Palearctic
Guides
Dichrorampha vancouverana
tanacetum root moth, Tansy Root Moth
Dichrorampha vancouverana is a small tortricid moth with a wingspan of 12–15 mm, found across most of Europe, the eastern Palearctic, and the Nearctic. Adults are active in June and July during afternoon and evening hours. The larvae are root-feeding specialists on tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) and yarrow (Achillea millefolium). The species inhabits dry grasslands, rough meadows, and scrub habitats.
Dicranoptycha
Dicranoptycha is a genus of crane flies in the family Limoniidae, established by Osten Sacken in 1860. These insects belong to the diverse limoniid crane fly radiation, which are generally smaller and more delicate than the more familiar tipulid crane flies. The genus has been documented from parts of northern Europe including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
Dicranus
Dicranus is a genus of robber flies in the family Asilidae, established by Hermann Loew in 1851. Members of this genus are predatory flies that capture other insects in flight. The genus is relatively small and poorly documented compared to other asilid genera, with limited published information on species-level diversity and biology.
Dicymbium nigrum
Black Dicymbium
Dicymbium nigrum is a dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by John Blackwall in 1834. The species exhibits a wide Palearctic distribution spanning Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus, Russia, Central Asia, and China. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate form D. n. nigrum and D. n. brevisetosum described by Locket in 1962. As a member of the sheet-web weavers, this species constructs characteristic horizontal webs for prey capture.
Digitivalva
Digitivalva is a genus of small moths in the family Glyphipterigidae (subfamily Acrolepiinae), established by Gaedike in 1970. The genus comprises approximately 35 described species distributed across the Palearctic, Afrotropical, and Oriental regions. Several species have been studied for their specialized host plant associations with Asteraceae, and at least one species (D. delaireae) has been evaluated as a biological control agent for invasive Cape-ivy in North America.
Dikraneurini
Dikraneurini is a diverse tribe of leafhoppers in the subfamily Typhlocybinae, containing 74 genera and 497 valid species worldwide. Members are small, slender, phloem-feeding insects typically 3.0–3.5 mm in length, often with white to yellowish coloration. The tribe is economically significant as it includes potential agricultural pests and belongs to the leafhopper family most associated with plant pathogen transmission. Dikrella mella, a member of this tribe, has been documented as a potential pest of avocado in Mexico.
Dinothenarus
Dinothenarus is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, established by Thomson in 1858. The genus contains at least two described species and has a disjunct distribution spanning northern North America, Eurasia, and Mexico. The subgenus Dinothenarus (s. str.) was previously known only from northern North America and Eurasia until the discovery of D. amisadaiae in the high mountains of central Mexico, representing a significant range extension.
Diplocephalus
Diplocephalus is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, subfamily Erigoninae, first described by Philipp Bertkau in 1883. The genus contains 49 species and one subspecies with a wide geographic distribution. Males of at least some species possess specialized glandular head structures that produce secretions transferred to females during courtship to trigger copulation. The genus is part of the diverse sheet-weaving spider fauna.
Diplocolenus evansi
Diplocolenus evansi is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Deltocephalinae. It was described by Ashmead in 1904. The species is placed in the tribe Paralimnini and has been recorded from Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Colorado, and Chita (Russia). Available records indicate extremely limited documentation, with only two observations reported on iNaturalist.
Discomyza incurva
Discomyza incurva is a small shore fly in the family Ephydridae, measuring 2.5–3 mm in length. It is distributed across the Palearctic region, including Europe (particularly southern Europe), North Africa, and parts of western Asia. The species is active during summer months, with records from July through September. It inhabits grassland habitats and has been documented as a parasite of land snails in the genus Helix.
Dolerus nitens
Shining Griever
Dolerus nitens is a Palearctic sawfly species in the family Tenthredinidae, commonly known as the Shining Griever. The species has been introduced to North America and is now established in Canada, with confirmed records from British Columbia, Newfoundland, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island. Like other members of the genus Dolerus, this species is a herbivorous sawfly whose larvae feed on grasses and sedges.
Doratura
Doratura is a genus of leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in the tribe Chiasmini, distributed across the Palearctic and Nearctic realms. The genus contains 23 valid species following recent taxonomic revision, including four species described in 2021–2022. Species exhibit wing reduction polymorphism (brachyptery) as a dispersal strategy. The genus has been subject to detailed taxonomic study focusing on genital morphology, species group relationships, and distribution patterns.
Drymus brunneus
brown groundbug
Drymus brunneus is a dirt-colored seed bug in the family Rhyparochromidae. It inhabits damp, shaded forest environments across the Palearctic region, where it lives concealed in soil litter and feeds on seeds of herbaceous plants and trees. The species shows flexible life cycle timing, with overwintering occurring as either adults or eggs depending on geographic location.
