Nearctic
Guides
Acmaeodera rubronotata
Acmaeodera rubronotata is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, distributed across Central America and North America. The species is one of numerous Acmaeodera species frequently encountered on flowers of yellow composites and other Asteraceae in arid and semi-arid regions. Field observations document adults visiting flowers of Heterotheca subaxillaris, Xanthisma gracile, Gutierrezia microcephala, and Heliomeris longifolia. The specific epithet 'rubronotata' refers to red markings on the pronotum.
Acmaeodera scalaris
ladder buprestid
Acmaeodera scalaris, commonly known as the ladder buprestid, is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It occurs across Central America and North America. The species has been documented visiting flowers of various composite and other plant species, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Acmaeodera sinuata sexnotata
A subspecies of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Van Dyke in 1919. As a member of the genus Acmaeodera, it belongs to a diverse group of metallic wood-boring beetles commonly associated with flowers and woody vegetation in North America.
Acmaeodera sinuata sinuata
Acmaeodera sinuata sinuata is a subspecies of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, a group of metallic wood-boring beetles commonly known as jewel beetles. The genus Acmaeodera is highly diverse in North America, with over 140 species and subspecies. Members of this genus are typically small to medium-sized beetles that frequent flowers for pollen feeding. This subspecies occurs in the Nearctic region of North America.
Acmaeodera tiquilia
Acmaeodera tiquilia is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Westcott & Barr in 1998. The species is found in North America. As a member of the genus Acmaeodera, it likely exhibits the characteristic metallic coloration and flower-visiting behavior common to many congeners, though specific details about this species remain poorly documented.
Acmaeodera vernalis
Acmaeodera vernalis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by Barr in 1972 and is distributed across Central America and North America. Like other members of the genus Acmaeodera, it exhibits the characteristic metallic coloration typical of jewel beetles.
Acmaeodera wenzeli
Acmaeodera wenzeli is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Van Dyke in 1919. It is distributed across Central America and North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Acmaeoderina
Acmaeoderina is a subtribe of jewel beetles (family Buprestidae) within the tribe Acmaeoderini. Members of this group are characterized by their association with the Acmaeodera generic lineage. The subtribe was established by Kerremans in 1893 and includes genera such as Acmaeodera, Acmaeoderopsis, and Anambodera. These beetles are typically small to medium-sized with metallic coloration, and their larvae are wood-borers in various hardwood trees.
Acmaeoderoides humeralis
Acmaeoderoides humeralis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, found in North America. It belongs to the genus Acmaeoderoides, which is part of the Acmaeoderoid lineage within the subfamily Polycestinae. The species was described by Cazier in 1938 and is native to the Nearctic region.
Acmaeoderoides rossi
Acmaeoderoides rossi is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Cazier in 1937. The genus Acmaeoderoides belongs to the diverse Buprestidae family, whose members are characterized by their often metallic coloration and wood-boring larval habits. This species is part of the Nearctic fauna, with records from North America.
Acmaeoderoides stramineus
Acmaeoderoides stramineus is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Nelson in 1968. It belongs to the genus Acmaeoderoides, a small Nearctic genus within the subtribe Acmaeoderoïdina. The species is found in North America. Like other members of Buprestidae, it exhibits metallic coloration typical of jewel beetles.
Acmaeoderoides verityi
Acmaeoderoides verityi is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, described by Gayle H. Nelson in 1968. It belongs to the subtribe Acmaeoderoidina within the tribe Acmaeoderini. The species is part of the Nearctic fauna of North America, a region that represents the primary focus of taxonomic study for the genus. Like other members of Acmaeoderoides, it is considered a relatively uncommon and poorly known species.
Acmaeoderopsis guttifera
Acmaeoderopsis guttifera is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by LeConte in 1859. The species is distributed across Central America and North America, with records from the Nearctic region. As a member of the genus Acmaeoderopsis, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized jewel beetles typically associated with woody vegetation.
