Seasonal
Guides
Allocapnia rickeri
Midwest Snowfly
Allocapnia rickeri is a small winter stonefly in the family Capniidae, commonly known as the Midwest Snowfly. It is one of numerous small, dark stoneflies in the genus Allocapnia that emerge during cold months when few other insects are active. The species has been documented across the central and eastern United States. Like other capniids, it is associated with clean, cold streams and is an important indicator of water quality.
winter-stoneflybioindicatorcoldwaterPlecopteraCapniidaeAllocapnialoticemergencebrachypteryapterygenitalia-identificationFrison-1942Midwestsoutheastern-USclean-water-indicatorJanuary-Marchsmall-stoneflywingless-femalestream-insectshreddergathererseasonal-resourcewater-qualityaquatic-insectterrestrial-adultshort-lived-adultovipositionsubmerged-eggshigh-dissolved-oxygenlow-temperaturecentral-USeastern-USAlabamaArkansasDelawareGeorgiaIllinoishexapodhemimetabolousEuholognathaNemouroideaArctoperlariaInsectaArthropodaAnimaliaGBIFCatalogue-of-LifeiNaturalistNCBItaxonomyaccepted-species1942FrisonRickerMidwest-Snowflysnowflysmall-dark-stoneflyclean-streamsriverswell-oxygenatedlotic-habitatcold-monthswinter-activitywing-reductionfemale-apterymale-flightepiproctparaproctterminaliataxonomic-revisioncongenersdistribution-recordsobservations9-observationseukaryotemetazoanarthropodinsectstoneflywinter-emergingJanuaryFebruaryMarchcold-weathernear-freezingbelow-freezingwater-surfacesubmerged-substratesallochthonous-organic-materialstream-ecosystemsseasonal-food-resourceinsectivorous-birdspredatorsscarce-preyunpollutedno-economic-importancestream-monitoringwater-quality-indicatorhigh-quality-coldwatermicroscopic-examinationtaxonomic-keysmale-terminaliareliable-separationgenitalic-examinationoverlapping-distributionsimilar-habitatsmall-sizeunder-10-mmbody-lengthreduced-wingsabsent-wingsfully-developed-wingsspecific-identificationpublished-descriptionsillustrationssubsequent-revisionscharacteristicfamily-Capniidaecommon-nameextended-nymphal-periodone-to-two-yearsshort-liveddoes-not-feedaquatic-nymphclean-cold-streamslow-temperaturesyear-roundwinter-monthsJanuary-through-Marchfamilycentered-Midwestextends-southeasternUnited-Statesdocumentedappearsmost-reliablydistinguishedsubtle-differencesterminal-abdominal-structuresshould-be-comparedagainstpublishedsubsequentgenus-levelcharacterizedreducedabsentfemalesfully-developedmalesrequires-examinationmale-genitaliastructureparaproctsreliableseparationoverlapssimilarmanyexternallydefinitivereliesmicroscopicexaminationcomparisonkeysusedbiologicalindicatorprogramspresenceindicatescoldconditionsno-directeconomicimportanceshreddersgatherersprocessingallochthonousorganicmaterialstreamecosystemsseasonalfoodresourceinsectivorousbirdsotherwhenalternativepreyscarceserveshigh-qualityhabitatsdevelopmentaquaticnymphalstagesterrestrialadultstagenymphsdevelopstreamsextendedperiodlikelyonetwoyearsbasedrelatedspeciesadultsdo-notfeedactiveduringweatherairtemperaturesmaynearbelowfreezingwingedcapableflightwinglessshort-wingedremainwatersurfacematingoccurwinterenteringdepositeggssubmergedsubstratessmallcommonlyknownnumerousdarkemergefewinsectscentraleasternassociatedcleanimportantundermmbodylengthmembersgenuswingspossessfullydevelopedspecificidentificationlevelwithinrequiresmalegenitaliaparticularlymostreliablysubtledifferencestheseterminalabdominalstructuresshouldcompareddescriptionstaxonomicrevisionswinter-emergingmaintainlowhighdissolvedoxygenlevelsthroughoutyearUnitedStatesdistributioncenteredextendssoutheasternmonthstypicallythroughthisactivitygivesrisecommonnamedonotprovidesqualitymonitoringnodirecthabitatmorphologysizegenitalicAnthocharis sara
Sara orangetip, Pacific orangetip
Anthocharis sara is a pierid butterfly native to western North America, ranging from Baja California north to extreme southwestern Oregon and east to the Sierra Nevada and western Nevada. It is one of three distinct species in the Sara orangetip complex, separated from A. julia and A. thoosa by >2% mitochondrial DNA COI barcode divergence and morphological characters of immature stages. The species exhibits strong seasonality with two broods annually and has been documented utilizing diverse mustard family host plants.
