western Mediterranean forests. Adults are active predators in leaf litter and ground layer habitats. Some Iberian endemic flightless species are of conservation concern due to habitat fragmentation and climate change.
Talavera minuta
Minute Jumping Spider
Talavera minuta is a small jumping spider in the family Salticidae. It is one of the smallest members of its genus, with an adult body length of approximately 2-3 mm. The species has a transcontinental distribution spanning eastern Russia and North America. Like other salticids, it possesses excellent vision and active hunting behavior, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Trichoferus
Trichoferus is a genus of long-horned beetles (Cerambycidae) established by Wollaston in 1854, containing at least 20 described species. Several species have become economically significant as invasive wood-boring pests, with Trichoferus campestris (velvet longhorned beetle) being particularly well-documented for its worldwide expansion through international trade. The genus includes both native and introduced species with documented associations with living trees, cut wood, and wood packaging material.
Tychius tectus
leguminous seed weevil
Tychius tectus is a species of leguminous seed weevil in the family Curculionidae, first described by LeConte in 1876 from North America. The species has been recorded from both North America and China, representing a transcontinental distribution pattern within the Holarctic region. As a member of the genus Tychius, it belongs to a group of weevils specialized on leguminous plants (Fabaceae). No specific biological or ecological studies have been published for this species.