Detritivores
218 species with this diet
African Earwig
Forficula senegalensis
A small, dark brown earwig with distinctive curved cerci (pincers) at the tip of the abdomen. It is nocturnal and hides ...
American Needlefly
Leuctra tenuis
A delicate needle-thin stonefly of Appalachian headwater streams. Nymphs are important processors of autumn-shed leaf li...
Angler's Curse Mayfly
Caenis rivulorum
A tiny mayfly nicknamed for frustrating anglers who cannot imitate it on hook. Nymphs burrow in fine sediments of slow r...
Angular-winged Pygmy Grasshopper
Tettix japonica
A small, dark pygmy grasshopper found across East Asia. It is one of the most studied tetrigids in Japanese orthopteran ...
Ant-Nest Hister Beetle
Hetaerius ferrugineus
A tiny, reddish-brown hister beetle that lives exclusively inside ant nests. It is tolerated by its ant hosts and feeds ...
Antarctic Midge
Belgica antarctica
The only insect endemic to Antarctica and the continents largest purely terrestrial animal at 2-6 mm. Wingless, freeze-t...
Arctic Chironomid Midge
Diamesa mendotae
A slender, non-biting midge with long legs and feathery antennae in males. Larvae are among the first invertebrates to c...
Arctic Water Bug
Arctocorisa carinata
A small aquatic bug with a flattened body and oar-like hind legs for swimming. The back has fine transverse lines. It in...
Asian Trap-jaw Ant
Odontomachus rixosus
A Southeast Asian trap-jaw ant found in forest leaf litter with distinctive elongated mandibles. It is a specialist pred...
Australian Cockroach
Periplaneta australasiae
A large tropical cockroach similar to the American cockroach but with distinctive yellow markings on the pronotum and wi...
Australian Rove Beetle
Heterothops dissimilis
A medium-sized, dark rove beetle found under bark and in leaf litter in Australian forests. It is part of the diverse bu...
Autumn Caddisfly
Limnephilus flavicornis
A large autumnal caddisfly with golden-brown wings and yellow antennae. One of the last caddisfly species to emerge each...
Autumn Dun
Leptophlebia marginata
A dark-winged mayfly that emerges in spring despite its common name. Nymphs inhabit slow-flowing sections of woodland st...
Baldani Cave Springtail
Protaphorura baldanii
A cave-adapted springtail from Italy with no pigmentation and no functional eyes. It was recently described as new to sc...
Banded Desert Darkling Beetle
Cryptoglossa muricata
A rough-textured desert beetle covered in tiny bumps that give it a warty appearance. It shelters under rocks and debris...
Banks' Jumping Bristletail
Machiloides banksi
A North American bristletail found in leaf litter and under stones. It has a cylindrical body covered in tiny scales....
Barberi's Angel Insect
Zorotypus barberi
A tiny colonial insect living in decomposing wood in tropical forests. It exhibits dimorphism, with blind apterous and e...
Blackburnia Hawaiian Ground Beetle
Blackburnia hawaiiensis
An endemic Hawaiian ground beetle found in montane forests on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is a nocturnal predator that ...
Blind Cave Campodea
Campodea maestrazgoensis
A cave-dwelling dipluran from the Maestrazgo region of eastern Spain. It shows typical troglomorphic features including ...
Blue Death-feigning Beetle
Asbolus verrucosus
A rounded blue-grey desert beetle covered in a waxy powder-blue coating. When threatened it flips onto its back and play...
Blue Quill
Paraleptophlebia guttata
A delicate spring-emerging mayfly with bluish-gray body coloring. Nymphs prefer riffles with abundant leaf detritus in c...
Blue-Winged Wasteland Beetle
Omocrates marginatus
A robust, flightless darkling beetle found in arid Australian landscapes. It is nocturnal and shelters under rocks durin...
Brassy Willow Beetle
Phratora vitellinae
A small, shiny metallic bronze to greenish beetle that feeds on willow and poplar. Adults overwinter in leaf litter and ...
Brazilian Cave Springtail
Trogolaphysa aelleni
A troglomorphic springtail from caves in the Brazilian semiarid region. It has elongated appendages and reduced pigmenta...
Broad Centurion Soldier Fly
Chloromyia formosa
A beautiful metallic green soldier fly with a broad, flattened abdomen and coppery reflections. Males are more blue-gree...
Caenis Mayfly
Caenis horaria
One of the smallest mayflies, often called the 'angler's curse' because trout feed on them selectively. Larvae inhabit s...
