Wetland-species
Guides
Agrochola lota
Red-line Quaker
A medium-sized noctuid moth found in damp habitats across Europe and Asia. Adults fly in autumn and are attracted to light. Larvae feed on willow and sallow, hiding in spun leaves during daylight hours. The species was introduced to Newfoundland and has been the subject of long-term population monitoring studies in Europe.
Callosamia securifera
Sweetbay Silkmoth
Callosamia securifera, commonly known as the Sweetbay Silkmoth, is a saturniid moth native to southeastern North America. The species was named after its obligate host plant, sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana). Like other members of the genus Callosamia, larvae are highly specialized feeders, utilizing only a single tree species for development. Adults are large, showy moths with reduced mouthparts and do not feed as adults.
Chlosyne nycteis
Silvery Checkerspot
Chlosyne nycteis, the silvery checkerspot, is a North American brush-footed butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Adults display pale yellow-orange wings with dark borders and distinctive white-centered submarginal spots on the hindwings. The species inhabits moist areas including streamsides, meadows, and forest openings across a broad range from southern Canada to Georgia, Florida, and Texas. It has declined in parts of its northeastern range and is listed as a species of special concern in Connecticut and Maine, believed extirpated from Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
Crambus awemellus
Aweme Grass-veneer
Crambus awemellus is a grass-veneer moth in the family Crambidae, described by James Halliday McDunnough in 1921. It is known from marl fen habitats in the Canadian prairie provinces and Ontario and Quebec. The species is relatively poorly known, with few observations documented. Its larvae are suspected to feed on grasses, consistent with related species in the genus Crambus.
Culex territans
Northern Frog-biting Mosquito
Culex territans, commonly known as the Northern Frog-biting Mosquito, is a mosquito species with a nearly exclusive feeding relationship with amphibians, particularly frogs. Adult females are strongly attracted to frog vocalizations and exhibit temporal and spatial synchrony with their amphibian hosts. The species is a confirmed vector for multiple amphibian pathogens, including Giant Anuran Trypanosomes, Hepatozoon species, and potentially Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Unlike many Culex species, it poses minimal direct threat to human health due to its host preferences, though it has been found infected with West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus.
Enallagma civile
Familiar Bluet
Enallagma civile, commonly known as the familiar bluet, is a narrowwinged damselfly native to much of the United States and southern Canada. This species is a habitat generalist and predatory insect that has been extensively studied as a model organism for understanding climate change effects on aquatic invertebrates. Research indicates that rising water temperatures significantly impact its development, survival, and adult body size, with temperatures above 38°C causing substantial mortality. The species produces multiple generations per year and serves as host to various parasites including Arrenurus water mites and gregarine protozoans.
Fagitana littera
Marsh Fern Moth
Fagitana littera, commonly known as the marsh fern moth, is a noctuid moth described by Achille Guenée in 1852. The species is notable for its highly specialized larval ecology, with Thelypteris palustris (marsh fern) reported as its only known host plant. It is listed as a species of special concern in Connecticut, reflecting potential vulnerability due to habitat specificity. The species occurs in North America, though detailed distribution and life history information remain limited in published sources.
Leucorrhinia frigida
Frosted Whiteface
Leucorrhinia frigida, commonly known as the frosted whiteface, is a dragonfly species in the family Libellulidae. It is found in northeastern North America, including the northeastern United States and southern Canada. The species has been documented as a host for parasitic mites, with research showing distinct patterns of mite infestation correlated with host age and behavior.
Neonympha areolatus
Georgia Satyr
Neonympha areolatus, commonly known as the Georgia satyr, is a brush-footed butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is native to North America, with populations concentrated in the southeastern United States. The species inhabits wetland and grassland habitats, particularly areas with sedges. Like other satyrs, it exhibits a low, bouncing flight pattern and often rests with wings closed.
Photuris fairchildi
Cape Breton Firefly
Photuris fairchildi is a predatory firefly species in the beetle family Lampyridae, described by Barber in 1951. It is known from Nova Scotia, Canada, where it inhabits marshes, spruce forests, and low-lying swampy areas. The species exhibits aggressive mimicry, using bioluminescent flash signals to lure and prey upon males of other firefly species. Courtship involves distinct flash communication patterns between males and females.
Platyedra subcinerea
cotton stem moth, mallow groundling
Platyedra subcinerea is a small gelechiid moth native to Europe, now established as an introduced species in North America (New England, California) and New Zealand. It inhabits wet meadows, marshes, and gardens. The species is known by two common names: cotton stem moth and mallow groundling.
Uranotaenia sapphirina
Sapphire-striped Mosquito
Uranotaenia sapphirina is a mosquito species notable as the first documented mosquito specializing on non-vertebrate hosts. Females feed primarily on annelids including earthworms and leeches rather than vertebrate blood, a feeding strategy unique among mosquitoes. The species occurs across eastern North America from Canada to Florida and west to Texas, with additional records in Mexico and the Caribbean. Adults overwinter and larvae develop in semi-permanent and permanent wetlands with abundant vegetation.