Sierra-nevada
Guides
Acmaeodera pubiventris pubiventris
Acmaeodera pubiventris pubiventris is a subspecies of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, native to western North America. It belongs to the nominate subspecies of Acmaeodera pubiventris. Adults are active during summer months and have been associated with woody host plants in the genus Cercocarpus.
Asemoplus
Asemoplus is a genus of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, established by Scudder in 1897. The genus comprises at least three described species: Asemoplus hispidus, A. montanus (Montana grasshopper), and A. sierranus. It belongs to the tribe Podismini within the subfamily Melanoplinae. The genus is native to western North America.
Atractelmis wawona
Wawona Riffle Beetle
Atractelmis wawona is a species of riffle beetle in the family Elmidae, described by Chandler in 1954. The common name 'Wawona Riffle Beetle' references Wawona, a location in California's Sierra Nevada. Like other elmids, it inhabits aquatic environments with flowing water. Very few observations or detailed studies of this species have been published.
Autographa speciosa
Autographa speciosa is a noctuid moth in the subfamily Plusiinae, known from a restricted range in western North America. The species was described by Ottolengui in 1902. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 38 mm and are active in midsummer. The limited geographic distribution and specific habitat associations make this a regionally significant species for Pacific Northwest and California lepidopteran fauna.
Californiulus yosemitensis
Yosemite Millipede
Californiulus yosemitensis is a large cylindrical millipede in the family Paeromopodidae, reaching up to 11 cm in length. It is distinguished by a broad yellow or orange dorsal band with a central black stripe running the length of the black body. The species is the most widespread member of its genus, occurring across the Sierra Nevada and adjacent ranges from southwestern Oregon to Kern County, California. It was described by Ralph Vary Chamberlin in 1941 from specimens collected in Yosemite National Park.
Calosoma discors
different beautiful black searcher
Calosoma discors is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Carabinae, described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1857. This species is known from California and Washington, where it inhabits coastal grasslands and oak savannahs in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Adults are brachypterous, meaning they have reduced wings that limit flight capability.
Chlosyne palla altasierra
High Sierra Checkerspot
Chlosyne palla altasierra is a subspecies of checkerspot butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, described by Emmel, Emmel & Mattoon in 1998. It is known by the common name High Sierra Checkerspot. The subspecies is recognized as valid and accepted in taxonomic databases. As a member of the genus Chlosyne, it belongs to a group of butterflies commonly known as crescents and checkerspots, which are characterized by their orange and black patterned wings.
Cicindela timbisha
Timbisha Tiger Beetle
Cicindela timbisha is a recently described tiger beetle species endemic to a single freshwater spring locality in Inyo County, California, east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The species occupies an extremely restricted geographic range of less than 5 hectares, making it highly vulnerable to extinction. Adults have been observed ovipositing in damp dark soils along the spring margin. The specific habitat requirements and highly localized distribution suggest this species has precise microhabitat needs associated with freshwater spring environments in an otherwise arid region.
Cicindela tranquebarica sierra
Sierra Tiger Beetle
The Sierra Tiger Beetle is a montane subspecies of the common tiger beetle Cicindela tranquebarica, restricted to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. It represents a high-elevation form distinguished from lowland populations by its coloration and habitat association. Like other tiger beetles, it is a fast-running, visually oriented predator active during daylight hours. The subspecies designation reflects both geographic isolation and morphological differentiation from nominate C. tranquebarica populations.
Clastoptera sierra
Clastoptera sierra is a species of spittlebug in the family Clastopteridae, described by Doering in 1929. The genus Clastoptera comprises small, compact froghoppers commonly known as spittlebugs or froghoppers. Members of this family are characterized by their distinctive body shape and are associated with various host plants. C. sierra is known from California in the Sierra Nevada region.
Colias behrii
Behr's sulphur, Sierra green sulfur, Sierra Sulphur
Colias behrii is a small alpine butterfly endemic to the Sierra Nevada of California, restricted to high-elevation habitats mostly around and above 9,000 feet. It has a wingspan of 35–42 mm and is active from July to August. The species has been subject to genetic study revealing a historical range-wide bottleneck approximately 531–281 years ago, coinciding with a period of global cooling.
Dicerca hornii hornii
Dicerca hornii hornii is a subspecies of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae, native to western North America. The species is one of approximately two dozen buprestid beetles associated with Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany) in North America, with nine species confirmed as breeding within dead branches of this host plant genus. Like other members of the genus Dicerca, adults exhibit cryptic coloration that renders them nearly invisible against the bark of their host trees. The subspecies is part of a group of woodboring beetles that colonize dead or dying woody vegetation.