Operophtera brumata
Winter Moth
Operophtera brumata, the winter moth, is a geometrid moth native to Europe and the Near East that has been introduced to North America. It is notable among temperate Lepidoptera for adult activity during late fall and early winter. Females are flightless, while males are fully winged. The species is a significant pest of deciduous trees and an important food source for birds such as Blue Tits, which feed their young almost exclusively on winter moth caterpillars. The USA National Phenology Network includes this species in its Pheno Forecast program to aid pest management.
Oreoneta
A genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) established in 1894, comprising approximately 30 species distributed across cold-temperate and Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species inhabit high-latitude or high-altitude environments. The genus was revised extensively by Saaristo & Marusik in 2004, resulting in numerous new species descriptions.
ArachnidaAraneaeLinyphiidaedwarf-spiderArcticborealHolarctictundramontanepredatorcold-adaptedground-dwellinghigh-latitudehigh-altitudeSaaristoMarusikChyzerKulczyński18942004-revisiongenitalic-charactersepigynumembolusconductorpalaearcticnearcticEurasiaNorth-AmericaScandinaviaSiberiaAlaskaCanadaGreenlandKazakhstanMongoliaChinaKurile-IslandsFinlandSwedenNorwayGermanySwitzerlandItalySlovakiaBulgariaCentral-Europetype-species:-Oreoneta-frigidathirty-species30-speciessmall-spidersheet-web-weavermoney-spiderLinyphiinaeErigoninaemicrohabitatlitter-dwellingcrypticunderstudiedtaxonomic-revisionmorphological-taxonomylight-microscopyspecies-descriptionbiogeographyglacial-refugiapost-glacial-colonizationendemicregional-endemicalpine-endemicArctic-endemicboreal-foresttaigarocky-habitatmeadowwetlandstream-marginsnowbedfellfieldheathmosslichenvegetationsoil-surfacestonerockboulderscreetalusdebrishumusorganic-layerpermafrostpolarsubpolarcold-stenothermstenothermstenotopichabitat-specialistconservationraredata-deficientIUCNred-listnatural-historysystematicsphylogenymolecular-systematicsDNA-barcodingCOIcytochrome-oxidase28S18SITSmorphologytaxonomyalpha-taxonomyrevisionmonographfaunisticschorologyzoogeographydispersalvicariancespeciationcryptic-speciesspecies-complexspecies-groupspecies-aggregatesubspeciesinfraspecificvariationpolymorphismsexual-dimorphismmalefemalejuvenileinstarecdysismoltingdevelopmentgrowthreproductionmatingcourtshipsperm-transferspermatophorepedipalppalpal-organcopulatory-organgenitaliaepigynevulvaspermathecafertilization-ductcopulatory-ductatriumscapemacerationdissectionmicroscopestereomicroscopecompound-microscopeillustrationdrawingphotographySEMscanning-electron-microscopyhabitusdorsalventrallateralprosomaopisthosomaabdomencephalothoraxcarapacesternumchelicerafanglegtarsusmetatarsustibiapatellafemurcoxatrochanterspinneretcolulustracheal-spiraclebook-lungcuticlesetahairspinemacrosetasensillumchaetotaxyeyeoculusocellianterior-median-eyeposterior-median-eyeanterior-lateral-eyeposterior-lateral-eyeeye-tubercleclypeusfoveapedicelwaistconstrictioncolorpatternpigmentationmelanismalbinismsizemeasurementtotal-lengthcarapace-lengthcarapace-widthabdomen-lengthleg-lengthleg-formulaindexratioproportionallometryontogenysubadultadultmaturitysexual-maturityreproductive-maturitylongevitylife-spangeneration-timevoltinismunivoltinesemivoltinebiennialperennialoverwinteringdiapausequiescencecold-hardinessfreeze-tolerancefreeze-avoidancesupercoolingcryoprotectantglycerolsorbitoltrehalosethermal-biologythermoregulationbehavioral-thermoregulationpostural-thermoregulationactivitydiurnalnocturnalcrepuscularmatutinalvespertinecircadianrhythmseasonalphenologycalendardatemonthactivity-periodbreeding-seasonovipositioneggegg-saccocoonsilkwebsheet-webtangle-webspace-webplatform-webdome-webbowl-webfunnelretreatsignal-linedraglineattachment-discampullate-glandcylindriform-glandaciniform-glandaggregate-glandflagelliform-glandtubuliform-glandpiriform-glandmajor-ampullateminor-ampullatesilk-proteinspidroinfibroinsericingluevisciddrycapture-silkdragline-silksafety-lineanchor-lineframe-lineradial-linespiral-linesticky-spiralnon-sticky-spiralhubperimetersubstratenicheguildfunctional-grouptrophic-levelcarnivorezoophagearthropodivoreinsectivorepreycaptureattacksubdueimmobilizekillfeeddigestextraoral-digestionsucking-stomachgutmidguthindgutMalpighian-tubuleexcretionosmoregulationmetabolismrespirationtracheaspiraclegas-exchangecirculationhemolymphheartaortasinusnervous-systembrainganglionnervesensory-organmechanoreceptorchemoreceptorthermoreceptorhygroreceptorphotoreceptorproprioceptortrichobothriumtarsal-organslit-sensillumlyriform-organpedipalp-organHaller's-organcontact-chemoreceptorgustatoryolfactorypheromonesemiochemicalkairomoneallomonesynomonecommunicationsignalvibrationseismicairbornevisualchemicaltactilecopulationinseminationspermspermatozoonmedian-apophysisterminal-apophysisparacymbiumcymbiumbulbustegulumsubtegulumradixlamellaprocessapophysisflangehookcoilspiralductreservoirscleriteplatefieldfossapocketreceptaculumspermathecaeglandinsemination-ductuterusuterus-externusuterus-internusvaginagonoporeovipositorovaryoviductfolliclevitellogenesisoogenesisspermatogenesistestisvas-deferensejaculatory-ductseminal-vesiclefecundityfertilityclutch-sizeegg-numberhatchingemergenceballooningaerial-dispersalsilk-draglinegossamermigrationmovementwalkingrunningjumpingclimbingburrowinghidingrefugeshelterdefensepredationpredator-avoidanceantipredatorcrypsiscamouflagemimicryaposematismdeimaticthanatosisautotomyleg-lossregenerationinjurywoundhealingimmune-responsehemocytemelanizationencapsulationnoduleparasiteparasitoidpathogenfungusbacteriumvirusnematodemitegroomingcleaninghygieneself-maintenancesilk-useweb-useprey-captureforaginghuntingambushsit-and-waitactive-huntingsearchingprobingtestingexplorationlearningmemorycognitionbehaviorethologyecologypopulationcommunityecosystembiomebiospherehabitatenvironmentabioticbioticfactortemperaturehumiditymoistureprecipitationrainsnowwindlightphotoperiodday-lengthradiationUVsoilcovercomplexityheterogeneityproductivityenergynutrientcarbonnitrogenphosphorusfood-webtrophic-interactionpredator-preycompetitionintraspecificinterspecificresourcepartitioningcoexistencediversityrichnessevennessabundancedensityfrequencyoccurrencepresenceabsencedetectionsamplingcollectionpitfall-trapquadrattransecthand-collectingbeatingsiftingextractionBerleseTullgrenWinklerflotationsortingpreservationethanolformalinmountslidelabelcatalogdatabaserepositorymuseumvouchertypeholotypeparatypesyntypelectotypeparalectotypeneotypetopotypeoriginaldatalocalitygeoreferencecoordinatelatitudelongitudeelevationaltitudedepthcollectordeterminationidentificationexpertspecialistliteraturepublicationjournalarticlepaperbookthesisdissertationreportchecklistonlinedigitalarchivebibliographyreferencecitationauthoryearvolumepagefiguremaptableappendixsupplementarymaterialmethodsresultsdiscussionconclusionabstractkeywordindex-termsubjecttopicdisciplinesciencebiologyzoologyarachnologyentomologyevolutionphylogeneticsbiologicalnatureprotectionmanagementpolicylegislationrestorationmonitoringassessmentindicatorflagshipumbrellakeystoneengineerservicefunctiondynamicsstabilityresilienceresistancerecoverysuccessiondisturbanceclimatechangewarmingglacierrangeshiftexpansioncontractionfragmentationisolationconnectivitycorridornetworkreserveparkprotectedareawildernessurbanruralagriculturalforestryminingimpactthreatriskvulnerabilitysensitivityexposureadaptivecapacitymitigationadaptationsustainableuseharvesttradeeconomymedicineresearcheducationoutreachcitizenengagementawarenessappreciationaestheticculturalspiritualexistencevalueintrinsicinstrumentalutilitariananthropocentricbiocentricecocentricethicphilosophyhistorydiscoveryexpeditionvoyagesurveyinventoryfaunabiotabiodiversitylifeearthplanetwildlifeanimalinvertebratearthropodcheliceratearachnidspideraraneomorphentelegynemicryphantidOreoneta2004frigidatype-speciesalpinefeedingtype-specimenclimate-changeprotected-areaPodon
Podon is a genus of marine cladocerans in the family Podonidae, characterized by onychopod morphology. The genus includes at least four described species: P. intermedius, P. leuckarti, P. leuckartii, and P. schmackeri. Members are euryhaline and eurythermal, inhabiting estuarine and coastal marine waters. Populations exhibit strong seasonal dynamics, with spring and fall peaks and summer disappearance in temperate regions.