Acmaeoderopsis hualpaiana
Acmaeoderopsis hualpaiana is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It was described by Knull in 1952. The genus Acmaeoderopsis belongs to the diverse jewel beetle family, characterized by their metallic coloration and wood-boring larval habits. This species occurs in the Nearctic region of North America.
Acmaeoderopsis hulli
Acmaeoderopsis hulli is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, occurring in Central America and North America. The species has been documented from mesquite-dominated habitats in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Adults are associated with Prosopis glandulosa (honey mesquite) and have been collected by beating branches and sweeping foliage. The genus Acmaeoderopsis is a small group within Buprestidae with limited published biological information.
Acmaeoderopsis jaguarina
Acmaeoderopsis jaguarina is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Knull in 1938. It belongs to the genus Acmaeoderopsis, a group of small to medium-sized jewel beetles. The species is known from the Nearctic region of North America. Like other buprestids, it likely exhibits the family's characteristic metallic coloration and association with woody vegetation, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Acmaeoderopsis paravaripilis
Acmaeoderopsis paravaripilis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Barr in 1972. It belongs to a genus of small to medium-sized jewel beetles characterized by their metallic coloration. The species is documented from North America, with collection records indicating presence in the southwestern United States. Like other members of Buprestidae, adults are likely associated with woody vegetation and may be collected by beating branches or sweeping flowers.
Acmaeoderopsis prosopis
Acmaeoderopsis prosopis is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, first described by Davidson in 2006. The species is found in North America, with documented occurrences in the southwestern United States. Field observations indicate it is associated with mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa), from which the species epithet derives. Adults have been collected by beating mesquite vegetation and are known to fly quickly when disturbed.
Acmaeoderopsis rockefelleri
Acmaeoderopsis rockefelleri is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It occurs in arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species is associated with mesquite (Prosopis) and acacia (Acacia) host plants, where adults have been collected by beating vegetation.
Acmaeoderopsis westcotti
Acmaeoderopsis westcotti is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species was described by Barr in 1972 and belongs to the genus Acmaeoderopsis, a group of small to medium-sized jewel beetles. It occurs in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, specifically in Middle America and North America.
Acoma arizonica
Acoma arizonica is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Brown in 1929. Adults measure 4.7–7.6 mm in length. The species is known only from Arizona in the southwestern United States, where it occurs in arid and semi-arid habitats.
Acoma diminiata
Acoma diminiata is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Howden in 1958. It is known from New Mexico in the southwestern United States. Adults measure 4.3–5.7 mm in length. The species belongs to the subfamily Melolonthinae and tribe Acomini.
Acoma glabrata
Acoma glabrata is a small scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Cazier in 1953. It is known from the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Adults measure 5.5–8.3 mm in length. The species belongs to the tribe Acomini within the subfamily Melolonthinae.
Acoptus
Acoptus is a monotypic genus of true weevils (Curculionidae) containing the single described species A. suturalis. The genus was established by John Lawrence LeConte in 1876. Its sole species is restricted to the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, where it has been documented in association with beaver-modified wetlands.
Acrocera obsoleta
Acrocera obsoleta is a species of small-headed fly in the family Acroceridae, a group of Diptera characterized by their notably reduced head size and distinctive humpbacked appearance. The species was described by Wulp in 1867. Like other members of the family, it is likely parasitoid in its larval stage, though specific host records for this species remain undocumented. The genus Acrocera is one of the more speciose genera within this small, morphologically unusual family.
Acrosathe
Acrosathe is a genus of stiletto flies (family Therevidae) comprising more than 20 described species. The genus was established by Irwin and Lyneborg in 1981 and belongs to the subfamily Therevinae. Six species are documented from the Nearctic Region, including the type species and one newly described species (A. falcata). Species-level taxonomy has been revised with morphological descriptions, genitalia illustrations, and distribution mapping.
Acrosathe vanduzeei
Acrosathe vanduzeei is a species of stiletto fly in the family Therevidae. The genus Acrosathe belongs to the subfamily Therevinae, one of the most diverse lineages within the family. Stiletto flies are predatory as adults, typically hunting other insects, while their larvae are generally soil-dwelling predators or scavengers. The specific epithet vanduzeei honors the entomologist Edward P. Van Duzee.
