Nearctic-endemic
Guides
Brachycistidinae
Brachycistidinae is a subfamily of flower wasps (Tiphiidae) containing 10 genera and 85 species endemic to the Nearctic region. These wasps exhibit extreme sexual dimorphism: females are wingless and ant-like, living primarily underground, while males are winged and nocturnal. The subfamily has historically suffered from "dual taxonomy," where sexes were described as separate species due to their dissimilar appearance. Taxonomic resolution remains challenging due to structural similarities among species and lack of distinctive coloration.
Calyptra canadensis
Canadian owlet, meadow rue owlet moth
Calyptra canadensis, known as the Canadian owlet or meadow rue owlet moth, is a North American moth in the family Erebidae. It is the only member of the genus Calyptra found in the New World; all other 16 species occur in the Old World. Adults feed on fruit by piercing the skin to access juices. The species is notable for its proboscis modified for piercing, though unlike some related Old World species, blood-feeding has not been documented in C. canadensis.
Cameraria fasciella
Cameraria fasciella is a micro-moth in the family Gracillariidae, known only from Kentucky and Ohio in the United States. Adults have a wingspan of 6–7 mm. The larvae are leaf miners that feed on Quercus species, specifically documented on Quercus tinctoria and Quercus velutina, creating irregular yellowish blotch mines on the upper surface of leaves.
Cotalpa
Cotalpa is a genus of scarab beetles comprising six species restricted to the Nearctic realm. These beetles belong to the subfamily Rutelinae, commonly known as shining leaf chafers. The genus was established by Burmeister in 1844. All species occur in North America, with documented observations from the United States including Vermont.
Euphoria herbacea
Olive Flower Beetle
Euphoria herbacea is a medium-sized scarab beetle in the subfamily Cetoniinae, commonly known as flower chafers or fruit chafers. Adults measure 15–16 mm and display an olive-green coloration. The species is endemic to the United States, with its distribution centered on the central plains and areas east of the Mississippi River. Like other members of its genus, it is attracted to fermenting sap flows on trees and exhibits a distinctive flight morphology with hind wings that deploy while the elytra remain closed.
Hebetica sylviae
Hebetica sylviae is a treehopper species in the family Membracidae, first described in 2019 from specimens discovered in Murray, Kentucky. It is the sole Nearctic representative of the genus Hebetica and the only member of the tribe Darnini (raindrop treehoppers) in the Eastern United States. Adults are distinguished by their green coloration when alive, which is uncommon among U.S. treehoppers. The species is associated with mulberry trees (Morus spp.) and has been documented in Kentucky and Georgia.
Holostrophus bifasciatus
polypore fungus beetle
Holostrophus bifasciatus is a species of polypore fungus beetle in the family Tetratomidae, found in North America. It is the only Nearctic species within the subfamily Eustrophinae that exhibits a distinctive quadrimaculate elytral color pattern. The species was first described by Thomas Say in 1824.
Vespula infernalis
cuckoo yellowjacket, American cuckoo yellowjacket
Vespula infernalis is an obligate social parasite (inquiline) that invades and usurps colonies of other yellowjacket species, primarily Vespula acadica in North America. Unlike most parasitic wasps, it exhibits intensely aggressive behavior during colony takeover, using specialized morphological adaptations including a large, heavily curved stinger to subdue host workers. The species lacks a worker caste and cannot build nests or rear its own young, instead forcing host workers to feed and care for its brood through dominance behaviors including mauling and forced trophallaxis.