Dioryctria sierra
Dioryctria sierra is a species of snout moth in the family Pyralidae. It was described by Herbert H. Neunzig in 2003 and is known from the Sierra Nevada region of California. Like other members of the genus Dioryctria, it is associated with coniferous forests. The species is relatively poorly known, with limited published information on its biology and ecology.
Euphydryas chalcedona wallacensis
Euphydryas chalcedona wallacensis is a subspecies of the Variable Checkerspot butterfly, endemic to the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. It represents a geographically isolated population of Euphydryas chalcedona that has adapted to high-elevation habitats. The subspecies is of conservation concern due to its restricted range and vulnerability to climate change impacts on montane ecosystems.
Euros proprius
Euros proprius is a small noctuid moth described by Henry Edwards in 1881. It is the most distinctive species within the Euros genus, characterized by its restricted range in the northern Sierra Nevada of California and specific association with riparian habitats in dry forest ecosystems. The species has a documented larval host relationship with Paeonia brownii.
Formica podzolica
Podzol Ant
Formica podzolica is a species of mound-building ant in the subfamily Formicinae, described by Francoeur in 1973. The species is associated with podzolic soils and functions as an ecosystem engineer in subalpine and montane environments. Colonies modify soil moisture and nitrogen availability around their nests, creating distinct microhabitats that alter plant community composition and structure.
Hadena plumasata
Hadena plumasata is a small noctuid moth endemic to the Sierra Nevada region of California. It was described in 1967 and named for Plumas County, where it occurs along the eastern slope of the range. The species is distinguished from congeners by its reduced wing pattern elements.
Hebardacris
Mount Whitney grasshopper (for H. albida)
Hebardacris is a genus of spur-throated grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, established by Rehn in 1952. The genus contains at least three described species: H. albida (Mount Whitney grasshopper), H. excelsa, and H. mono. These species are native to western North America, with records concentrated in California. The genus belongs to the tribe Podismini within the subfamily Melanoplinae.
Lasionycta benjamini
Lasionycta benjamini is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae, first described by Hill in 1927. It belongs to the genus Lasionycta, which was revised in 2009 with keys and descriptions published for 43 species including this one. The species is known from mountainous regions in the western United States.
Lasionycta mono
Lasionycta mono is a species of noctuid moth described in 2009 by Crabo and Lafontaine. The species is known exclusively from its type locality in the Sierra Nevada of California. With a wingspan of approximately 26 mm, it represents a poorly documented member of a genus that underwent significant revision in 2009, when 17 new species were described. The specific epithet 'mono' refers to Mono County or the Mono Basin region of California.
Omus
Night-stalking Tiger Beetles
Omus is a genus of flightless, nocturnal tiger beetles (subfamily Cicindelinae) endemic to the west coast of North America. Members are uniformly dark-colored and characterized by reduced or absent hind wings, restricting them to ground-dwelling locomotion. The genus comprises at least five recognized species, including O. audouini, O. californicus, O. cazieri, O. dejeanii, and O. submetallicus. These beetles occupy diverse habitats from forest floors to upper salt marshes, with some species showing strong associations with specific plant communities.
flightlessnocturnalwest-coast-endemictiger-beetlesalt-marshforest-floorprolonged-copulationconservation-concernCanada-species-at-riskmorphological-character-displacementAmblycheiliniCicindelinaeCarabidaeColeopteralarval-burrowsDouglas-aster-indicator-speciesniche-partitioningmale-mandible-dimorphismsyn-copulatory-courtshiprain-shadow-habitatSierra-NevadaCascade-RangeCoast-RangeBritish-ColumbiaOregonCaliforniaWashingtonOmus californicus intermedius
Intermediate Night-stalking Tiger Beetle
Omus californicus intermedius is a subspecies of night-stalking tiger beetle endemic to western North America. As a member of the genus Omus, it exhibits nocturnal adult behavior and fossorial larval habits. The subspecies was described by Leng in 1902 and occurs in the intermediate zone between the ranges of the nominate subspecies and O. c. angustocylindricus. Adults are rarely encountered due to their nocturnal activity pattern and cryptic behavior, making larval burrows the most reliable indicator of local presence.
Omus californicus subcylindricus
Subcylindrical Night-stalking Tiger Beetle
Omus californicus subcylindricus is a subspecies of night-stalking tiger beetle in the family Carabidae. It is one of several subspecies within the Omus californicus complex, which exhibits considerable morphological and geographic variation across its range in western North America. The subspecies was described by Nunenmacher in 1940 and is distinguished by its subcylindrical body form compared to other members of the complex.