Cahill Mayfly
Stenacron interpunctatum
A cream-to-tan colored mayfly found throughout eastern North America. It is named after the classic Light Cahill fly fis...
Campodea Bristletail
Campodea fragilis
A common European dipluran found in soil, leaf litter, and caves. It has long multi-segmented cerci and delicate white b...
Canary Islands Darkling Beetle
Pimelia laevigata
A rounded, shiny black darkling beetle endemic to the Canary Islands. It is commonly seen walking across sandy and volca...
Canary Islands Ground Beetle
Calathus amplius
A flightless ground beetle endemic to the Canary Islands. It lives under stones and in leaf litter in highland areas....
Cape Stag Beetle
Colophon westwoodi
A rare flightless stag beetle found only on high mountain peaks of the Western Cape. Males have short but robust mandibl...
Cave Cockroach
Nocticola australiensis
A tiny eyeless cockroach adapted to permanent darkness in limestone caves....
Chilean Giant Stonefly
Diamphipnoa helicoides
An ancient, large stonefly endemic to Chilean mountain streams. It belongs to a relict family with Gondwanan origins....
Chinese Rock Crawler
Galloisiana sinensis
A rare ice crawler found in mountainous regions of China. It is wingless and nocturnal, emerging only in cold conditions...
Cinnamon Sedge
Limnephilus lunatus
A medium-sized caddisfly with warm cinnamon-brown wings bearing a crescent-shaped pale marking. Common near still waters...
Claret Dun Mayfly
Leptophlebia vespertina
A dark-winged mayfly that emerges in the evening over still and slow-moving waters....
Cold-water Glacier Midge
Diamesa cinerella
A cold-adapted midge found in high-altitude streams fed by snowmelt. Its larvae are among the first colonizers of newly ...
Colombian Dead Leaf Mantis
Acanthops soukana
A dead leaf mantis described from the Colombian Andes region. Its dark coloring and compact body shape provide camouflag...
Common Groundhopper
Tetrix undulata
A tiny, dark pygmy grasshopper whose pronotum extends backward over the entire abdomen like a shield. It is active year-...
Common Mayfly
Ephemera danica
Adults have no functional mouths and live only 1-3 days. Massive synchronized emergences called "hatches" are among natu...
Common Moth Fly
Psychoda alternata
A tiny grayish moth fly with broad, hairy wings giving it a distinctly moth-like appearance. Its wings are held flat ove...
Common Ponerine
Ponera pennsylvanica
A tiny dark brown predatory ant living in soil and leaf litter across eastern North America. Colonies are small, rarely ...
Dacetine Trap-Jaw Ant
Strumigenys emmae
A minute trap-jaw ant with elongate mandibles fringed with specialized hairs used to detect and capture tiny soil-dwelli...
Dark Blue Quill
Paraleptophlebia mollis
A small dusky-winged mayfly of Appalachian headwater streams. Nymphs are slow crawlers among leaf debris in gentle curre...
Dark Hendrickson Mayfly
Leptophlebia cupida
A dark-bodied spring mayfly important to trout anglers in the Northeast. Nymphs inhabit leaf packs and debris in slow to...
Dark-Horned Casemaker
Psilotreta labida
A North American caddisfly building curved tubular cases from sand grains. Larvae are found in small shaded woodland str...
Darkling Beetle
Eleodes obscura
A flightless, black desert beetle that raises its abdomen in a headstand posture when threatened. It is well adapted to ...
Dead Leaf Katydid
Typophyllum erosum
A Neotropical katydid that mimics a dead, decaying leaf with astonishing accuracy. Its wings display brown hues and irre...
Desert Amitermes
Amitermes wheeleri
A desert-adapted termite found in the arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. Colonies build subterra...
Dicyrtomina Springtail
Dicyrtomina minuta
A beautifully patterned globular springtail found in leaf litter across Europe. It has a marbled brown and yellow appear...
Dingy Footman Moth
Eilema griseola
A small pale straw-yellow moth with slightly darker forewing edges. It rests flat-winged unlike many other footman moths...
Dirt-colored Seed Bug
Ozophora picturata
A tiny, cryptically colored seed bug found in leaf litter and soil surfaces across the eastern United States. Its brown ...
Drake Mackerel Mayfly
Ephemera glaucops
A large European burrowing mayfly with distinctive dark markings on its wings. It emerges in synchronous swarms during w...