social-parasiteinquilinecuckoo-waspyellowjacketaggressive-parasitismVespulaHymenopteraNearcticboreal-forestVespula-acadicaforced-trophallaxismauling-behaviorcurved-stingerno-worker-casteobligate-parasitismDufour's-glandoogenesis-suppressionfourth-mandibular-toothKimsey-&-Carpenter-2012Vespula-austriaca-sister-speciesshort-flight-seasonJune-to-SeptemberCanadaUnited-StatesAlaskaNew-JerseyMichiganWisconsinNorth-DakotaNew-MexicoArizonaCaliforniastable-populationsubterranean-nestshost-queen-usurpationhost-worker-manipulationreproductive-monopolyvenom-paralyzes-hostsminimal-foragingno-nest-constructionno-thermoregulation-behavioregg-laying-on-comb-exteriorautumn-queen-productionlonger-hibernation-than-hostspreusurpation-phasequeen-reared-worker-stage-invasionpost-emergence-colony-stage-invasionpatrol-behaviorcell-inspectiondominance-assertionevolutionary-strategy-kill-older-workers-firstworker-oviposition-suppressiongastral-draggingoophagy-absenttrophallaxis-solicitationforced-feeding-1-43-secondsvenom-LD50-20-30-mg/kg-workersvenom-LD50-81-mg/kg-queensvenom-not-more-lethal-than-non-parasitic-congenersDufour's-gland-hypertrophyclear-oily-gland-materialreproductive-organs-include-ovaries-poison-gland-Dufour's-glandnew-fall-wasps-empty-glandolder-wasps-flat-gland-with-little-oiloviposition-interrupted-by-workersmauling-response-to-interruption2012-species-recognitionpre-2012-literature-as-V.-austriacaNearctic-endemicboreal-region-specialisthost-nest-size-reductionecosystem-impact-through-host-suppressionChris-Alice-Kratzer-The-Social-Wasps-of-North-AmericaiNaturalist-observationsGBIF-accepted-taxonomyde-Saussure-1854-original-descriptionKimsey-Carpenter-2012-revisionVespidae-familyHymenoptera-orderInsecta-classArthropoda-phylumAnimalia-kingdomspecies-rankcuckoo-yellowjacket-common-nameAmerican-cuckoo-yellowjacket-alternative-name76-iNaturalist-observationsstable-conservation-statusnot-rare-throughout-rangeall-Canadian-provinces-territorieswestern-US-distributioneastern-US-distributionsubterranean-host-nestsrotting-stump-host-nestsenclosed-space-host-nestsqueen-paralysis-during-usurpationworker-injury-during-invasionantennal-damageleg-damagehost-queen-mandible-restrainthost-worker-mandible-defensealarm-pheromone-contextmultiple-stings-limitedbarbed-stinger-presentstinger-loss-during-attackfatal-attack-sacrificevenom-evolution-vertebrate-painSchmidt-Sting-Pain-Index-not-ratedice-treatment-for-stingsallergic-reaction-medical-attentiondesensitization-therapy-availablepest-control-commercial-operatorsaerosol-spray-evening-applicationnest-avoidance-recommendednest-elimination-if-threateningclear-bottles-drink-safetydrink-boxes-straws-childrenpicnic-trash-container-avoidancefood-covering-recruitment-reductiongentle-brushing-vs-swattingalarm-pheromone-releasechemical-attack-signalwalking-away-escape-strategybush-walking-evasion-tacticlate-summer-autumn-aggressioncolony-size-thousands-workersfootball-size-nestsperennial-nests-southern-statesVolkswagen-Beetle-nest-reportsmultiple-queens-perennial-coloniesHawaiian-invasive-V.-pensylvanica-contextGerman-yellowjacket-V.-germanica-contextEastern-yellowjacket-V.-maculifrons-contextSouthern-yellowjacket-V.-squamosa-contextWestern-yellowjacket-V.-pensylvanica-contextpaper-wasp-Polistes-dominula-contextEuropean-paper-wasp-introducedWestern-yellowjacket-not-Pennsylvaniaspecies-name-mislabel-originyellowjacket-diversity-208-species22-genera-social-wasps900-color-illustrations-field-guideiNaturalist-community-science-platformCornell-University-Insect-Collection-researchtaxonomic-paper-readinggenetic-barcode-software-alignment1000-hours-iNaturalist-observationsOwlfly-LLC-publishingmechanical-engineering-backgroundclimate-change-mitigation-focusnatural-pest-control-ecosystem-servicepollination-ecosystem-servicecaterpillar-prey-primary-foodgrasshopper-cricket-katydid-moth-butterfly-beetle-fly-earthworm-lanternfly-cockroach-smaller-wasp-small-spider-cicada-preytiny-waist-liquid-feeding-constraintmandible-prey-dismembermentlarval-secretion-dependency-other-queensV.