Paeromopus
Paeromopus is a genus of large cylindrical millipedes endemic to California, United States. The genus contains four species, with body lengths ranging from 10 to 16.5 cm, making P. paniculus the longest millipede species in North America. Three species have restricted ranges in the Sierra Nevada mountains, while P. angusticeps has a broad distribution across Northern California and the Central Coast. The genus was established by Ferdinand Karsch in 1881 and belongs to the family Paeromopodidae.
Pedomoecus sierra
Pedomoecus sierra is a species of caddisfly in the family Apataniidae, described by Ross in 1947. It is known from the Sierra Nevada region of California. Like other members of the order Trichoptera, the larvae are aquatic and construct protective cases from silk and environmental materials. The specific epithet 'sierra' refers to its type locality in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Phlepsanus vanduzeei
Phlepsanus vanduzeei is a species of jewel beetle in the family Buprestidae. It was originally described as Acmaeodera vanduzeei by Van Dyke and later transferred to the genus Phlepsanus. The species is associated with Cercocarpus (mountain mahogany) host plants in western North America. Like other members of the genus, it is a wood-boring beetle whose larvae develop within dead branches of its host plant.
Phloeosinus punctatus
western cedar bark beetle
Phloeosinus punctatus is a bark beetle in the family Curculionidae, subfamily Scolytinae, known as the western cedar bark beetle. The species colonizes giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) and California incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Females initiate gallery construction and mate monogamously. The beetle undergoes four larval instars, typically producing one generation per year under natural conditions. It has been observed to contribute to branch mortality in giant sequoia, particularly when trees are under environmental stress.
Plebejus neurona
Sierra Nevada Blue
Plebejus neurona, known as the Sierra Nevada Blue, is a species of butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. The species is closely related to and was formerly classified within the genus Lycaena. Like other members of its family, it exhibits a close ecological relationship with ants during its larval stage.
Pleocoma tularensis
rain beetle
Pleocoma tularensis is a species of rain beetle in the family Pleocomidae, distinguished by having one of the largest geographic ranges within the genus Pleocoma. It is endemic to the central and southern Sierra Nevada of California. Like other rain beetles, adults are sexually dimorphic: males are winged and capable of flight, while females are flightless. Adults do not feed and rely entirely on energy reserves accumulated during their extended larval development underground.
Sigmocheir
Sigmocheir is a genus of flat-backed millipedes in the family Xystodesmidae, endemic to the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. The genus contains three species: S. maculifer, S. calaveras, and S. furcata. All species share a distinctive color pattern of three lemon yellow spots per segment. The genus was established by R.V. Chamberlin in 1951, with a complex taxonomic history involving synonymies that were not fully resolved until 1995.
Sigmocheirini
Sigmocheirini is a tribe of flat-backed millipedes (Order Polydesmida) in the family Xystodesmidae, established by Causey in 1955. The tribe contains the genus Sigmocheir, whose species are endemic to California's Sierra Nevada foothills. Members of this tribe exhibit the characteristic flattened body form typical of xystodesmid millipedes.
Speyeria callippe macaria
Speyeria callippe macaria is a subspecies of the callippe fritillary butterfly, a member of the Nymphalidae family. This subspecies was named in honor of California lepidopterist Charles "Chuck" Hageman, who conducted extensive field research on California butterflies. The species is part of the Speyeria genus, commonly known as greater fritillaries, which are characterized by their close ecological relationship with violet host plants.
Stenostrophia tribalteata sierrae
Stenostrophia tribalteata sierrae is a subspecies of longhorned beetle (family Cerambycidae) described by Linsley & Chemsak in 1976. It belongs to the subfamily Lepturinae, a group commonly known as flower longhorns for their frequent association with flowers. The subspecies is known from the Sierra Nevada region of California and Nevada, with specific records from Washoe County, Nevada. Adults have been observed in spring and fall, suggesting bivoltine or extended adult activity.
Tetrix sierrana
Sierra Pygmy Grasshopper
Tetrix sierrana is a species of pygmy grasshopper in the family Tetrigidae, endemic to California in the western United States. Like other members of the genus Tetrix, it is a minute jumping insect with a highly modified pronotum that extends backward over the abdomen. The species was described in 1956 and remains poorly known, with very few documented observations.
Timema podura
Sierra Nevada timema, Sierra Nevada Mountains Timema
Timema podura is a species of walkingstick insect in the family Timematidae. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada region of North America. Like other Timema species, it is known for cryptic camouflage that matches its host vegetation. The species was described by Strohecker in 1936.