Rocky-mountains
Guides
Sphenophorus cicatristriatus
Rocky Mountain billbug, Denver billbug
Sphenophorus cicatristriatus, commonly known as the Rocky Mountain billbug or Denver billbug, is a weevil species in the family Dryophthoridae. It is one of the largest billbug species affecting turfgrass in North America, with adults measuring 10–12 mm in length. The species occurs in the western United States and Canada, particularly in the Rocky Mountain region and Intermountain West. Like other billbugs, it damages turfgrass through larval feeding on roots and crowns, as well as adult feeding on leaves. It is considered a significant pest of turfgrass in its range.
Spilomyia liturata
Rocky Mountain Hornet Fly
Spilomyia liturata, commonly known as the Rocky Mountain Hornet Fly, is an uncommon species of hoverfly (Syrphidae) found in western North America. Adults are notable mimics of yellowjacket wasps, exhibiting sophisticated visual and auditory deception. The species is associated with montane habitats along the Rocky Mountains, where larvae develop in water-filled tree holes.
Sympistis anweileri
Sympistis anweileri is a noctuid moth described from western North America in 2008. It occurs at moderate to high elevations (2,000–8,000 feet) in mountainous terrain from Alberta and British Columbia south to Montana. The species inhabits a range of habitats from alpine treeline to dry valley forests. Adults fly in mid-summer with a wingspan of 30–36 mm.
Sympistis hayesi
A small noctuid moth of the Rocky Mountain region, described by Grote in 1873. The species is documented from limited observations and appears to have a restricted distribution in western North America. Wingspan approximately 30 mm.
Syngrapha sackenii
Syngrapha sackenii is a noctuid moth described by Grote in 1877. It is restricted to the Rocky Mountains of the western United States, occurring in southwestern Montana, northeastern Utah, New Mexico, and Colorado. Very few observations exist in public databases, with only five records documented on iNaturalist.
Utacapnia
small winter stoneflies
Utacapnia is a genus of small winter stoneflies in the family Capniidae. The genus contains approximately 11 described species, most of which were first described by entomologists Alan V. Nebeker and Arden R. Gaufin during the 1960s. Species in this genus are primarily distributed in the Rocky Mountains of North America. As winter stoneflies, members of this genus are active during cold months, a trait characteristic of the family Capniidae.
Utacapnia logana
Logan Snowfly
Utacapnia logana is a small winter-emerging stonefly in the family Capniidae, commonly known as the Logan Snowfly. It is native to the Rocky Mountain region of the western United States, where it inhabits cold, clean mountain streams. Adults emerge during winter months, a trait characteristic of the Capniidae family. The species was originally described as Capnia logana in 1965 before being transferred to the genus Utacapnia.
Virbia fragilis
Virbia fragilis is a moth species in the family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae. It was described by Strecker in 1878 from specimens collected in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The species occupies a restricted but disjunct distribution across the Rocky Mountain and Great Plains regions of western North America, with populations documented from South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Alberta, and British Columbia. It is associated with open field habitats.
Zapada columbiana
Columbian forestfly
Zapada columbiana is a species of spring stonefly in the family Nemouridae, commonly known as the Columbian forestfly. It is a small stonefly with a life cycle spanning 2-3 years in Rocky Mountain streams. The species is notable for retaining cervical gills into adulthood, a diagnostic feature of the genus. Nymphs are shredders that feed on moss and detritus, playing a significant role in stream ecosystem nutrient cycling.