Drugstore Beetle
Stegobium paniceum
A stored product pest once found infesting pharmaceutical herb collections....
Earwig Scorpionfly
Merope tuber
An extremely rare and primitive scorpionfly with forcep-like cerci reminiscent of earwigs. It is nocturnal and found in ...
Eastern Salmonfly
Pteronarcys biloba
A large dark stonefly of Appalachian streams that emerges in late spring. Nymphs process leaf litter and are important d...
Ellipes Pygmy Mole Cricket
Ellipes minuta
One of the smallest orthopterans in the world, barely visible to the naked eye. It lives in moist sand and mud along tro...
Elongate-bodied Springtail
Folsomia candida
A white eyeless springtail commonly found in soil and cave environments worldwide. It is the most widely used springtail...
European Eosentomid
Eosentomon transitorium
A well-known European proturan found in various soil types from forests to grasslands. It is one of the most frequently ...
Flat-footed Scuttle Fly
Metopina oligoneura
A minute brown phorid fly with broad flattened tarsi and reduced wing venation. It is associated with ant nests where it...
Flat-horned Hissing Cockroach
Aeluropoda insignis
A Madagascan cockroach with broad, flattened horns on the pronotum. It lives under bark and in rotting wood on the fores...
Fleshfly (Dux)
Sarcophaga dux
A large gray flesh fly common across tropical Asia and the Pacific that is an important cause of wound myiasis and secon...
Florida Woods Cockroach
Eurycotis floridana
A large, slow-moving, nearly wingless cockroach native to the southeastern United States. It is commonly known as the pa...
Fog Basking Beetle
Onymacris unguicularis
A black desert beetle from the Namib that performs a distinctive headstand on sand dunes. Fog condenses on its body and ...
Forest Bristletail
Machilis hrabei
A central European bristletail inhabiting forest leaf litter and mossy rocks. It is one of many Machilis species found i...
Forestfly
Nemoura cambrica
A small brown stonefly associated with forested Welsh and British streams. Nymphs have distinctive cervical gills and fe...
Four-lined Silverfish
Ctenolepisma lineatum
A silverfish identified by four dark longitudinal lines on its body. It is found outdoors under bark and stones in Medit...
Fulviceps Termite
Amitermes hastatus
An Australian termite found in arid and semi-arid zones that builds small subterranean nests. Colonies are modest in siz...
Gershner's Jumping Bristletail
Pedetontus gershneri
A North American jumping bristletail found in leaf litter and under bark. It has a distinctly humped thorax and long tai...
Giant African Darkling Beetle
Psammodes striatus
A large, robust black darkling beetle with grooved elytra found in arid sandy regions. It is flightless and walks long d...
Giant Click Beetle
Oxynopterus mucronatus
One of the largest click beetles in Asia with dramatic pectinate antennae in males. It can launch itself into the air wi...
Giant Crane Fly
Tipula maxima
The largest European crane fly, with marbled wings spanning up to 65 mm. Larvae develop in wet leaf litter along stream ...
Giant Darkling Beetle of St. Helena
Hegeter politus
A darkling beetle endemic to the remote island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic. It is nocturnal and hides under ston...
Giant Michigan Mayfly
Hexagenia bilineata
A large burrowing mayfly with two dark stripes on its thorax. Nymphs dig into soft clay and silt bottoms of large rivers...
Giant Namib Darkling Beetle
Onymacris rugatipennis
One of the largest darkling beetles in the Namib, with deeply ridged wing covers. It is active during the day, running r...
Giant Nicoletiid
Texoreddellia aquilonaris
A cave-dwelling, blind silverfish relative found in Texas caves. It is completely unpigmented and white, with elongated ...
Giant Salmonfly
Pteronarcys princeps
A massive stonefly of western mountain rivers with a three-year nymphal life cycle. Nymphs feed on decomposing leaf mate...
Giant Springtail
Tetrodontophora bielanensis
One of the largest springtails in the world, with a metallic blue body. It lives in forest soil and leaf litter in Centr...
Giant Western Crane Fly
Holorusia hespera
North America's largest crane fly with a wingspan approaching 80 mm. It inhabits mossy stream banks in western mountain ...
Gibbicollis Dung Beetle
Deltochilum gibbosum
A dark, convex roller dung beetle with a pronounced hump on the pronotum. It is a flightless species that rolls dung bal...
Glacial Stonefly
Leuctra alpina
A small, slender stonefly found in the coldest alpine headwater streams. Its needle-like wings are rolled tightly around...
