Pacific-northwest
Guides
Abagrotis duanca
Dark Dart
Abagrotis duanca is a noctuid moth first described by Smith in 1908. It occurs in the Pacific Northwest of North America, with records from Alberta's extreme southeastern corner, Saskatchewan, and surrounding regions. Adults fly from June to July in a single annual generation. The species has been reared on big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata).
Acruliopsis
Acruliopsis is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae. The genus contains approximately five described species distributed across East Asia and western North America. Species have been recorded from Japan, the Russian Far East, Korea, and the Pacific Northwest of North America. The genus was established by Zerche in 2003.
Acruliopsis tumidula
Acruliopsis tumidula is a small rove beetle (Staphylinidae: Omaliinae) described from the Pacific Northwest of North America. It is one of few species in the genus Acruliopsis, a group of omaliine rove beetles characterized by compact body form and association with forest floor habitats. The species has been recorded from coastal and montane regions of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska.
Acuclavella
thorn harvestmen
Acuclavella is a genus of small arachnids commonly known as thorn harvestmen, established by Shear in 1986. The genus comprises approximately seven described species restricted to the Pacific Northwest region of North America. These harvestmen belong to the family Ischyropsalididae and are characterized by distinctive morphological features that distinguish them from related genera. The genus is relatively poorly known, with few observations and limited ecological data available.
Agrotis vancouverensis
Vancouver Dart
Agrotis vancouverensis, commonly known as the Vancouver Dart, is a noctuid moth native to the Pacific Northwest of North America. The species was first described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1873. Adults are active in late spring and early summer with a single annual generation. The forewings measure approximately 33 mm in length.
Agyrtes longulus
Agyrtes longulus is a species of primitive carrion beetle in the family Agyrtidae. It belongs to a relict group of beetles considered among the most basal lineages of Staphylinoidea. The species has been documented in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada.
Alniphagus
Alniphagus is a genus of crenulate bark beetles in the family Curculionidae, comprising approximately eight described species. The genus is notable for containing hardwood-killing bark beetles, particularly Alniphagus aspericollis (the alder bark beetle), which is capable of killing live alder trees—a rarity among bark beetles, as most tree-killing species in this group specialize on conifers. Species in this genus breed in the subcortical tissues of alder trees (genus Alnus) and have been documented from western North America, Africa, and Eurasia.
Alniphagus aspericollis
alder bark beetle
Alniphagus aspericollis is a hardwood-killing bark beetle that colonizes and kills red alder (Alnus rubra) and thinleaf alder (Alnus tenuifolia). Unlike most tree-killing bark beetles that attack conifers, this species is one of the few capable of directly killing hardwood hosts. It is bivoltine in southwestern British Columbia, with principal attacks in May and a second generation from mid-July to early August. The beetle constructs maternal galleries parallel to the bole in the phloem-cambium, where larvae develop and pupate. It shows loose associations with ophiostomatoid fungi but has a consistent relationship with an undescribed Neonectria species that may function as a symbiote.
Amara sanjuanensis
A ground beetle species described by Hatch in 1949. It belongs to the genus Amara, a large and widespread group of carabid beetles commonly known as sun beetles or seed-eating ground beetles. The specific epithet 'sanjuanensis' suggests an association with the San Juan Islands or a San Juan geographic feature in the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
Amphizoa striata
trout-stream beetle
Amphizoa striata is a species of trout-stream beetle in the family Amphizoidae, found in western North America. It measures 13–15 millimeters in length and possesses distinctive morphological features on its front tarsi, including a well-developed groove on the posterior surface and grooves bearing long hair-like setae. The species inhabits cold, fast-flowing streams in the Pacific Northwest.
Anchomenus aeneolus
Anchomenus aeneolus is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1854. It is known from the Pacific Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions of western North America.
Antrodiaetus pacificus
Pacific Foldingdoor Spider
Antrodiaetus pacificus is a mygalomorph spider native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, ranging from San Francisco Bay to Alaska. It is the northernmost mygalomorph spider on the continent. The species was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884 under the name Brachybothrium pacificum. It constructs burrows in soft substrates and exhibits year-round activity with peak mating season between early June and late November.