Dysstroma truncata
Marbled Carpet Moth, Common Marbled Carpet
Dysstroma truncata is a widely distributed moth in the family Geometridae, commonly known as the marbled carpet moth or common marbled carpet. It is very common throughout the Palearctic region and the Near East. The species has been recorded in North America as well. It is sometimes placed in the genus Chloroclysta due to taxonomic uncertainty, though Dysstroma is the currently accepted genus. With over 8,600 observations on iNaturalist, it is among the more frequently documented geometrid moths.
Eana argentana
Eana argentana is a species of tortrix moth in the family Tortricidae. The specific epithet suggests a silvery or silvery-white coloration. The species has been treated under various interpretations by different authors, leading to taxonomic confusion reflected in the "-of-authors" designation. It belongs to the Cnephasiini tribe, a group known for including many grassland and meadow-associated species.
Eana osseana
Eana osseana is a small tortrix moth in the family Tortricidae, subfamily Tortricinae. It has been treated under various taxonomic interpretations, with 'osseana-of-authors' referring to the species as historically recognized by European lepidopterists, distinct from related taxa now placed in separate species. The species occurs in Palearctic regions and is associated with dry, calcareous habitats. Adults are active in summer months.
Ecdyonurus
Ecdyonurus is a genus of mayflies in the family Heptageniidae, comprising approximately 66 described species distributed primarily across Europe and parts of North Africa and Asia. The genus is taxonomically well-studied, with multiple species described in recent decades from mountain regions including the Carpathians, Crimean Peninsula, and Aurès Mountains. Species within this genus are typically associated with running waters and have been subjects of ecological studies on larval growth and thermal biology.
Ecliptopera silaceata
Small Phoenix
Ecliptopera silaceata, known as the Small Phoenix, is a geometrid moth widespread across Europe, Asia, and parts of North America. It is the only representative of its genus in Britain and Ireland. Adults display two main colour forms and exhibit distinctive resting postures. The species is associated with willowherb-rich habitats and typically produces two generations annually in temperate regions.
Ectobius
wood cockroaches, field cockroaches
Ectobius is a genus of small, cool-adapted cockroaches in the family Ectobiidae. Adults measure 6–12 mm in length with brown to yellowish coloration and pale margins. The genus has a complex biogeographic history: fossil evidence from the 49-million-year-old Green River Formation in Colorado indicates Ectobius originated in North America, despite its long absence from the continent until recent reintroductions. Species are primarily distributed across Europe, Africa, the eastern Palearctic, and the Near East. Several species have been introduced to northeastern North America within the last 65 years, where Ectobius lapponicus has become synanthropic.
Ectobius pallidus
Tawny Cockroach
Ectobius pallidus, commonly known as the tawny cockroach, is a non-cosmopolitan species in the family Ectobiidae. Unlike many cockroach species associated with human dwellings, this species is native to western Europe and North Africa. It has been introduced to North America, representing a reintroduction after a 49-million-year absence of the genus from the continent. The species is not considered a significant household pest.
Edwardsiana lethierryi
Edwardsiana lethierryi is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Typhlocybinae. Originally described by Edwards in 1881, this species has been recorded from multiple localities including England, British Columbia (Canada), Connecticut (USA), and New Zealand (Canterbury/Christchurch region). The genus Edwardsiana belongs to the tribe Typhlocybini, a group of small leafhoppers often associated with woody plants. As a member of the Typhlocybinae, it likely feeds on plant phloem sap, though specific host plant associations for this species remain poorly documented.
Elachista freyerella
Elachista freyerella is a small moth in the family Elachistidae, described by Hübner in 1825. The species is widespread across Europe (excluding the Balkan Peninsula) and occurs in North America. It is a grass-mining species whose larvae develop within the leaves of various Poaceae hosts.
Elachista subalbidella
buff grass-miner
Elachista subalbidella is a small moth in the family Elachistidae with a wingspan of 10–13 mm. It is characterized by ochreous-yellow forewings and dark grey hindwings. The species is widely distributed across Europe and North America, where its larvae mine the leaves of various grasses and sedges. Adults are active in June. The common name "buff grass-miner" refers to both its coloration and larval feeding habit.
Elephantomyia
Elephantomyia is a genus of crane flies (Diptera: Limoniidae) characterized by an exceptionally elongated rostrum used for nectar feeding. The genus has a broad Palearctic distribution spanning Europe, Russia, East Asia, and fossil records from Baltic amber. Larvae are saproxylic, developing in moist decaying wood of hardwoods and conifers. Multiple subgenera have been described, including Elephantomyia, Elephantomyina, Elephantomyodes, and Xenoelephantomyia.