Glacier Midge
Diamesa steinboecki
A remarkable midge that completes its entire life cycle in glacial streams at temperatures near 0C. Represents one of th...
Glowspot Cockroach
Lucihormetica subcincta
A large dark cockroach with two glowing yellow-green spots on its pronotum produced by bioluminescent bacteria. The glow...
Gnamptogenys Ant
Gnamptogenys striatula
A small predatory ectatomminine ant with strongly striate sculpturing covering its body. It hunts in leaf litter and rot...
Graceful Winter Stonefly
Capnia gracilaria
A minute stonefly of cold North American headwater streams emerging in winter. Females are often short-winged or wingles...
Grannom Caddisfly
Brachycentrus subnubilus
A small dark caddisfly that produces massive spring hatches on European rivers. Larvae build distinctive square-sectione...
Green Stonefly
Alloperla caudata
A small bright green stonefly found along clean mountain streams in North America. Despite its small size, it is an impo...
Gurney Angel Insect
Zorotypus gurneyi
A Neotropical zorapteran discovered in South American forests. It exhibits complex dominance hierarchies within its smal...
High-altitude Water Boatman
Sigara nigrolineata
An aquatic bug found in high-altitude ponds and alpine lakes. It swims upside down using its oar-like hind legs....
Hooded Cockroach
Diploptera punctata
The only known cockroach that is truly viviparous and produces a protein-rich milk....
Hop-Garden Earwig
Forficula lesnei
A small earwig closely related to the European earwig but distinguished by its shorter wing cases. It is found in southe...
Horn-faced Marsh Fly
Dictya umbrarum
A small yellowish marsh fly with patterned wings and prominent facial ridges. Larvae feed on decomposing aquatic snails ...
Humpbacked Mite-hunter
Scydmaenus hellwigii
A diminutive scydmaenine rove beetle with a distinctly humped profile and long, clubbed antennae. It specializes in hunt...
Isotoma Springtail
Isotoma viridis
A greenish elongate springtail common in grasslands and gardens throughout Europe. It is active year-round even in cold ...
Ivory Coast Fungus Termite
Macrotermes mülleri
A large fungus-growing species found in the humid forests of West and Central Africa. Colonies construct partially subte...
Ivory-headed Cockroach
Eublaberus posticus
A large cockroach with a distinctive cream-colored pronotum contrasting with dark brown wings. It is a burrowing species...
Japanese Ice Crawler
Galloisiana nipponensis
A nocturnal wingless insect found at high elevations in Japan. One of the most primitive living insects, often called a ...
Kosovo Caddisfly
Tinodes lumbardhi
A caddisfly species new to science described in 2025 from the Lumbardhi i Decanit River in Kosovo. Its discovery highlig...
Lacessititermes Soldier Termite
Lacessititermes laborator
A Southeast Asian soil-feeding termite known for its highly aggressive soldiers that actively patrol around the nest. Co...
Lake Stonefly
Megaleuctra complicata
A rare stonefly found in cold mountain lake outlets and spring-fed streams....
Large Cinnamon Sedge
Potamophylax latipennis
A large, robust caddisfly with broad cinnamon-colored wings found across Europe. Larvae build heavy stone cases in cool ...
Lepidostoma Caddisfly
Lepidostoma hirtum
A case-building caddisfly that constructs distinctive four-sided cases from leaf fragments. Larvae are important leaf-li...
Lesser Cockroach
Ectobius panzeri
A small dark cockroach found in heathlands and open habitats across Europe. It is active during warm summer months....
Lesser Water Boatman
Sigara striata
A small water boatman with fine dark striations across its forewings. It is among the most abundant aquatic insects in E...
Little Olive Sedge
Hydropsyche betteni
A common North American net-spinning caddisfly tolerant of a range of water qualities. Larvae build intricate filtering ...
Long-horned Caddisfly
Mystacides longicornis
A slender caddisfly with antennae three times its body length....
Long-jawed Soil-feeder Termite
Cubitermes ugandensis
A soil-feeding termite from East Africa that builds small pedestal-shaped mounds. It processes large amounts of soil to ...
Long-nosed Termite
Nasutitermes longinasus
A nasute termite from Central and South American rainforests that builds carton nests on trees. Soldiers have an excepti...
Lower Attine Ant
Cyphomyrmex rimosus
A tiny, cryptic fungus-growing ant with a rugose and heavily sculptured dark brown body. Workers cultivate yeast rather ...
