Variable-morphology
Guides
Anacampsis populella
poplar sober
A small gelechiid moth native to Europe, accidentally introduced to North America. Adults are active from May to September with variable whitish forewings marked with black or dark grey. Larvae are leaf-rollers that feed on poplars and willows, constructing silk-bound leaf tubes in which they develop and pupate. The species is univoltine, with eggs overwintering.
Apamea zeta
Northern Arches, Zeta Moth
Apamea zeta is a medium-sized noctuid moth with a Holarctic distribution spanning Europe and northern North America. Adults are active from July to August in Britain and display variable gray-green forewings with distinctive black markings. The species exhibits notable morphological variation across its range, with several described forms and subspecies. Larvae are cutworms that feed on grasses, including fescues in alpine tundra habitats.
Clastoptera
spittlebugs
Clastoptera is a genus of spittlebugs in the family Clastopteridae, containing at least 30 described species distributed across North and South America. Members are small, globose insects that produce spittle masses during their nymphal stage. The genus exhibits extreme morphological variability, with individuals varying widely in size, color, and pattern within species, complicating taxonomic classification. Nymphs are phloem-feeders that develop within protective foam masses on host plants, while adults are free-living and mobile.
Evacanthus interruptus
Evacanthus interruptus is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, distributed across Europe and Asia. The species exhibits significant morphological variability in coloration and pattern. Climate modeling studies indicate it is among the most economically important leafhopper pests worldwide, with habitat suitability concentrated in western Europe. Future climate scenarios suggest complex shifts in its distribution, with potential range expansion under some projections.
Hybomitra frontalis
horse fly
Hybomitra frontalis is a Nearctic horse fly species in the family Tabanidae. It is among the most widely distributed, abundant, and troublesome biters of animals and humans in North America. The species exhibits extreme variation in color and size across its range, particularly in Canadian populations from Nova Scotia, Labrador, and central Manitoba. Taxonomic relationships within the H. frontalis complex have been debated for over a century, with five nominal species described from regional populations.
Mesapamea secalis
common rustic
Mesapamea secalis, the common rustic, is a noctuid moth found across Europe, north-west Africa, Turkey, and northern Iran. It was first described by Linnaeus in 1758 and was formerly treated as conspecific with Mesapamea didyma and M. remmi, all three now recognized as distinct species. Adults fly from July to August, with larvae feeding on grass stems.
Micrurapteryx occulta
Micrurapteryx occulta is a small leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. It occurs across northern North America from the Maritime Provinces to Yukon and south to California. The species is highly variable in wing pattern and utilizes multiple legume host plants.