Wetland-insect
Guides
Bellura densa
Pickerelweed Borer Moth
Bellura densa, commonly known as the pickerelweed borer moth, is a noctuid moth species native to eastern and southeastern North America. The species is notable for its aquatic or semi-aquatic larval biology, with caterpillars that bore into and feed on wetland plants. Adults are medium-sized moths with a wingspan of 35–50 mm. The species is associated with freshwater wetland habitats and has been documented from Maryland to Florida and west to Indiana and Louisiana.
Bittacomorpha clavipes
Eastern Phantom Crane Fly, Phantom Crane Fly
Bittacomorpha clavipes, the eastern phantom crane fly, is a distinctive fly in the family Ptychopteridae. Adults are small-bodied with exceptionally long, delicate black legs marked with white sheaths near the tips. The species is known for its unique flight behavior, using wind currents rather than wing beats for transportation, with legs spread to create air resistance. It inhabits shaded, moist environments near wetlands across eastern North America.
Brachybamus
marsh weevils
Brachybamus is a genus of marsh weevils (family Brachyceridae) established by Germar in 1835. The genus contains at least three described species: B. electus, B. inceratus, and B. pipitzi. These beetles are associated with marsh and wetland habitats, consistent with their common name. The family placement has varied historically, with some sources listing Brachyceridae and others Erirhinidae, reflecting ongoing taxonomic revisions in the weevil superfamily Curculionoidea.
Chilacis typhae
bulrush bug
Chilacis typhae is a small seed-sucking true bug in the family Artheneidae. It is tightly associated with cattails (Typha species), particularly greater reedmace (Typha latifolia) and Typha angustifolia, where it feeds on developing seeds. The species harbors an obligate intracellular bacterial endosymbiont, "Candidatus Rohrkolberia cinguli," housed in a distinctive "mycetocytic belt" in the midgut epithelium. Native to Europe and Northern Asia, it has been introduced to North America.
Colobaea americana
marsh fly
Colobaea americana is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, first described by Steyskal in 1954. Marsh flies in this family are typically associated with wetland habitats. The species occurs in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Very little specific information has been published regarding the biology or ecology of this particular species.
Contacyphon cooperi
Contacyphon cooperi is a small marsh beetle in the family Scirtidae, a group of aquatic and semi-aquatic beetles commonly known as marsh beetles or minute marsh beetles. The species was described by Schaeffer in 1931 and is documented from North America. Scirtidae larvae are typically found in moist or aquatic habitats, often in decaying vegetation or mud, while adults are frequently collected at lights or in vegetation near water.
Contacyphon perplexus
marsh beetle
Contacyphon perplexus is a species of marsh beetle in the family Scirtidae, found in North America. The species was described by Blatchley in 1914. As a member of Scirtidae, it belongs to a family of small beetles commonly associated with moist or aquatic habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited.
Cymus calif-sp-one
Cymus calif-sp-one is a species of true bug in the family Cymidae. Cymidae are small, seed-feeding bugs commonly found in moist habitats near water. Members of the genus Cymus are typically associated with wetland environments and feed on seeds of grasses and sedges. This species appears to be an undescribed or provisionally named taxon from California.
Cymus californicus
Cymus cf. californicus is a species of true bug in the family Cymidae, a group commonly known as seed bugs. The 'cf.' designation indicates a tentative identification based on morphological similarity to the described species C. californicus, pending definitive confirmation. Members of this genus are typically associated with wetland and riparian habitats. This species appears to be restricted to western North America.
Delphacodes scolochloa
Delphacodes scolochloa is a wing-dimorphic planthopper species described in 2007, inhabiting prairie pothole wetlands of the North American Great Plains. The species exhibits two distinct wing morphs: brachypterous (short-winged) and macropterous (long-winged) individuals, with significantly different dispersal capabilities. Research has focused on its movement ecology, colonization patterns, and establishment success in fragmented wetland habitats, revealing strong Allee effects on population establishment.
Dictya expansa
Dictya expansa is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, described by Steyskal in 1938. The genus Dictya belongs to the tribe Tetanocerini within the subfamily Sciomyzinae. Marsh flies in this family are typically associated with wetland habitats. The species is known from limited observations, with only two records documented in iNaturalist.
Dictya pictipes
Dictya pictipes is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, a group commonly known as snail-killing flies due to the predatory habits of their larvae. The species was first described by Loew in 1859 under the basionym Tetanocera pictipes. Like other members of Sciomyzidae, adults are typically found in moist habitats near water. The genus Dictya is classified within the tribe Tetanocerini of the subfamily Sciomyzinae.