Lucihormetica Bioluminescent Cockroach
Lucihormetica luckae
A rare cockroach known for bioluminescent spots on its pronotum. It was described from a single specimen collected near ...
Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis
Deroplatys lobata
A mantis with an extremely broad, shield-like prothorax that mimics a dead leaf. It remains motionless on the forest flo...
Malaysian Giant Tiger Beetle
Thopeutica virginea
A striking metallic blue-green tiger beetle found in Southeast Asian rainforests. It hunts on forest floor leaf litter a...
Malaysian Horned Frog Beetle
Beckius beccarii
A peculiar scarab beetle with males bearing two prominent upward-curving horns on the pronotum and a smaller head horn. ...
March Fly
Bibio marci
A common black fly that swarms in large numbers around Saint Marks Day in April....
Marsh Springtail
Isotomurus palustris
A colorful elongate springtail found near ponds, streams, and marshy areas. Its color varies from green to orange depend...
Midge
Chironomus plumosus
A delicate, mosquito-like fly with feathery antennae that forms enormous mating swarms at dusk. Despite their appearance...
Mole Cricket Hunter Cricket
Luzara dealata
A small, dark cricket native to tropical Asia often found in leaf litter and loose soil. It is wingless and nocturnal, f...
Mother of Pearl Caddisfly
Mystacides azurea
A small iridescent caddisfly with long antennae and pearly blue-green wings. It swarms in large mating flights over lake...
Mothlike Caddisfly
Triaenodes bicolor
An elegant caddisfly with pale straw-colored wings and long antennae found near still waters. Larvae build slender spira...
Mount Halla Ice Crawler
Galloisiana koreana
A Korean ice crawler restricted to the high elevations of Mount Halla on Jeju Island. It is nocturnal and emerges only d...
Mountain Bristletail
Trigoniophthalmus alternatus
A large bristletail found in forests and rocky habitats across central Europe. It has distinctive triangular compound ey...
Mountain Stone Bristletail
Machilis germanica
A scaled, humped bristletail found on rock faces and stone walls in European mountains. It has large touching compound e...
Mydas Fly
Gauromydas heros
The largest fly in the world at up to 60 mm long with a 100 mm wingspan. A wasp mimic with black body and orange-red mar...
Namib Fog Beetle
Stenocara gracilipes
A darkling beetle that harvests drinking water from coastal fog in the Namib Desert. It tilts its body into the wind so ...
Needlefly
Leuctra inermis
A slender stonefly that rolls its wings tightly around its body at rest, resembling a needle. Nymphs shred leaf litter i...
New Zealand Mayfly
Deleatidium lillii
The most abundant and widespread mayfly genus in New Zealand. Nymphs dominate the invertebrate fauna of stony streams th...
Northern Bushtail Caddisfly
Sericostoma schneideri
A cold-water caddisfly of northern European mountain streams. Larvae build sturdy curved cases from fine gravel and proc...
Oahu Tree Snail Predator Beetle
Mecyclothorax oahuensis
A tiny ground beetle endemic to the montane forests of Oahu, Hawaii. It inhabits leaf litter and mossy substrates in nat...
Olive Drake Mayfly
Ephemera lineata
A large burrowing mayfly with distinctive mottled brown wings. Nymphs excavate U-shaped burrows in sandy stream bottoms....
Omalium Shore Rove Beetle
Omalium rivulare
A small, flattened rove beetle found near water and in compost. It feeds on decaying plant matter as well as small inver...
Oriental Latrine Fly
Chrysomya megacephala
A metallic blue-green blow fly originally from the Oriental region that has spread globally. It is both a forensic indic...
Orthoclad Stream Midge
Orthocladius oblidens
A small non-biting midge typical of cold running water habitats. Larvae build silk tubes on stone surfaces in stream rif...
Pale Morning Dun
Ephemerella excrucians
A small pale yellowish mayfly that hatches in large numbers on western North American streams during late spring. It is ...
Patagonian Darkling Beetle
Nyctelia multicostata
A flightless darkling beetle endemic to Patagonian steppe habitats, with a rounded, heavily ridged black exoskeleton. It...
Pedilus Beetle
Notoxus monoceros
A small ant-like beetle with a distinctive forward-pointing horn on the thorax. Found on sandy ground and under debris. ...
Persian Cave Beetle
Anemadus sengleti
A cave-dwelling cholevine beetle discovered in Iranian caves. It belongs to a genus found across southern Europe and the...