Elgiva solicita
Elgiva solicita is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, distributed across the Palearctic region from Western Europe to Eastern Asia. Adults are medium-sized flies, 6.5–8 mm in length, with distinctive reddish coloration and characteristic markings on the head and abdomen. The species is known from a broad geographic range including most of Europe, North Africa, and extending into Russia and the Eastern Palearctic.
Emblethis
Emblethis is a genus of seed bugs in the family Rhyparochromidae, established by Fieber in 1861. It comprises more than 30 described species of dirt-colored seed bugs distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Members of this genus are part of the diverse ground bug fauna associated with seed-feeding habits.
Emblyna annulipes
Mesh Web Weaver
Emblyna annulipes is a small spider species in the family Dictynidae, commonly known as mesh web weavers. The species was first described by Blackwall in 1846 under the name Ergatis annulipes. It has been recorded across a broad geographic range spanning North America, Europe, Turkey, the Caucasus region, and the Russian Far East. As with other dictynids, it constructs irregular, mesh-like webs rather than the spiral orb webs characteristic of many spiders.
Endomychus
Endomychus is a genus of beetles in the family Endomychidae, distributed across the Palearctic, Nearctic, and Oriental realms. The genus was established by Panzer in 1795. Species in this genus are associated with fungi and decaying organic matter. The genus has been documented from northern Europe through North America to Asian regions.
Enoplognatha latimana
Scarce candy-striped spider
Enoplognatha latimana is a cobweb spider in the family Theridiidae, described by Hippa & Oksala in 1982. It belongs to a genus noted for polymorphic coloration, though specific appearance details for this species are not well documented. The species has been recorded across a broad Palearctic range and has been introduced to Canada. A 2024 study documented the first known Wolbachia infection in this species, representing supergroup A bacteria in a specimen from north-western Poland.
Entelecara
dwarf spiders
Entelecara is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884. The genus contains 21 described species distributed across North America, Europe, Russia, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan, and North Africa. Species within this genus are small-bodied spiders, consistent with the dwarf spider morphology characteristic of Linyphiidae. The type species is Entelecara acuminata.
Entelecara acuminata
dwarf spider
Entelecara acuminata is a dwarf spider species in the family Linyphiidae, a group commonly known as sheet-web weavers or money spiders. The species has a broad distribution spanning the Palearctic and Nearctic regions. It has been introduced to North America from its native Eurasian range.
Epauloecus unicolor
A small beetle in the family Ptinidae (spider beetles), recorded from scattered localities in Europe and eastern Canada. The specific epithet "unicolor" suggests uniform coloration, though detailed morphological descriptions are limited in available sources. The species has been documented in Serbia, Austria, and several Canadian provinces including New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec.
Ephemerella aurivillii
spiny crawler mayfly
Ephemerella aurivillii is a spiny crawler mayfly in the family Ephemerellidae with a strict one-year life cycle. The species occurs across northern regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, northern Asia, and North America. Research in Norway demonstrated that its distribution and growth rates are strongly temperature-dependent, with populations expanding following hydropower-induced warming of previously cold streams.
Epinotia solandriana
Birch Leafroller Moth
Epinotia solandriana is a small tortricid moth with a wingspan of 16–21 mm, distributed across Europe, Asia (China, Korea, Japan, Russia), and North America. Adults fly from July to September and show considerable variation in forewing coloration and pattern. Larvae are specialized leaf rollers on birch, hazel, and willow, folding leaves to create shelters while feeding.
Epinotia trigonella
Birch Epinotia Moth
A small tortricid moth with a wingspan of 16–21 mm, found across Europe, the eastern Palearctic, and North America. Adults are active in late summer. The species is tightly associated with birch, with larvae feeding within folded or spun leaves.
Epirrhoe alternata
Common Carpet Moth, White-banded Toothed Carpet
A small to medium-sized geometrid moth with distinctive banded wing patterns. The species exhibits broad geographic distribution across the Palearctic, Near East, and North America. Adults are active primarily in spring and early summer. The species is well-documented with over 27,000 observations on iNaturalist, indicating it is frequently encountered and relatively conspicuous.
Epuraea helvola
Epuraea cf. helvola is a small sap beetle in the family Nitidulidae, characterized by its compact, oval body form and association with fermenting plant materials. The 'cf.' designation indicates the identification is provisional and based on morphological comparison rather than definitive confirmation. Members of this genus are frequently encountered in decaying vegetation, fungal fruiting bodies, and other microhabitats rich in yeasts and fungal growth. The species epithet 'helvola' (meaning tawny or yellowish-brown) likely references its coloration.