Elgiva
snail-killing flies, marsh flies
Elgiva is a genus of snail-killing flies in the family Sciomyzidae, comprising approximately eight described species. These predatory flies are specialized in hunting aquatic or semi-aquatic snails, with larvae developing as parasitoids or predators of molluscan hosts. The genus has been studied for its biological control potential against pest snail populations.
Elophila tinealis
Black Duckweed Moth
Elophila tinealis, the black duckweed moth, is a North American moth in the family Crambidae. Described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1972, it inhabits swamps and wet woods from Michigan, Ontario, and New York south to Florida and west to Texas. The larvae feed on duckweeds (Lemna species).
Herthania concinna
Herthania concinna is a species of marsh beetle in the family Scirtidae. It occurs in North America, with confirmed records from Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. The species was originally described by LeConte in 1853 and is currently recognized as a synonym of Cyphon concinnus in some taxonomic databases. As a member of Scirtidae, it inhabits moist environments associated with marsh habitats.
Hylobius transversovittatus
Purple Loosestrife Root Borer
A root-boring weevil native to Europe, Asia, northwest Africa, and parts of Australia. Adults and larvae feed exclusively on purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). Introduced to North America in 1992 as a classical biological control agent to manage invasive populations of its host plant in wetlands.
Ischnodemus variegatus
myakka bug
Ischnodemus variegatus, commonly known as the myakka bug, is a true bug in the family Blissidae native to Central and South America. The species was first recorded in Florida in 2000, where it was discovered feeding on the invasive West Indian marsh grass (Hymenachne amplexicaulis) in Myakka River State Park. It has been extensively studied as a potential biological control agent for this invasive wetland weed due to its high host specificity. The bug is small, with females reaching about 7 mm and males about 6 mm in length, and produces a noxious scent when disturbed.
Kelisoidea
Kelisoidea is a genus of planthoppers in the family Delphacidae, first described by Beamer in 1950. It belongs to the tribe Delphacini within the subfamily Delphacinae. The genus is known from Florida, where it inhabits wetland and marsh environments associated with grasses and sedges. As with other delphacid planthoppers, species in this genus are likely phytophagous, feeding on monocotyledonous host plants.
Laccocera
Laccocera is a genus of delphacid planthoppers in the family Delphacidae, established by Van Duzee in 1897. The genus contains approximately 10 described species distributed primarily in North America. Members of this genus are small, jumping insects associated with grassy or wetland habitats. The genus name is feminine in gender.
Lebradea flavovirens
Lebradea flavovirens is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, subfamily Deltocephalinae. First described from Colorado by Gillette and Baker in 1895, it was originally placed in the genus Deltocephalus before transfer to Lebradea. The species occurs across western North America and extends into northeastern Asia. Like other members of its tribe Paralimnini, it inhabits moist or wetland-associated habitats.
Limnia boscii
marsh fly
Limnia boscii is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, first described by Robineau-Desvoidy in 1830. The genus Limnia belongs to the tribe Tetanocerini within the subfamily Sciomyzinae. Marsh flies in this family are generally associated with wetland and marsh habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited in available sources.
Limnia conica
Limnia conica is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, first described by Steyskal in 1978. Marsh flies in this family are generally associated with wetland and aquatic habitats. The species is recorded from the northeastern United States, particularly Vermont.
Limnia loewi
Limnia loewi is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, described by Steyskal in 1965. Members of this genus are small to medium-sized flies associated with wetland and aquatic habitats. The species epithet honors the German dipterist Hermann Loew. As with other Sciomyzidae, larvae are likely predaceous on freshwater snails, though specific details for this species remain undocumented.
Limnichoderus ovatus
Limnichoderus ovatus is a species of minute marsh-loving beetle in the family Limnichidae. It is associated with marsh habitats in the southern United States and Mexico. The species was described by LeConte in 1854 and belongs to a family commonly known as 'minute marsh-loving beetles' for their affinity for wetland environments.
Livia
Livia is a genus of plant lice (psyllids) in the family Liviidae, distributed across the Palaearctic and Nearctic realms. The genus serves as the type genus for its family. Nymphs are known to form galls in the developing shoots of rushes and sedges.
Megamelus coronus
Megamelus coronus is a species of planthopper in the family Delphacidae, described by Beamer in 1955. The genus Megamelus comprises planthoppers associated with wetland and aquatic habitats, with several species known to feed on emergent aquatic vegetation. Megamelus coronus is recorded from Texas in North America. The species is part of a genus that includes some members used in biological control of invasive aquatic plants, though specific biological control applications for M. coronus have not been documented.
Megamelus inflatus
Megamelus inflatus is a planthopper species in the family Delphacidae, first described by Metcalf in 1923. It belongs to the genus Megamelus, a group of delphacid planthoppers associated with wetland and aquatic habitats. The species is known from North America, with records from New York. Like other delphacids, it is presumed to feed on plant phloem, though specific host plant associations for this species remain undocumented.
