Western-north-america
Guides
Euxoa edictalis
Euxoa edictalis is a moth species in the family Noctuidae, first described by Smith in 1893. The species has a wingspan of 35–39 mm and occurs in western North America from southern Alberta and Montana west to British Columbia, and south through California, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. Adults are active in May in Alberta, with one generation per year. Like other Euxoa species, the larvae are likely cutworms that feed on plants, though specific host records for this species are not documented.
Euxoa excogita
Euxoa excogita is a noctuid moth described by Smith in 1900. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of Euxoa brunneigera. The species is known from western North America, with records from British Columbia south to California and east to Colorado. Like other Euxoa species, it likely has a typical noctuid life cycle with nocturnal adults and soil-dwelling larvae.
Euxoa intermontana
Euxoa intermontana is a species of owlet moth in the family Noctuidae, described by Lafontaine in 1975. As a member of the genus Euxoa, it belongs to a group commonly known as darts or cutworms. The species name "intermontana" (between mountains) suggests an association with intermountain regions. Like other Euxoa species, the larvae likely exhibit cutworm behavior, feeding on vegetation and potentially curling into a C-shape when disturbed. However, specific ecological details for this particular species remain poorly documented in available sources.
Euxoa nevada
Euxoa nevada is a species of owlet moth in the family Noctuidae, described by Smith in 1900. The species is native to western North America, with confirmed records from Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada. As a member of the large genus Euxoa, it belongs to a group commonly known as cutworms or dart moths. The genus includes several economically significant agricultural pests, though specific information about the biology and ecology of E. nevada itself remains limited.
Euxoa pluralis
Euxoa pluralis is a moth species in the family Noctuidae. It occurs in western North America from British Columbia southward through Nevada to California. The wingspan is approximately 34 mm. Information on its biology and ecology is limited compared to better-known congeners such as Euxoa auxiliaris.
Euxoa simulata
Euxoa simulata is a noctuid moth described by James Halliday McDunnough in 1946. It belongs to the genus Euxoa, a large group of cutworm moths primarily distributed in North America. The species is documented from western North America, ranging from British Columbia southward to California.
Evergestis consimilis
Singed Evergestis
Evergestis consimilis is a moth in the family Crambidae, first described by Warren in 1892. It is native to western North America, with confirmed records from Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas. Adults are active during late spring and summer months. The species is currently treated as a synonym of Evergestis extimalis by some taxonomic authorities.
Evergestis funalis
Frosted Evergestis
Evergestis funalis is a small crambid moth native to western North America, ranging from Alaska to the southwestern United States. The species was described by Grote in 1878 and includes five recognized subspecies distributed across specific geographic regions. Adults have a wingspan of 23–27 mm and are active from May through October. The common name 'Frosted Evergestis' refers to the pale, somewhat frosted appearance of the forewings.
Evergestis subterminalis
Brown-patched Evergestis
Evergestis subterminalis is a crambid moth species described by Barnes and McDunnough in 1914. It is endemic to western North America, occurring in montane meadow habitats from Alberta to California. Adults are active from mid-summer through autumn and possess distinctive wing patterning that facilitates identification.
Evodinus monticola
Mountain Flower Longhorn
Evodinus monticola is a species of flower longhorn beetle in the subfamily Lepturinae. It occurs in montane forests of western North America, from the Sierra Nevada to the Rocky Mountains. The species is associated with coniferous forests and has been recorded feeding on flowers. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate E. m. monticola and E. m. vancouveri.
Exoprosopa caliptera
bee fly
Exoprosopa caliptera is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1823. It is distributed across western North America, from British Columbia through the western United States to Durango, Mexico. As a member of the Exoprosopini tribe, it shares the general bee fly morphology of a stout, hairy body and a long proboscis adapted for nectar feeding.
Feron gigas
Saucer Gall Wasp
Feron gigas, the saucer gall wasp, is a cynipid wasp that induces distinct galls on oak leaves. It exhibits an alternating generation life cycle with morphologically different galls produced by all-female (agamic) and bisexual generations. The species is associated with several oak species in western North America and has been widely documented through citizen science observations.
Fishia dispar
Fishia dispar is a noctuid moth described by Smith in 1900. It occurs in western North America, with confirmed records from Colorado and Utah. The species belongs to the genus Fishia within the subfamily Noctuinae. Available information on this species is limited.