Phantom Crane Fly
Bittacomorpha clavipes
A delicate fly with swollen black and white banded tarsi that acts as a tiny parachute, allowing it to float effortlessl...
Pill Cockroach
Perisphaerus pygmaeus
A tiny cockroach that rolls into a perfect ball like a pillbug when threatened....
Pinacate Beetle
Eleodes armata
A shiny black desert beetle with spine-like projections on its legs. It performs a distinctive headstand when threatened...
Plusiocampa Cave Dipluran
Plusiocampa balsani
A troglobitic dipluran found in caves of southern France. It has extremely elongated antennae and cerci adapted to total...
Polished Rove Beetle
Philonthus politus
A medium-sized rove beetle with an exceptionally smooth, polished black integument and reddish-brown legs. It is a gener...
Proceratium Ant
Proceratium silaceum
A small brownish ant with a distinctly rounded abdomen curving forward under its body. It is a specialist predator of sp...
Prostoia Forestfly
Prostoia besametsa
A small spring stonefly of eastern North American woodland streams. Nymphs are detritivores among leaf packs in gentle c...
Pygmy Earwig
Diplatys flavicollis
A tiny tropical earwig with regenerative cerci that can regrow if broken....
Pyrenean Snow Fly
Chionea belgica
A rare wingless crane fly found on snow in the mountains of western Europe. It is smaller and darker than related snow f...
Rapa Nui Cricket
Paratrigonidium rapanui
A tiny ground cricket endemic to Easter Island (Rapa Nui). It lives in leaf litter and stone crevices on this remote Pac...
Red-Spotted Rove Beetle
Staphylinus dimidiaticornis
A large, dark rove beetle with bicolored antennae and red-tinged wing cases. It hunts actively in leaf litter at dusk....
Reddish-Brown Stag Rove Beetle
Platydracus cinnamopterus
A robust rove beetle with cinnamon-brown elytra and a black head. It is commonly found under bark and in forest leaf lit...
Rhinoceros Cockroach
Macropanesthia rothi
A large burrowing cockroach related to the giant burrowing cockroach but with a more northern distribution. It is wingle...
Ridged Water Scavenger Beetle
Helochares obscurus
A small brown water beetle found in well-vegetated ponds across Europe. Females carry their egg sacs beneath the body un...
Riffle Beetle
Elmis aenea
A tiny, dark beetle that spends its entire adult life underwater clinging to rocks in riffles. It breathes using a plast...
Sand Cockroach
Arenivaga investigata
A desert cockroach that extracts water vapor from moist sand through special mouthparts....
Sand-Dwelling Caddis
Molanna angustata
A caddisfly whose larvae build flattened shield-shaped cases from sand grains. The wide case acts like a snowshoe, preve...
Sculpted Rove Beetle
Anotylus sculpturatus
A small, stout oxytelline rove beetle with deeply sculptured integument and a distinctively broad, flat body. It is a ve...
Seaweed Fly
Coelopa frigida
A coastal fly whose larvae develop in rotting seaweed wrack on beaches. It forms massive swarms on strandlines that can ...
Serrate-Winged Beetle
Ptilodactyla serricollis
A small, oval beetle with serrate antennae found in Japan's forested mountain areas. Larvae are semi-aquatic and develop...
Seychelles Giant Millipede
Seychelleptus seychellarum
The largest millipede in the Seychelles reaching up to 25 cm long. It is a slow-moving detritivore found in native fores...
Seychelles Stag Beetle
Didimus seychellensis
A stag beetle endemic to the granitic islands of the Seychelles. It lives in decaying wood in native palm forests....
Sharp's Rove Beetle
Philonthus sharpi
A medium-sized, metallic-sheened rove beetle named after the eminent coleopterist David Sharp. It is found in woodland a...
Shore Rove Beetle
Philonthus quisquiliarius
A small metallic greenish rove beetle found along pond and river margins in marshy habitats. Hunts small invertebrates i...
Short-Tailed Stonefly
Brachyptera risi
A medium-sized early-emerging stonefly with notably short cerci. It hatches in late winter and early spring across Europ...
Short-winged Mold Beetle
Pselaphus heisei
A tiny rove beetle with clubbed antennae that feeds on mites in leaf litter and soil. Its short wing cases and ant-like ...
Silverhorn Caddisfly
Athripsodes cinereus
A delicate caddisfly with silvery-grey wings and very long antennae. It is common near lakes and slow rivers across Euro...
