Grasslands
290 species found in this habitat
Adonis Blue
Lysandra bellargus
Males are an intense sky-blue with a chequered fringe; females are brown. Restricted to chalk and limestone grasslands....
African Acacia Ant
Pseudomyrmex sp. (African mimic: Tetraponera penzigi)
A slender ant inhabiting the swollen galls of whistling thorn acacias in East Africa. Multiple ant species compete for o...
African Armyworm
Spodoptera exempta
A migratory pest moth whose caterpillars march in vast armies across cereal crops and grasslands in Africa. Outbreaks fo...
African Bush Brown Butterfly
Bicyclus anynana
A small brown butterfly with prominent eyespots on the wing undersides that vary seasonally. Wet season forms have large...
African Cicada
Platypleura hirtipennis
A large cicada with brownish wings and a stout body. Males produce a deafening chorus using specialized tymbal organs on...
African Commodore Butterfly
Precis pelarga
A medium-sized butterfly with warm orange-brown wings and subtle eyespots near the wing margins. It is common in open bu...
African Emperor Moth
Bunaea caffraria
A large African saturniid with warm brown wings bearing conspicuous eyespots edged in pink and black. Its massive spiny ...
African Fungus Termite
Macrotermes natalensis
A large fungus-cultivating termite that builds complex mounds with sophisticated ventilation systems. Its mounds are amo...
African Grass Mantis
Pyrgomantis nasuta
An extremely slender mantis shaped like a grass stem with an elongated head and thorax. It sways gently in the wind to m...
African Green Lacewing
Chrysoperla congrua
A widespread African lacewing found in sub-Saharan savannas and farmland. Plays an important role in natural pest suppre...
African Jewel Beetle
Sternocera orissa
A large metallic green and gold jewel beetle with textured elytra. Adults are found on acacia and other savanna trees....
African Leaf Beetle
Polyclada bohemani
A medium-sized, brightly metallic leaf beetle with iridescent green, blue, and copper hues. It feeds openly on foliage, ...
African Mound Termite
Macrotermes michaelseni
A large termite species that builds towering mounds with sophisticated ventilation systems across African savannas. The ...
African Screaming Cicada
Brevisana brevis
The loudest insect ever recorded, producing calls at 106.7 decibels measured at 50 cm — louder than a chainsaw. Males ca...
Alpine Assassin Bug
Coranus subapterus
A predatory bug of dry alpine and montane grasslands. It ambushes prey with its powerful raptorial forelegs....
Alpine Blue
Albulina orbitulus
A small, silvery-blue butterfly found only in high alpine grasslands. Males have pale blue uppersides while females are ...
Alpine Crane Fly
Tipula alpium
A large crane fly of mountain pastures and alpine meadows. Its larvae are soil-dwelling and feed on grass roots....
Alpine Dung Beetle
Geotrupes alpinus
A sturdy, dark dung beetle of high-altitude pastures grazed by livestock. It buries dung underground where its larvae de...
Alpine Tiger Beetle
Cicindela gallica
A fast-running predatory beetle of dry alpine grasslands and rocky paths. Its greenish-bronze coloration provides camouf...
Amazon Ant
Polyergus breviceps
A slave-making ant that raids colonies of Formica ants to steal pupae, which then emerge as workers in the Polyergus col...
American Burying Beetle
Nicrophorus americanus
The largest carrion beetle in North America, once widespread but now reduced to less than 10% of its historic range. Bot...
Ant Mantis
Odontomantis planiceps
A tiny mantis whose nymphs mimic ants to avoid predation....
Ant-attended Treehopper
Publilia concava
A small North American treehopper commonly tended by ants that harvest its honeydew secretions. In return, attending ant...
Asian Rhagophthalmid Glowworm
Rhagophthalmus ohbai
A small beetle from the family Rhagophthalmidae with neotenic, larviform females that produce a bright continuous glow. ...
Atlas Longhorn
Macrotoma palmata
A large prionine beetle from tropical Africa with palmate (comb-like) antennae in males. The body is dark brown with a r...