Apantesis elongata
Columbia Tiger Moth
Apantesis elongata is a tiger moth species in the family Erebidae, first described by Stretch in 1885. It was transferred from the genus Grammia to Apantesis in a taxonomic revision that consolidated several related genera. The species occupies montane meadows in western North America and has been documented feeding on Claytonia lanceolata as a larva.
Apantesis ornata
Ornate Tiger Moth, Achaia Moth
Apantesis ornata is a tiger moth in the family Erebidae, originally described by Packard in 1864 under the name Callarctia ornata. The species was long classified in the genus Grammia before being transferred to Apantesis in a 2016 revision that consolidated several related genera. It occurs across western North America from southern British Columbia to southern California and eastward to the Rocky Mountain states. Adults are active during summer months and are attracted to light. The species exhibits the bright warning coloration typical of tiger moths, though specific details of its biology remain incompletely documented.
Apote
Apote is a genus of shield-backed katydids in the family Tettigoniidae, established by Scudder in 1897. The genus contains at least two described species: Apote notabilis (the notable apote) and Apote robusta (the robust apote). These insects belong to the subfamily Tettigoniinae and tribe Tettigoniini. Records indicate presence in the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
Apote robusta
robust apote
Apote robusta, commonly known as the robust apote, is a shield-backed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It was described by Caudell in 1907. The species is found in North America, with records from the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and Canada.
Apristus pugetanus
Apristus pugetanus is a small ground beetle in the family Carabidae, first described by Casey in 1920. It belongs to the subtribe Lionychina within the diverse tribe Lebiini. The species is known from a limited number of observations and appears restricted to western North America, with records from the Pacific Northwest region of the United States and Canada.
Aroga websteri
Aroga websteri is a small gelechiid moth described by Clarke in 1942. The species is known from a limited geographic range in western North America, with records from Washington state. Its wingspan measures 14–16 mm. The specific epithet honors Dr. R. L. Webster, former head of the Department of Zoology at Washington State College.
Autographa corusca
Caramel Looper
Autographa corusca is a noctuid moth endemic to the Pacific Northwest coastal forests. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 33 mm and are active in midsummer. Larvae feed on alder species (Alnus).
Axinopalpus pratti
Axinopalpus pratti is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae, described by Hatch in 1949. The genus Axinopalpus belongs to the subtribe Dromiusina within the tribe Lebiini. This species is known from the western United States. Members of this genus are generally small, active beetles associated with ground-level habitats.
Bacanius hatchi
Bacanius hatchi is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by Wenzel in 1960. It is known from the Pacific Northwest region of North America, with records from Oregon and Washington. As a member of the Histeridae, it belongs to a family of beetles commonly associated with decomposing organic matter and various microhabitats.
Bledius zophus
Bledius zophus is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, described by Herman in 1983. It belongs to the genus Bledius, a diverse group of small to medium-sized staphylinids often associated with moist or riparian habitats. The species is known from western North America, with records from the Pacific Northwest and adjacent regions. Like other members of Bledius, it likely inhabits shoreline or wetland environments where it may prey on small invertebrates or scavenge organic matter.
Boloria chariclea rainieri
Tacoma Fritillary
Boloria chariclea rainieri is a subspecies of fritillary butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, known by the common name Tacoma Fritillary. It was described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1913. GBIF lists this name as a synonym, with the accepted name placed in the genus Clossiana as Clossiana chariclea. The subspecies appears to be associated with the Pacific Northwest region of North America based on its epithet.
Booneacris polita
Willamette wingless grasshopper
Booneacris polita, commonly known as the Willamette wingless grasshopper, is a flightless species of spur-throated grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is endemic to the Pacific Northwest region of North America, with records primarily from Oregon. As its common name indicates, this species lacks functional wings, a trait that distinguishes it from most other grasshoppers and reflects its adaptation to stable, localized habitats.
Californiulus euphanus
Californiulus euphanus is a millipede species in the family Paeromopodidae, described by Chamberlin in 1938. It is endemic to the Pacific Northwest of the United States, specifically found in northwestern Oregon and southwestern Washington. As a member of the order Julida, it belongs to a group of cylindrical, burrowing millipedes.
Caloptilia nondeterminata
Caloptilia nondeterminata is a species of leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. It has been documented in Oregon and Washington in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The larvae are known to feed on Ribes species, creating mines in the leaves of their host plants. Like other members of the genus Caloptilia, it likely undergoes the typical gracillariid life cycle involving an initial sap-feeding mine followed by a feeding stage where the larva rolls or ties leaves.