Megamelus trifidus
Megamelus trifidus is a species of planthopper in the family Delphacidae, first described by Beamer in 1955. This species belongs to a genus that includes several economically important planthoppers associated with aquatic and semi-aquatic vegetation. Members of Megamelus are known to feed on monocotyledonous plants, particularly in wetland habitats. The specific biology and host associations of M. trifidus remain poorly documented compared to congeners such as M. scutellaris and M. paludicola, which have been studied as potential biological control agents for invasive aquatic weeds.
Neolasioptera lycopi
Neolasioptera lycopi is a species of gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae, first described by Felt in 1907. The specific epithet "lycopi" indicates an association with plants in the genus Lycopus (water horehound). As with other members of its genus, this species likely induces gall formation on its host plant, though specific gall morphology remains undocumented in available sources. The species has been recorded in the northeastern United States.
Nothodelphax occlusa
Nothodelphax occlusa is a planthopper in the family Delphacidae. The species has been documented utilizing Juncus effusus (soft rush) as a host plant in the Pacific Northwest. Like other delphacids, it is likely associated with wetland and marsh habitats where its host plant grows.
Notiodes cribricollis
Notiodes cribricollis is a species of marsh weevil in the family Brachyceridae. The species was described by LeConte in 1876 and is currently recognized as a synonym of Endalus cribricollis. It belongs to a group of weevils associated with wetland and marsh habitats. The genus Notiodes is part of the brachycerid weevils, a family distinguished by their elongated snouts and compact body forms.
Pentacora ligata
shore bug
Pentacora ligata is a species of shore bug in the family Saldidae, first described by Thomas Say in 1832. The species occurs in wetland and shoreline habitats across Central America and North America. As a member of the shore bug family, it is associated with moist, marginal environments.
Pentacora sphacelata
Pentacora sphacelata is a species of shore bug in the family Saldidae, first described by Uhler in 1877 under the basionym Salda sphacelata. As a member of the Chiloxanthinae subfamily, it belongs to a lineage of true bugs adapted to shoreline and wetland habitats. The species exhibits a notably broad geographic distribution spanning multiple continents, including the Caribbean, Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), Central America, North America, and South America.
Pherbellia tenuipes
marsh fly
Pherbellia tenuipes is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, first described by Loew in 1872. Marsh flies in this family are commonly associated with wetland habitats and are known for their slender body forms. The specific epithet 'tenuipes' refers to the slender legs characteristic of this species. Like other members of Sciomyzidae, the larvae likely develop in association with aquatic or semi-aquatic mollusks, though direct observations of P. tenuipes biology remain limited in published literature.
Physemus minutus
minute marsh-loving beetle
Physemus minutus is a minute marsh-loving beetle in the family Limnichidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1854. This small beetle is known from limited records across Central America and North America. Like other members of the Limnichidae family, it is associated with wetland and marsh habitats. The species is rarely encountered and poorly documented in scientific literature.
Plateumaris frosti
Frost's reed beetle
Plateumaris frosti is a species of aquatic leaf beetle in the subfamily Donaciinae, commonly known as Frost's reed beetle. It is distributed across North America with records from Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba) and the United States. Like other members of the genus Plateumaris, it is associated with wetland and riparian habitats. The species was described by C. Schaeffer in 1925.
Plateumaris germari
Germar's reed beetle
Plateumaris germari is an aquatic leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Donaciinae. It occurs in western North America, with records extending from western Canada through the western United States. The species is associated with wetland and riparian habitats where emergent vegetation provides food and substrate for larval development. Like other members of the genus, it is believed to complete its life cycle in close association with aquatic or semi-aquatic plants.
Plateumaris metallica
Metallic reed beetle
Plateumaris metallica is an aquatic leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, known by the common name Metallic reed beetle. It is native to North America, with confirmed records from Canada (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario) and the United States. As a member of the genus Plateumaris, it is associated with wetland habitats and aquatic vegetation.
Plateumaris robusta
Robust reed beetle
Plateumaris robusta is a species of aquatic leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae, subfamily Donaciinae. It is found in North America, with records from western Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba. As a member of the reed beetle genus Plateumaris, it is associated with freshwater wetland habitats.
Prionocyphon discoideus
Disk-shaped Marsh Beetle
Prionocyphon discoideus is a species of marsh beetle in the family Scirtidae, found in eastern North America. The species is associated with moist habitats and has been documented in Canada and the United States. Like other members of Scirtidae, it likely has aquatic or semi-aquatic larval stages.
Prokelisia crocea
Prokelisia crocea is a delphacid planthopper species in the family Delphacidae, characterized by its association with salt marsh and coastal wetland habitats. The species was originally described by Van Duzee in 1897 as Kelisia crocea before being transferred to the genus Prokelisia. It is distributed across eastern and central North America, with records from Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, and Delaware.