Acrossus rubripennis
Acrossus rubripennis is a species of dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It is distributed across eastern North America, with records from Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec) and the United States (Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Wisconsin). The species is characterized by its reddish wing covers (elytra), as indicated by the specific epithet "rubripennis" meaning "red-winged."
Actia
Actia is a genus of tachinid flies (Diptera: Tachinidae) in the tribe Siphonini. These flies are parasitoids of lepidopteran larvae, with species recorded from hosts including spruce budworm, black-headed budworm, and various noctuid moths. The genus contains at least eight Nearctic species, including four described relatively recently (A. dasymyia, A. dimorpha, A. radialis, A. sternalis). Species are grouped into three species groups based on morphological and phylogenetic affinities: autumnalis-group, lamia-group, and crassicornis-group.
Actia diffidens
Actia diffidens is a tachinid fly (family Tachinidae) described by Curran in 1933. It belongs to the autumnalis species group within the genus Actia. The species is a known parasitoid of tortricid moth larvae, specifically recorded as a parasite of Peronea variana (black-headed budworm) in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Its immature stages develop within a secondary integumental funnel—an ingrowth of the host body wall located on either side of the host larva's mesothorax. The species occurs across eastern and central North America.
Actias luna
Luna Moth, North American Luna Moon Moth
Actias luna, the Luna moth, is a large, lime-green saturniid moth native to North America, recognized as one of the continent's most visually striking insects. Adults possess a wingspan reaching up to 114 mm (4.5 inches), with distinctive elongated hindwing tails and prominent eyespots that may confuse predators. The species exhibits strong sexual dimorphism: males have highly feathery antennae for detecting female pheromones, while females have slender antennae and larger abdomens. Larvae feed on a variety of broadleaf trees including sweetgum, hickory, walnut, birch, and sumac. The moth is univoltine in northern portions of its range, with larvae overwintering in leaf-litter-camouflaged cocoons before emerging as adults in spring; southern populations may produce two or three broods annually.
Adaina bipunctatus
Three- and Two-dotted Plume Moth
A small plume moth (Pterophoridae) with wingspan of 9–11.5 mm. Adults are pale yellowish-white with brown spotting on the forewings. The species occurs from the southeastern United States through the Caribbean to South America. Larvae feed on multiple asteraceous host plants.
Adaina simplicius
Three-dotted Plume Moth
A small plume moth (family Pterophoridae) with a wingspan of approximately 10 mm. Native to the Americas, ranging from the United States through Central and South America to the Caribbean. Introduced to South Africa for evaluation as a biological control agent against Eupatorium macrocephalum.
Adelonia
Adelonia is a genus of darkling beetles in the family Tenebrionidae, established by Laporte in 1840. The genus is distributed across the Nearctic and Neotropical regions, with records from Colombia. As a tenebrionid genus, its members are likely ground-dwelling beetles adapted to arid or semi-arid environments, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented. The genus is rarely encountered in collections, with only 11 iNaturalist observations recorded.
Adoxomyia tenuicornis
Adoxomyia tenuicornis is a species of soldier fly in the family Stratiomyidae, described by James in 1969. It belongs to the subfamily Clitellariinae, a group characterized by often metallic coloration and distinctive wing venation. The species epithet 'tenuicornis' (slender-horned) refers to its notably slender antennae. Like other members of the genus Adoxomyia, this species is part of a diverse lineage of stratiomyid flies found primarily in the Nearctic region.
Aegialia blanchardi
Aegialia blanchardi is a small aphodiine dung beetle described by Horn in 1887. It occurs across North America from the Pacific coast to the Atlantic seaboard, with records spanning Canada and the United States. The species is a member of the subfamily Aegialiinae, a group associated with sandy coastal and riparian habitats.