Calymmaria
basket-web weavers
Calymmaria is a genus of small North American spiders known for their distinctive inverted cone-shaped webs. These araneomorph spiders were first described in 1937 and contain 31 species, with most distributed along the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada. They are primarily nocturnal and construct unique 'basket' webs under bark, rocks, and other sheltered substrates.
Calymmaria emertoni
Calymmaria emertoni is a small true spider in the family Cybaeidae (formerly Hahniidae). It is one of approximately 31 Calymmaria species found north of Mexico, with most species restricted to the Pacific coast region. This species is notable for its distinctive basket-shaped web and nocturnal habits.
Carpelimus vancouverensis
spiny-legged rove beetle
Carpelimus vancouverensis is a species of spiny-legged rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, first described by Hatch in 1957. It belongs to a genus characterized by modified hind legs with spiny or setose structures. The species is known from the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
Catocala allusa
Catocala allusa is an underwing moth in the family Erebidae. It occurs in the Pacific Northwest of North America, ranging from British Columbia south through Washington and Oregon to northern California, with possible occurrence in western Nevada. Adults are active from July to August, with likely one generation per year. The species is one of approximately 250 known underwing moths in the genus Catocala, characterized by cryptic forewings that conceal brightly colored hindwings.
Caurinus
snow scorpionflies
Caurinus is a genus of snow scorpionflies in the family Boreidae, containing two described species: Caurinus dectes from Washington and Oregon, and Caurinus tlagu from Alaska. These tiny, flea-like insects are among the most unusual members of Mecoptera, with a fossil lineage dating back over 145 million years to the Jurassic. They are non-parasitic and feed on leafy liverworts in coastal forest habitats.
Cephenemyia jellisoni
nose bot fly
A parasitic bot fly whose larvae develop in the nasal passages and pharyngeal recesses of deer. Adults are active during warm periods and exhibit specific mating aggregations on elevated vegetation. The species shows a covert attacking strategy when larvipositing, remaining undetected by hosts until the moment of larval deposition.
Ceranemota crumbi
Ceranemota crumbi is a small moth in the family Drepanidae, described by Foster Hendrickson Benjamin in 1938. It is restricted to a narrow geographic range in the Pacific Northwest, occurring in western Oregon and the Washington Cascade Range. The species inhabits coastal rainforests and mixed hardwood forests, with adults active in late autumn.
Ceratagallia vipera
Ceratagallia vipera is a leafhopper species described by Hamilton in 1998. It belongs to the family Cicadellidae, placing it among the diverse group of sap-feeding insects commonly known as leafhoppers. The specific epithet 'vipera' suggests a possible morphological resemblance to vipers, though this has not been explicitly documented in available sources.
Ceratolasma
A genus of harvestmen endemic to the Pacific Northwest of North America. Contains a single described species, Ceratolasma tricantha. Formerly placed in its own family Ceratolasmatidae, now classified as the subfamily Ceratolasmatinae within Ischyropsalididae.
Ceratolasma tricantha
Ceratolasma tricantha is a species of harvestman (Opiliones) in the family Ischyropsalididae, endemic to the Pacific Northwest of North America. It was described by Goodnight and Goodnight in 1942. The species is characterized by three prominent spines on the cephalothorax, a trait reflected in its specific epithet 'tricantha.' It inhabits moist forest environments and has been documented from multiple counties in Oregon and California.
Chonaphini
Chonaphini is a tribe of flat-backed millipedes (Polydesmida) within the family Xystodesmidae, established by Verhoeff in 1941. The tribe comprises approximately 6 genera and 19 described species distributed across western North America. Members exhibit the characteristic dorsoventrally flattened body form typical of xystodesmid millipedes.
Colias occidentalis
western sulphur, golden sulphur
Colias occidentalis is a medium-sized butterfly in the family Pieridae, found in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Adults fly from late May to early July and are associated with open habitats from sea level to subalpine elevations. The larvae feed on flowers of several legume genera. The species was described by Scudder in 1862 and includes three recognized subspecies with somewhat distinct geographic ranges.
Colladonus aureolus
Colladonus aureolus is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1894. It belongs to the tribe Platymetopiini within the subfamily Deltocephalinae. The species has been documented across the Pacific Northwest and California, with observations concentrated in Washington, Oregon, California, and British Columbia. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with woody host plants, though specific ecological details remain limited in published literature.