Fishia yosemitae
Dark Grey Fishia Moth, Dark Grey Fishia, Grey Fishia
Fishia yosemitae is a noctuid moth distributed across western North America from the Rocky Mountains to California. Adults are nocturnal and occur in dry open habitats at low to middle elevations. Larvae are generalist herbivores feeding on herbaceous plants in several families. The species was described by Grote in 1873 and was originally placed in the genus Cucullia.
Flaviellus subtruncatus
Flaviellus subtruncatus is a species of scarab beetle in the subfamily Aphodiinae. It is a dung beetle native to western North America. The species was described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1878. It is one of few species in the small genus Flaviellus, which is distinguished from related aphodiine genera by subtle morphological characters.
Formica argentea
Silvery Field Ant
Formica argentea is a North American ant species in the fusca group, first described by Wheeler in 1912. It is characterized by a silvery sheen on abdominal pubescence and reddish-brown appendages. The species occurs in western montane regions, including the Sierra Nevada, and has been documented as a host for the slave-making ant Polyergus breviceps. It belongs to the subsericea species complex and is closely related to F. subsericea, with which it overlaps in parts of its range.
Formica moki
field ant
Formica moki is a medium-sized North American ant species first described by Wheeler in 1906. Workers are approximately 6 mm long and exhibit distinctive coloration with a dark head, orange-brown mesosoma, and silvery-gray gaster. The species nests in soil and has been documented in California's Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, where it occurs alongside other native ant species. It is not known to be a social parasite.
Formica neoclara
Bright Mound Ant
Formica neoclara is a socially polymorphic ant species distributed across western North America. The species exhibits alternative colony social structures—either single-queen (monogyne) or multiple-queen (polygyne)—controlled by a social supergene on chromosome 3. Polygyne colonies uniquely contain all three supergene genotypes, including workers homozygous for the monogyne-associated haplotype, a pattern not observed in other Formica species studied.
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.
Frechinia laetalis
Amber Bantam
Frechinia laetalis is a small crambid moth found in western North America. Adults are active from March to October. The larvae are leaf miners that feed on Ambrosia species.
Frisonia picticeps
Painted Springfly
Frisonia picticeps is a species of stonefly in the family Perlodidae, known by the common name Painted Springfly. It was originally described as Arcynopteryx picticeps by Hanson in 1942 before being transferred to the genus Frisonia. The species is distributed in western North America, with records from British Columbia through the Pacific Northwest to California and Nevada. As a member of the tribe Arcynopterygini, it belongs to a group of predatory stoneflies.
Gabriola
Gabriola is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae, subfamily Ennominae, established by Taylor in 1904. The genus comprises approximately 20 described species distributed primarily in western North America. These are medium-sized geometrid moths typically associated with forested and shrubland habitats. The genus name is derived from Gabriola Island in British Columbia, Canada.
Galeruca rudis
Galeruca rudis is a skeletonizing leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. The species is distributed across western North America, from California and New Mexico north to Yukon and British Columbia. It has been recorded in association with various lupine species (Lupinus spp.), which serve as host plants. The species was first described by LeConte in 1857.
Gazoryctra roseicaput
Gazoryctra roseicaput is a hepialid moth described in 1893 from western North American mountain regions. Adults are medium-small with distinctive dull red-brown forewings marked by silvery-white spots. The species has a narrow seasonal flight period in late summer.
Gelechia versutella
Gelechia versutella is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1873. It is known from western North America, with records spanning from Montana and Wyoming south to Texas and California. The larvae feed on Populus species, including Populus fremontii and Populus tremuloides.
Geocoris atricolor
big-eyed bug
Geocoris atricolor is a species of big-eyed bug in the family Geocoridae, native to western North America. It is one of three Geocoris species studied in California for temperature effects on development and reproduction. Like other big-eyed bugs, it is a predatory insect with piercing-sucking mouthparts, feeding on small arthropod prey and contributing to biological control in agricultural systems.
Glaresis medialis
Glaresis medialis is a species of scarab beetle in the family Glaresidae, a group commonly referred to as enigmatic scarab beetles. The species was described by Gordon in 1969 and is known from scattered records across western North America. It belongs to a small family of beetles whose biology remains poorly understood.