Erebia callias
Colorado Alpine
Erebia callias, commonly known as the Colorado Alpine, is a butterfly species in the family Nymphalidae. It inhabits alpine environments in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming and Colorado, as well as mountain ranges in the eastern Palearctic. The species has a wingspan of 35–38 mm and is part of the brassy ringlet complex, showing close morphological similarity to Siberian brassy ringlets.
Eremosaprinini
Eremosaprinini is a tribe of small carrion beetles in the family Histeridae, subfamily Saprininae. Members are primarily distributed in arid and semi-arid regions, reflecting adaptations to xeric environments. The tribe comprises several genera of tiny, compact beetles associated with decomposing organic matter.
Eribolus longulus
Eribolus longulus is a species of frit fly in the family Chloropidae, first described by Loew in 1863. Like other members of this family, it is a small dipteran with reduced wing venation. The genus Eribolus contains species that are generally poorly studied, with limited published information on their biology and ecology.
Ericydnus
Ericydnus is a genus of parasitic wasps in the family Encyrtidae, subfamily Tetracneminae. The genus was established by Haliday in 1832 and includes species formerly placed in Grandoriella. Members are known from the Palearctic region, with records from Europe and China. Species in this genus are parasitoids, though specific host associations remain incompletely documented. The genus is represented in major entomological collections, including the UCR Encyrtidae holdings.
Erigone capra
Erigone capra is a species of sheet-web weaving spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Eugène Simon in 1884. The species is known from North America and Eurasia, with records spanning from western Canada to Russia. As a member of the dwarf spider family, it constructs flat, horizontal webs close to the ground in vegetation. Taxonomic status varies between sources: Catalogue of Life treats it as accepted, while GBIF lists it as a synonym of Erigone dentigera.
Eriophyes betulae
Birch gall mite
Eriophyes betulae is a gall-forming eriophyid mite that induces characteristic galls on birch trees (Betula species). The mite is microscopic, worm-like in body form with only two pairs of legs—diagnostic features of the Eriophyidae family. It has been documented in Denmark and other parts of Europe. Like other eriophyid mites, it feeds on plant tissues and manipulates host growth to create sheltered feeding structures.
Errastunus ocellaris
Errastunus ocellaris is a grass-feeding leafhopper in the tribe Paralimnini, widespread across the Palearctic region and present in North America with both native and adventive populations. In the Nearctic region, the species occurs as native populations in northwestern North America (Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia) and as adventive populations in eastern North America, where it has undergone documented range expansion from the Great Lakes region eastward since the 1960s. Molecular data confirm it as a distinct species from the native North American E. sobrinus, with which it shows evidence of mitochondrial introgression in some specimens.
Eucosma cana
Hoary Bell
Eucosma cana, commonly known as the hoary bell, is a small tortricid moth with a wingspan of 16–23 mm. It is widespread across Europe, parts of Asia including China and Japan, and Central Asia. The species is univoltine, with adults active from June to August. Larvae develop within the flowerheads of thistles and related plants, feeding on Cirsium, Carduus, and Centaurea nigra.
Eudarcia undescribed-meessiidae-one
An undescribed species in the genus Eudarcia, family Meessiidae. Meessiidae is a small family of gelechioid moths, with most species associated with detritivorous or fungivorous larval habits. The genus Eudarcia contains multiple species in the Palearctic region. This particular taxon designation indicates a documented but not yet formally described species.
Eudectus
Eudectus is a genus of rove beetles in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Omaliinae. The genus was established by Redtenbacher in 1857 and contains at least two described species. Members are found in disjunct regions of Europe and Japan, suggesting a relictual distribution pattern.
Eudicrana
Eudicrana is a genus of fungus gnats (Diptera: Mycetophilidae: Sciophilinae) comprising approximately 13 described species. The genus is distinguished by the absence of a mid ocellus, lateral ocelli positioned adjacent to the eye margins, and wing venation where R4 forms an elongated rectangular cell. Four new species were recently described from high Andean ecosystems in Colombia, representing the first records from the extreme northern range of the Andes. Natural history and biology remain poorly documented for most species.
Euhyponomeutoides
A genus of small moths in the family Yponomeutidae, established by Gaj in 1954. Contains seven described species distributed primarily in the Palearctic region. At least one species, Euhyponomeutoides albithoracellus, is a documented pest of black currant (Ribes nigrum) cultivation in Northern Europe. The genus is poorly studied, with limited biological information available for most species.
Eulia ministrana
Ferruginous Eulia Moth
Eulia ministrana is a tortricid moth with a broad Palearctic and Nearctic distribution. Adults are active in late spring and early summer, with a single annual generation. Larvae develop as leaf-rollers on various deciduous trees and shrubs. The species has been studied for its population response to industrial pollution, showing that abundance decline may occur without detectable morphological stress indicators.