Cononotus
Cononotus is a genus of beetles in the family Pyrochroidae, subfamily Agnathinae, established by J.L. LeConte in 1851. The genus includes species such as Cononotus lanchesteri, which has been recorded in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Members of this genus are part of the fire-colored beetle group, though they belong to the less commonly encountered subfamily Agnathinae.
Crambus tutillus
sod webworm
Crambus tutillus is a sod webworm moth in the family Crambidae, described by McDunnough in 1921. It is univoltine with a life cycle tightly regulated by photoperiod and temperature. Larvae develop through nine instars, overwintering as diapausing eighth instars, with adults emerging in mid-May and reproducing through June and July. The species exhibits an unusual adaptive response where early instar growth rates increase as daylength decreases, synchronizing development with seasonal food availability.
Cryptocercus clevelandi
Cryptocercus clevelandi is a wood-feeding cockroach species described from the northwestern United States. Like other members of the genus Cryptocercus, it harbors bacterial symbionts in its fat body that aid in digesting cellulose from wood. The species was formally described by Byers in 1997.
Cryptomaster
daddy longlegs
Cryptomaster is a genus of armoured harvestmen (Opiliones) in the family Cryptomastridae, established in 1969 and containing two described species: C. leviathan and C. behemoth. Both species are endemic to the mountains of southwest Oregon and represent short-range endemic arachnids. The genus remained understudied for decades until 2016, when expanded distributional records of C. leviathan prompted discovery of the second species. These harvestmen belong to the suborder Laniatores, characterized by relatively short legs and cryptic habits in forest floor habitats.
Dasysyrphus pacificus
Dasysyrphus pacificus is a species of hoverfly (family Syrphidae) originally described from the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The species is currently recognized as a synonym of Dasysyrphus pauxillus. Hoverflies in this genus are commonly known as 'flower flies' due to their frequent presence at flowers, where adults feed on nectar and pollen. The larvae of Dasysyrphus species are predatory, typically feeding on aphids and other small soft-bodied insects.
Deinopteroloma
Deinopteroloma is a genus of rove beetles (Staphylinidae: Omaliinae: Anthophagini) established by Jansson in 1946. The genus was transferred from Silphidae to Staphylinidae based on morphological evidence and is now classified within the Anthobium group of genera. Species occur in the Pacific Northwest of North America, the Nepal Himalayas, northeastern Burma, China (Sichuan, Yunnan), and northern Vietnam. The genus includes at least nine described species, with several new species described from China and Vietnam in 2016.
Deinopteroloma subcostatum
weakly-ribbed ocellate rove beetle
Deinopteroloma subcostatum is a rove beetle endemic to the Pacific Northwest of North America. It was originally described as Lathrimaeum subcostatum by Mäklin in 1852 and later transferred to Deinopteroloma. The species is distinguished by its large, robust body with contrasting black and gold coloration and distinctive feathery antennae.
Deltocephalus zephyrius
Deltocephalus zephyrius is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, described by Van Duzee in 1925. It belongs to the large and diverse subfamily Deltocephalinae, one of the most species-rich groups within the leafhoppers. The species is known from the Pacific Northwest region of North America.
Deraeocoris brevis
predatory plant bug
Deraeocoris brevis is a predatory plant bug in the family Miridae, native to western North America. Adults are small, glossy black insects 3–6 mm in length with red eyes, while nymphs are mottled pale grey with dark patches and a felted dorsal surface covered in grey hairs. Both life stages are predatory, feeding primarily on pear psyllids, aphids, spider mites, leafhoppers, and scale insects. The species is considered beneficial in apple and pear orchards of the Pacific Northwest, where it contributes to biological control of pest populations.
Desoria hoodensis
Desoria hoodensis is a species of springtail described in 1998 by K. Christiansen and P. Bellinger. It belongs to the family Isotomidae, a large group of elongate-bodied springtails. The species is known from the Pacific North American region. Like other members of Desoria, it is a soil-dwelling microarthropod.
Dipoena washougalia
Dipoena washougalia is a species of cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae, first described by Levi in 1953. It is known from the United States, with records primarily from the Pacific Northwest region. The genus Dipoena comprises small spiders that construct tangled, irregular webs. Information on this particular species remains limited.