Silvestri's Acerentomid
Acerentomon affine
A minute proturan found across central European forest soils. It is among the earliest described proturan species....
Silvestri's Jumping Bristletail
Pedetontus silvestrii
A well-studied bristletail from Japan and eastern Asia. Recent molecular studies have revealed cryptic species within th...
Slender Groundhopper
Tetrix subulata
A small, fully-winged pygmy grasshopper found near water in marshy and boggy habitats across the Northern Hemisphere. Un...
Small Brown Forestfly
Nemoura avicularis
A small brown stonefly of European woodland streams that emerges in spring. Nymphs are detritivores feeding on submerged...
Small Dusty Wave
Idaea seriata
A tiny pale moth with subtle wavy cross-lines. Commonly found inside buildings where larvae feed on dried organic matter...
Small Earwig
Apterygida media
A small reddish-brown earwig found in woodland leaf litter across Europe. Males have strongly curved forceps while femal...
Small Minnow Mayfly
Callibaetis ferrugineus
A mottled brown mayfly common in still waters across North America. Nymphs are excellent swimmers that mimic small minno...
Small Spurwing Mayfly
Centroptilum luteolum
A tiny, elegant mayfly with a distinctive spur on its hindwing. It is widespread in European streams and rivers with goo...
Small Yellow Cockroach
Cariblatta lutea
A tiny pale yellowish cockroach found in the southeastern United States. It lives in leaf litter and is rarely encounter...
Snow Fly
Chionea araneoides
A wingless crane fly that walks on snow surfaces in winter to find mates....
Snow Pool Mosquito
Aedes communis
A cold-adapted mosquito of boreal forests that breeds in snowmelt pools and flooded stream margins. Larvae hatch synchro...
Snowborn Stonefly
Capnia atra
A tiny black stonefly that emerges during the coldest months in northern North America. Adults are frequently observed w...
South African Prong-Gill Mayfly
Adenophlebia auriculata
A mayfly endemic to southern African mountain streams. Nymphs have distinctive forked gills used for respiration in oxyg...
Southern Rock Bristletail
Lepismachilis y-signata
A Mediterranean bristletail identified by a Y-shaped marking on its thorax. It lives under stones and in rock crevices....
Southern Stonefly
Aphanicerca capensis
A small brown stonefly endemic to mountain streams of the Western Cape, South Africa. It belongs to a Southern Hemispher...
Speckled Cockroach
Periplaneta picea
A dark cockroach with a finely speckled pattern on its wings. It is found in tropical forests of Southeast Asia....
Speyer's Cave Beetle
Aphaobius milleri
A troglobitic beetle endemic to caves in the eastern Alps. It has a convex body shape and completely lacks eyes....
Spider Beetle
Mezium americanum
A globular beetle that closely resembles a small spider in shape and movement....
Spiny Crawler Mayfly
Ephemerella subvaria
A mayfly important to fly anglers and known as the Hendrickson in fishing culture....
Spotted Hydropsyche Caddisfly
Hydropsyche slossonae
A net-spinning caddisfly with tan to brown mottled wings. Larvae build intricate silken nets between rocks to capture dr...
Spotted Springtail
Orchesella cincta
A large banded springtail found in leaf litter and under bark in European forests. It has distinctive dark and yellow ba...
Spotted-Winged Antlion
Dendroleon pantherinus
A large antlion with distinctive spotted wings found in old-growth forests. Its larvae hide in tree-hole detritus rather...
Spring Alpine Stonefly
Rhabdiopteryx alpina
An early-emerging stonefly that appears in spring along cold mountain streams. Adults can often be seen resting on strea...
Spring Stonefly
Amphinemura sulcicollis
A small dark stonefly that emerges in early spring in European streams. Nymphs are shredders of decomposing leaf litter ...
Staphylinus Campodea
Campodea staphylinus
One of the most widespread European diplurans, found in various soil habitats. It is frequently encountered in caves and...
Strong Casemaker Caddisfly
Odontocerum albicorne
A caddisfly that builds smooth, slightly curved sand-grain cases up to 20 mm long. Larvae inhabit cool, clean streams wi...
Svalbard Springtail
Folsomia quadrioculata
A small, pale springtail with only four simple eyes, for which it is named. It is extremely common in Arctic soils where...
Termite-Nest Silverfish
Atelura formicaria
A small, blind, unpigmented silverfish that lives exclusively inside ant nests. It has evolved chemical mimicry to avoid...
