Thistle-specialist
Guides
Melissodes desponsus
Eastern Thistle Longhorn Bee
Melissodes desponsus is a solitary, ground-nesting longhorn bee native to northeastern North America. Females are oligolectic specialists on Cirsium thistles, collecting white pollen that often obscures their distinctive orange scopae. The species is active in mid-to-late summer and has been assessed as vulnerable or imperiled in several regional conservation evaluations, though it lacks a comprehensive rangewide status assessment.
Oulema palustris
Marsh Cereal Leaf Beetle
Oulema palustris is a North American leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. The species is a specialist herbivore associated with thistles, with larvae functioning as leaf miners and adults feeding externally on foliage. The specific epithet 'palustris' refers to marshy habitats, though the species' exact habitat preferences require further documentation.
Phyciodes mylitta
Mylitta Crescent, Mylitta Crescentspot
Phyciodes mylitta, commonly known as the Mylitta Crescent or Mylitta Crescentspot, is a small brush-footed butterfly native to western North America. It is an abundant, weedy species that has expanded its range following the introduction of European thistle species. The butterfly is strongly associated with thistles (Cirsium, Carduus, and Silybum) as larval host plants, and adults visit diverse flowers for nectar. It is notable for its variable wing patterns, with males showing especially variable upperside markings, and for its ability to breed continuously in warm conditions.
Terellia ruficauda
Red-tailed Thistle Fly
Terellia ruficauda is a tephritid gall fly native to the Palearctic region, now introduced to North America. The species is notable for its larval association with Cirsium arvense (creeping thistle), where larvae develop within the flower heads. Adults are recognized by the distinctive reddish coloration of the abdomen referenced in the specific epithet.