-infernalis-liquid-food-dependencyhost-worker-secretion-solicitationminimal-larval-solicitationforceful-feeding-foreleg-grabbingcomb-pushing-aggressive-feedingtrophallaxis-intensity-decline-later-stagesworker-escape-forced-encountersshort-trophallaxis-1-5-secondslong-trophallaxis-43-secondsvenom-apparatus-shaft-aculeus-Dufour's-gland-venom-glandsvenom-reservoir-size-largest-femalesDufour's-gland-size-largest-femalesoily-venom-extraction-experimentV.-pensylvanica-worker-venom-testV.-pensylvanica-queen-venom-testvenom-paralysis-flying-impairmentvenom-third-supply-worker-killvenom-queen-kill-more-requiredvenom-lethality-comparable-non-parasitesDufour's-gland-material-no-poisonreproductive-organ-complexpreusurpation-gland-clear-oilynew-fall-wasp-gland-empty-flatolder-wasp-gland-flat-little-oilhypertrophy-evidence-neededoviposition-brief-periodegg-placement-varied-locationsworker-interruption-rare-instanceegg-loss-from-cellbrood-care-host-worker-exclusiveno-parasite-brood-careno-parasite-foraging-behaviorno-parasite-nest-buildingno-parasite-larval-feedingno-parasite-thermoregulation-fanningno-parasite-warming-posturesenemy-attack-parasite-remains-insideno-parasite-nest-defensereproductive-suppression-evidence-multipleworker-oogenesis-halt-substancesoviposition-site-patrollingaggression-reduced-with-suppressionreproductive-monopoly-assertionevolutionary-favorable-strategy-older-worker-eliminationyounger-worker-retention-brood-caredominance-display-early-occupationdominance-display-absent-latermauling-post-trophallaxissolicitation-chasing-initiationrare-foraging-observationno-cell-building-observationno-larval-feeding-observationno-thermoregulation-assistance-observationinternal-nest-retention-enemy-attackworker-oviposition-absence-parasitized-nestsaggression-reduction-expectation-contrastmauling-behavior-reduction-indicationfrequent-aggression-reproductive-monopolycell-patrol-oviposition-defenseDufour's-gland-oogenesis-preventionsubstance-release-gastral-draggingeffective-worker-reproduction-haltnormal-worker-oviposition-aggression-absentparasite-behavior-evidence-synthesismorphological-adaptation-summarybehavioral-adaptation-summaryecological-interaction-summarytaxonomic-history-summarydistribution-range-summaryseasonal-activity-summarylife-history-summaryhuman-interaction-nullconservation-status-stableresearch-needs-Dufour's-gland-hypertrophyresearch-needs-venom-compositionresearch-needs-population-impactfield-guide-coverage-Kratzer-2020observation-platform-iNaturalist-76-recordstaxonomic-authority-GBIF-acceptedoriginal-description-Saussure-1854modern-revision-Kimsey-Carpenter-2012literature-update-lag-pre-2012-sourcessister-species-austriaca-distinctionmorphological-convergence-austriacabiological-convergence-austriacageographic-separation-Nearctic-Palearctichost-specificity-acadica-primaryhost-range-potential-other-Vespulainvasion-timing-queen-reared-worker-stageinvasion-vulnerability-host-nest-stagepost-emergence-colony-stage-alternativehost-defense-worker-aggression-variationhost-queen-aggression-variationparasite-success-factors-morphologicalparasite-success-factors-behavioralparasite-success-factors-timingcolony-takeover-mechanism-physical-combatcolony-takeover-mechanism-chemical-dominancecolony-maintenance-mechanism-behavioral-suppressioncolony-maintenance-mechanism-reproductive-monopolyenergetic-strategy-forced-feedingenergetic-strategy-minimal-investmentreproductive-strategy-egg-placement-variationreproductive-strategy-brief-oviposition-windowdevelopmental-strategy-host-worker-dependencysocial-structure-absence-worker-castesocial-structure-queen-only-parasitesocial-structure-host-worker-exploitationevolutionary-context-inquiline-specializationevolutionary-context-parasitic-wasp-diversityevolutionary-context-Vespula-radiationecological-context-boreal-forest-communityecological-context-host-parasite-dynamicsecological-context-colony-size-impactmanagement-context-nest-avoidancemanagement-context-professional-controlmanagement-context-safety-precautionspublic-health-sting-avoidancepublic-health-allergic-responsepublic-health-venom-toxicityeducation-context-species-recognitioneducation-context-literature-awarenesseducation-context-taxonomic-updates