Aegialia cartwrighti
Aegialia cartwrighti is a small dung beetle in the subfamily Aegialiinae, described by Stebnicka in 1977. It belongs to a genus associated with sandy coastal and desert habitats. The species is known from limited records in the southeastern United States.
Aegialia crassa
Aegialia crassa is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aegialiinae. It was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1857. The species belongs to a genus of small dung beetles typically associated with sandy coastal habitats. Records indicate it occurs in western North America from British Columbia south to California.
Aegialia spinosa
Aegialia spinosa is a species of aphodiine dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, described by Gordon and Cartwright in 1988. It is endemic to western North America, with records from California, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. The species belongs to the tribe Aegialiini, a group of dung beetles often associated with sandy coastal and inland habitats. Limited information is available on its specific biology and ecology.
Aellopos
Aellopos is a genus of large day-flying moths in the family Sphingidae (sphinx moths), first described by Jacob Hübner in 1819. The genus contains six recognized species distributed from the eastern United States through Central America to South America. These moths are notable for their diurnal activity pattern, which is uncommon among sphingids. The genus belongs to the tribe Dilophonotini within the subfamily Macroglossinae.
Aellopos titan
Titan Sphinx
Aellopos titan, commonly known as the Titan Sphinx, is a moth in the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1777. It is a medium-sized hawkmoth with a wingspan of 55–65 mm, found across a broad geographic range from North America through Central America to South America.
Aeshna persephone
Persephone's Darner
Aeshna persephone, known as Persephone's Darner, is a species of dragonfly in the family Aeshnidae. It inhabits river systems in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The species was described by Donnelly in 1961 and is named after Persephone, the Greek goddess associated with the underworld.
Aethes deutschiana
Aethes deutschiana is a small tortricid moth first described by Zetterstedt in 1839. It belongs to the genus Aethes, a group of moths commonly known as false bell moths or flat-bodied moths. The species has a notably broad geographic range spanning the Palearctic region and extending to North America, suggesting either natural dispersal capabilities or possible human-mediated introduction to the Nearctic.
Aethodelphax prairianus
Aethodelphax prairianus is the type species of the genus Aethodelphax, a group of delphacid planthoppers erected to accommodate this species and seven species transferred from Delphacodes. It inhabits native grasslands in the midwestern United States. The species was described in 2011 based on morphological characteristics distinguishing it from congeneric species.
Agabus anthracinus
Agabus anthracinus is a species of predaceous diving beetle in the family Dytiscidae. It is widespread across northern North America, ranging from the northern United States through Canada to Alaska. Records also indicate presence in Europe and Northern Asia. The species is accepted and documented in major taxonomic databases, though detailed biological studies remain limited.
Agaeocera gentilis
Agaeocera gentilis is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. The species occurs in southwestern North America and Central America, with two recognized subspecies: A. g. gentilis and A. g. peninsularis. Field observations indicate adults are active during summer months and have been collected from Sphaeralcea (globemallow) vegetation.
Agallia bidactylata
A small leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, described by Oman in 1933. It belongs to the tribe Agalliini, a group of leafhoppers often associated with herbaceous vegetation. The species is documented from Arizona and is characterized by distinctive genital structures that aid in identification.
Agaveocoris barberi
Agaveocoris barberi is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, subfamily Phylinae. It was originally described by Knight and later transferred to the genus Agaveocoris by Henry & Menard in 2020. The species is associated with agave plants and has a limited distribution in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Agaveocoris distanti
Agaveocoris distanti is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae. It was originally described as Caulotops distanti by Reuter in 1905 and has since been reclassified into the genus Agaveocoris. The species is recorded from Florida in the United States and Venezuela, with broader presence indicated in Middle and North America. It belongs to the tribe Caulotopsini, whose members are associated with agave plants.
Ageniella placita
Ageniella placita is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Banks in 1910. As a member of the genus Ageniella, it belongs to a group of small wasps known for ant-mimicry in females and specialized spider-hunting behavior for provisioning nests. The species is part of the Nearctic fauna but is less documented than related species such as A. accepta and A. conflicta. Information specific to A. placita remains sparse in published literature.