Thin-neck Cave Beetle
Pseudanophthalmus parvicollis
A narrowly endemic cave beetle with a distinctively slender pronotum. It inhabits caves in the Appalachian karst region....
Tiny Winter Black Stonefly
Capnia nigra
A tiny black stonefly that emerges in late winter across European streams. It is among the earliest insects to appear ea...
Toe-winged Beetle
Ptilodactyla exotica
A soft-bodied beetle whose larvae are aquatic and breathe through anal gills....
Tongan Ground Beetle
Mecyclothorax tonganus
A small ground beetle endemic to Tonga found in native forest leaf litter. It is a fast-running nocturnal predator of sm...
Toothed Earwig
Spongovostox ghilianii
A large earwig with heavily toothed forceps found in southern European forests....
Trachymyrmex Fungus-growing Ant
Trachymyrmex septentrionalis
A small fungus-growing ant of eastern North America related to leafcutters. It collects dead plant material, caterpillar...
Trico Mayfly
Tricorythodes stygiatus
A tiny mayfly that forms enormous morning spinner falls over calm streams and rivers. Males have distinctive white bodie...
Tropical Silverfish
Nicoletia phytophila
A soil-dwelling silverfish found in tropical regions and occasionally in caves. It has a slender white body with very lo...
Tropical Springtail
Seira domestica
A large elongate springtail found in tropical regions and greenhouses. It has distinctive dark and pale banding patterns...
Tropical Toed-Winged Beetle
Anchytarsus bicolor
A two-toned brown ptilodactylid beetle found in Central and South American cloud forests. Its larvae are riparian and de...
Velvet Shore Rove Beetle
Heterothops praevius
A small, dark rove beetle found in leaf litter and decaying organic matter in European forests. It is a swift predator o...
Virginia Wood Cockroach
Parcoblatta virginica
A woodland cockroach native to the eastern United States. It is closely related to the Pennsylvania wood cockroach but s...
Wahlberg's Cockroach
Deropeltis wahlbergi
A medium-sized black cockroach with orange wing margins found in southern Africa. It is named after the Swedish naturali...
Walnut Sphinx Moth
Amorpha juglandis
A beautifully cryptic hawk moth with scalloped wing edges and mottled brown, gray, and lavender patterns. It rests among...
Washburn's Rock Crawler
Grylloblatta washingtonensis
A pale, eyeless ice crawler found in the Cascade Range. It forages at night on snow surfaces in near-freezing temperatur...
Weedy Water Sedge
Leptocerus tineiformis
A slender caddisfly associated with weedy European lakes and canals. Larvae build cases from fine sand and plant fragmen...
Weighted Casemaker
Goera pilosa
A caddisfly that attaches heavy ballast stones to the sides of its case for stability. Larvae are found in fast-flowing ...
Western Bushtail Caddisfly
Gumaga nigricula
A western North American caddisfly that constructs smooth cylindrical cases from fine sand. Larvae are leaf-shredders in...
Weta Piki (Jumping Weta)
Hemiandrus pallitarsis
A small ground weta endemic to New Zealand, found in forest leaf litter. It is nocturnal and burrows into the soil durin...
White Miller Caddisfly
Nectopsyche albida
A small white caddisfly commonly found near lights along eastern North American waterways. Its delicate white wings make...
White-Lined Darkling Beetle
Eleodes longicollis
A smooth, elongated darkling beetle with a distinctively long pronotum. It is common in the Chihuahuan and Sonoran deser...
Winter Crane Fly
Trichocera annulata
A cold-adapted crane fly that forms mating swarms in winter even in freezing weather....
Winter Stonefly
Taeniopteryx burksi
A dark-colored stonefly that emerges during winter months when few other aquatic insects are active. Adults can be found...
Wood Cockroach
Ectobius lapponicus
A small outdoor cockroach that lives in European leaf litter and never enters buildings....
Wood Cricket
Nemobius sylvestris
A tiny brown cricket of European woodland floors that scurries through leaf litter like a small beetle. Its quiet, conti...
Woodland Pool Mosquito
Aedes canadensis
A cold-hardy mosquito that breeds in snowmelt pools and temporary woodland streams. Larvae develop rapidly in ephemeral ...
Yellow Drake Mayfly
Ephemera lutea
One of the largest mayflies in eastern North America with a pale greenish body. Nymphs live in burrows in the silty bott...