Pseudolimnophila contempta
Pseudolimnophila contempta is a species of crane fly in the family Limoniidae, described by Osten Sacken in 1869. It belongs to a genus characterized by reduced wing venation and aquatic or semi-aquatic larval habitats. The species occurs across eastern North America, from Ontario and Newfoundland south to Kansas and Florida. Like other limoniid crane flies, adults are delicate, long-legged flies with slender bodies. The genus name refers to its superficial resemblance to true limoniids of the genus Limnophila.
Pseudotychius watsoni
Pseudotychius watsoni is a small brentid weevil in the subfamily Nanophyinae, described by Blatchley in 1922. The species has been suggested to associate with Decodon verticillatus (swamp loosestrife), a wetland plant in the family Lythraceae, though this host relationship requires confirmation. It is known from Ontario, Canada, and like other members of its subfamily, likely occupies aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats tied to its host vegetation.
Saltusaphidinae
sedge aphids
Saltusaphidinae is a subfamily of aphids comprising 49 species across 12 genera. Members are commonly known as sedge aphids due to their specialized association with Cyperaceae (sedges). The group is divided into two tribes: Saltusaphidini and Thripsaphidini. One species, Iziphya leegei, is exceptional in feeding on Juncus (rushes) rather than sedges.
Scirtes orbiculatus
Red-sutured Marsh Beetle
Scirtes orbiculatus is a species of marsh beetle in the family Scirtidae, commonly known as the Red-sutured Marsh Beetle. It is a small beetle native to North America, with documented records from Canada (Nova Scotia, Ontario, Québec) and the United States. The species has been the subject of life history studies, though detailed ecological information remains limited in publicly available sources. As a member of Scirtidae, it is associated with moist or aquatic environments where larvae typically develop.
Scymnus securus
Coastal Marsh Scymnus
Scymnus securus is a small lady beetle (Coccinellidae) described by Chapin in 1973. It belongs to the subfamily Scymninae, a group of minute lady beetles often associated with wetland habitats. The species is known from coastal marsh environments in eastern North America, with confirmed records from Ontario, Canada. It is among the less frequently documented Scymnus species, with limited observational data available.
Sepedon neili
Sepedon neili is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, first described by Steyskal in 1951. Like other members of the genus Sepedon, it is a snail-killing fly whose larvae are aquatic predators of pulmonate snails. The species belongs to one of several species groups within Sepedon based on shared morphological characteristics. Adult flies are associated with wetland habitats where their snail prey occur.
Sericomyia flagrans
Spot-winged Pond Fly
Sericomyia flagrans is a North American species of flower fly (Syrphidae) commonly known as the Spot-winged Pond Fly. The genus Sericomyia belongs to the tribe Milesiini within subfamily Eristalinae. Larvae of this genus develop in bog mat pools, where they exhibit the characteristic "rat-tailed maggot" morphology with an extensible posterior breathing siphon. Adults are pollinators that visit flowers for nectar and pollen.
Sericomyia harveyi
Harvey's Pond Fly
Sericomyia harveyi is a hoverfly species in the family Syrphidae, subfamily Eristalinae. The genus Sericomyia is part of the tribe Milesiini and is characterized by larvae that inhabit bog mat pools and other wetland habitats. Adults are pollinators that visit flowers for nectar and pollen. The species was described by Osburn in 1908.
Tetanocera melanostigma
marsh fly
Tetanocera melanostigma is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, described by Steyskal in 1959. It belongs to a genus whose larvae are primarily predatory on aquatic snails and slugs. The species is part of a family known for its ecological role in controlling mollusk populations in wetland habitats.
Tetanocera plumosa
marsh fly
Tetanocera plumosa is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae, first described by Loew in 1847. The species belongs to the tribe Tetanocerini and is one of multiple species within the genus Tetanocera. Like other members of Sciomyzidae, it is associated with marsh and wetland habitats. Specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in available sources.
Trypetoptera canadensis
Trypetoptera canadensis is a species of marsh fly in the family Sciomyzidae. The species was originally described by Macquart in 1844 as Tetanocera canadensis. Like other members of Sciomyzidae, this species is associated with wetland habitats. The genus Trypetoptera contains multiple species distributed across North America and other regions.
Typopsilopa nigra
Typopsilopa nigra is a species of shore fly in the family Ephydridae, first described by Williston in 1896. Shore flies in this family are generally associated with moist habitats including shorelines, wetlands, and aquatic environments. The specific epithet 'nigra' refers to its dark coloration. Very few observations of this species have been documented, with only a single observation recorded on iNaturalist.