Glena nigricaria
Glena nigricaria is a moth species in the family Geometridae, first described by William Barnes and James Halliday McDunnough in 1913. It occurs in Central and North America, with records from southern British Columbia extending southward into Mexico. The species is assigned MONA/Hodges number 6448. Like other members of the genus Glena, it belongs to the diverse geometrid moth fauna of the Nearctic region.
Globipes
Globipes is a genus of harvestmen (Opiliones) in the family Globipedidae, established by Nathan Banks in 1893 with Globipes spinulatus as the type species. The genus contains three described species, two of which occur in coastal California and one in Guerrero, Mexico. It is among the relatively small-bodied sclerosomatoid harvestmen of western North America.
Gloridonus atridorsum
Gloridonus atridorsum is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by Van Duzee in 1894. It belongs to the subfamily Deltocephalinae, a large and diverse group of leafhoppers. The species has been recorded from western North America, with distribution spanning parts of Canada and the western United States.
Gloridonus pulcher
Gloridonus pulcher is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by Hamilton in 2014. The genus Gloridonus belongs to the diverse leafhopper fauna of western North America. This species is known from California, where it inhabits native plant communities. Like other cicadellids, it is a sap-feeding insect that uses its piercing-sucking mouthparts to extract fluids from plant vascular tissue. The specific epithet 'pulcher' (Latin for 'beautiful') likely refers to distinctive coloration or morphological features.
Gloridonus venditarius
Gloridonus venditarius is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, first described by Ball in 1910. It belongs to the genus Gloridonus, which is part of the diverse true bug assemblage within Hemiptera. The species has been documented across western North America from British Columbia southward through the western United States. Like other leafhoppers, it possesses piercing-sucking mouthparts adapted for feeding on plant vascular tissues.
Glyphipterix montisella
sedge moth
Glyphipterix montisella is a species of sedge moth described by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1875. It belongs to the family Glyphipterigidae, a group of small moths often associated with sedges and related plants. The species occurs in western North America.
Glyptoscelimorpha
Glyptoscelimorpha is a genus of beetles in the family Schizopodidae, established by Horn in 1893. The genus contains three described species: G. marmorata (the type species), G. juniperae, and G. viridis. Schizopodidae is a small family of beetles within the superfamily Buprestoidea, closely related to jewel beetles (Buprestidae). Members of this genus are found in western North America.
Gnathotrichus sulcatus
western hemlock wood stainer
Gnathotrichus sulcatus, commonly known as the western hemlock wood stainer, is an ambrosia beetle in the family Curculionidae. It is native to western North America and is a pest of softwood logs, particularly in timber processing areas. The species produces sulcatol as an aggregation pheromone and exhibits secondary attraction behavior. Both sexes respond to host kairomones including ethanol and α-pinene. The beetle cultivates fungal symbionts in its galleries, including Ambrosiella sulcati and Raffaelea sulcati.
Gnophaela latipennis
Wild Forget-me-not Moth
Gnophaela latipennis, commonly known as the Wild Forget-me-not Moth, is a species of tiger moth in the family Erebidae. It is found in the western United States, specifically in Oregon and California. The species was first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1852. Adults are active from late spring through mid-summer, and the larvae feed on several genera of plants in the borage family, including Cynoglossum, Hackelia, Mertensia, and Myosotis.
Gnorimoschema coquillettella
A small gelechiid moth described by August Busck in 1902, recorded from California and Colorado. Adults have a wingspan of 11.5–14 mm with distinctive forewing patterning combining yellowish-brown basal areas, pale bluish-white ground color with black-tipped scales, and dark fuscous costal markings. Larvae form false galls on terminal twigs of Ericameria pinifolia.
Gnorimoschema octomaculella
Rabbitbrush stem gall moth
A small gelechiid moth described by Vactor Tousey Chambers in 1875. The larvae are gall-formers on rabbitbrush (Acamptopappus sphaerocephalus). Known from California and Washington.
Gnorimoschema semicyclionella
Gnorimoschema semicyclionella is a small gelechiid moth described by August Busck in 1903. It is known from the western United States, with records from Colorado, Oregon, Wyoming, and New Mexico. The species is characterized by distinctive forewing patterning featuring chocolate brown semicircular markings on a white ground color sprinkled with minute black-tipped scales. Like other members of its genus, it likely has concealed larval habits, though specific host plant associations remain undocumented.
