Wetland-habitat
Guides
Anartia jatrophae
White Peacock, white peacock butterfly
Anartia jatrophae, commonly called the white peacock, is a brush-footed butterfly native to the Neotropics with a range extending from the southeastern United States through Central America to northern Argentina. Males exhibit a distinctive territorial behavior, defending circular areas approximately 15 meters in diameter that contain larval host plants. The species has been the subject of taxonomic debate regarding its subspecies classification, with molecular studies supporting the recognition of at least four distinct genetic lineages.
Araneus pegnia
Butterfly Orbweaver
Araneus pegnia is a small orb-weaving spider in the family Araneidae, commonly known as the Butterfly Orbweaver due to the distinctive butterfly-shaped pattern on its abdomen. It is among the smaller members of the genus Araneus, with mature females reaching only 3.5–8.2 mm and males 2.5–5 mm. The species has an unusually broad geographic range, extending from the northeastern United States through the southeastern states, west to Arizona and California, and south through Middle America to Ecuador. It is also found on Caribbean islands including Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Cuba.
Gomphaeschna
Pygmy Darners
Gomphaeschna is a genus of small dragonflies commonly called pygmy darners, currently comprising two extant species native to eastern North America. It represents one of the most ancient surviving dragonfly genera known, with fossil records extending to the earliest Cretaceous (Berriasian) of Russia. The genus formerly had a much broader distribution across Eurasia and western North America, with multiple fossil species documented from the Paleocene through Miocene. Some taxonomic authorities recognize it as the sole genus of the distinct family Gomphaeschnidae due to its deep evolutionary origins.
Philhygra palustris
Philhygra palustris is a rove beetle (family Staphylinidae) originally described by Kiesenwetter in 1844. The species is currently recognized as a synonym of Atheta palustris in some taxonomic databases, though it retains the genus Philhygra in other treatments. It belongs to a large genus of small to medium-sized staphylinids associated with moist habitats.
Speyeria nokomis
Nokomis fritillary
Speyeria nokomis, the Nokomis fritillary, is a North American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. The species has a highly specialized relationship with its host plant, with larvae feeding exclusively on northern bog violet (Viola nephrophylla). It is currently recognized with nine subspecies, including the imperiled Carson Valley silverpot butterfly (S. n. carsonensis), which has experienced significant population declines. Conservation efforts focus on habitat restoration through propagation of its obligate host plant.