Graphocephala confluens
Willow Leafhopper
A sharpshooter leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, Graphocephala confluens is a western North American species closely related to the more widely known candy-striped leafhopper (G. coccinea). Like other members of its genus, it possesses the characteristic brochosome coating that makes leafhoppers superhydrophobic and anti-reflective. The species is associated with willow and other woody plants in riparian and wetland habitats.
Graphocephala cythura
Graphocephala cythura is a leafhopper species in the family Cicadellidae, characterized by its membership in a genus known for brightly colored and patterned sharpshooters. Like other Graphocephala species, it possesses brochosomes—unique nanoparticles that confer superhydrophobic and anti-reflective properties to its exoskeleton. The species occurs in western North America and has been introduced to Hawaii.
Graphocephala uhleri
Graphocephala uhleri is a species of sharpshooter leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae. As a member of the genus Graphocephala, it belongs to a group known for vivid coloration and distinctive patterning. The species was described by Ball in 1901 and occurs in western North America. Like other leafhoppers, it possesses specialized hind legs adapted for jumping and produces brochosomes—nanoparticles that confer water-repellent and anti-reflective properties to its cuticle.
Greya piperella
Greya piperella is a small moth in the family Prodoxidae (yucca moths and relatives). The species is notable for its specialized relationship with Heuchera host plants, where larvae mine the flower stalks. Adults feed on nectar from the same host flowers they use for oviposition, an unusual behavior among prodoxid moths.
Greya politella
Greya politella is a small moth in the family Prodoxidae distributed across western North America from southern British Columbia to southern California and inland to Idaho and Colorado. It participates in a nursery pollination mutualism with Lithophragma flowers (Saxifragaceae), in which females pollinate flowers while ovipositing into them; larvae subsequently develop as seed parasites within the host fruits. The species exhibits deep phylogeographical structure with genetically distinct populations across multiple regions, shaped by glacial refugia and post-glacial expansion.
Greya solenobiella
Greya solenobiella is a small moth in the family Prodoxidae, first described by Walsingham in 1880. It occurs in the western United States from southwestern Oregon through California, inhabiting grassy areas within dry to moderately moist oak and mixed deciduous forests. The species has a narrow wingspan of 9.5–14.5 mm. Its larvae are specialized seed-feeders on Yabea microcarpa, a plant in the Apiaceae family.
Greya variabilis
Greya variabilis is a small moth in the family Prodoxidae, described by Davis & Pellmyr in 1992. It occurs across a broad geographic range spanning arctic Russia, Alaska, and the western coast of North America. The species inhabits contrasting environments: tundra in the northern part of its range and moist coniferous forests in the south.
Grotella vagans
Grotella vagans is a species of owlet moth in the family Noctuidae, first described by William Barnes and Foster Hendrickson Benjamin in 1922. It belongs to the genus Grotella, a small group of moths within the subfamily Grotellinae. The species is known from western North America, with Nevada as its type locality. Like other noctuid moths, it is nocturnal and attracted to light sources.
Gryllus saxatilis
Western Rock-loving Field Cricket
Gryllus saxatilis is a species of field cricket described in 2019. It belongs to the genus Gryllus, which includes several North American field cricket species. Like other Gryllus species, it is expected to share characteristics such as chirping communication, ground-dwelling habits, and annual life cycles. The specific epithet "saxatilis" (rock-loving) suggests an association with rocky habitats.
Gypona vexana
Gypona vexana is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by DeLong in 1942. As a member of the Gyponini tribe, it produces brochosomes—complex protein-lipid nanoparticles that create a superhydrophobic, anti-reflective coating on its body. The species is recorded from western North America, with confirmed distribution in Colorado, Idaho, and Utah. Like other Gypona species, it exhibits brochosomes with more angled, geometric pit structures compared to some related genera.
Habrodais
Habrodais is a genus of small butterflies in the family Lycaenidae, containing two species restricted to western North America. The genus was established by Scudder in 1876. Both species are associated with oak woodlands and have specialized ecological relationships with their host plants.