Australian Caterpillar Hunter
Calosoma schayeri
An Australian caterpillar hunter with dark metallic elytra. It is an important natural enemy of pasture and crop caterpi...
Autumn Aphodius
Aphodius autumnalis
A small, dark reddish-brown dweller dung beetle that is most active in autumn. It has a shiny, rounded body with finely ...
Badius Fungus Termite
Odontotermes badius
An African fungus-growing termite widespread in savanna ecosystems. Colonies build subterranean nests with moderate moun...
Banded Peacock Butterfly
Anartia fatima
A medium-sized butterfly with dark brown wings crossed by a broad creamy-white band and orange wing bases. It is a fast,...
Black Caterpillar Hunter
Calosoma sayi
A large, entirely black caterpillar hunter beetle native to North American prairies and grasslands. It is a powerful run...
Black Imported Fire Ant
Solenopsis richteri
A dark-colored fire ant native to South America that has established populations in the southeastern United States. They...
Black Mound Termite
Amitermes evuncifer
A soil-feeding termite that builds small dark mounds in West African savannas. Workers process soil organic matter and p...
Black-and-Red Froghopper
Cercopis arcuata
A southern European froghopper similar to C. vulnerata but with differently shaped red markings. It is common in Mediter...
Black-Headed Blister Beetle
Epicauta pennsylvanica
An entirely black blister beetle common across eastern North America, often seen in large groups on goldenrod in autumn....
Blue Milkweed Beetle
Chrysochus cobaltinus
A stunningly beautiful beetle with a deep cobalt blue metallic sheen across its rounded body. It feeds on milkweed and d...
Blue-winged Rove Beetle
Platydracus chalcocephalus
A handsome rove beetle with a metallic blue-green head and pronotum contrasting with brown elytra. It is found in wooded...
Boxer Mantis
Otomantis scutigera
A small African mantis named for its habit of rapidly striking with its raptorial forelegs in a boxing-like manner. It h...
Brazilian Pergid Sawfly
Perreyia flavipes
A medium-sized pergid sawfly with dark coloring and yellowish legs. Larvae are gregarious and feed on various plant spec...
Brazilian Railroad Worm
Phrixothrix viviani
A tropical glowworm beetle with the remarkable ability to produce both green lateral lights and a red cephalic light. Th...
Broad Bean Weevil
Bruchus rufimanus
A compact, dark beetle with grayish pubescence and reddish-brown antennae bases. It is a significant pest of faba beans ...
Brunner Stick Insect
Bruneria borealis
A small thin brown stick insect and one of the few phasmids native to cold temperate North America. It is wingless and m...
Burnet Companion
Euclidia glyphica
A small day-flying brown and orange moth often seen flying alongside burnet moths on flower-rich grasslands....
Carolina Grasshopper
Dissosteira carolina
A large band-winged grasshopper with black hindwings bordered by a pale yellow margin. It is commonly seen flying along ...
Cathedral Termite
Nasutitermes triodiae
Builds enormous mound structures up to 8 meters tall — the tallest structures relative to builder size of any animal. Mo...
Chalk Hill Blue
Polyommatus coridon
A large blue butterfly with silvery-blue males and brown females. Restricted to chalk and limestone grasslands....
Chilean Dolichoderine Ant
Dorymyrmex goetschi
A South American cone ant found in arid regions of Chile and Argentina. It builds small cone-shaped mounds and is an imp...
Chimney Sweeper Moth
Odezia atrata
A small, entirely sooty-black day-flying moth with white-tipped wing fringes. It flies over grasslands where pignut grow...
Chinese Giant Tiger Beetle
Chaetodera laetescripta
A large tiger beetle from subtropical China with elaborate cream-colored markings on dark elytra. It inhabits riverbanks...
Chrysanthemum Lace Bug
Corythucha marmorata
A small lace bug with mottled brown and white lace-patterned wings that feeds on chrysanthemums, goldenrod, and asters. ...
Cinnamon Tachinid
Adejeania vexatrix
A large, robust tachinid fly with reddish-brown coloring and prominent bristles. It is a common parasitoid of armyworm c...
Cistus Forester
Adscita statices
A small, metallic green day-flying moth found on chalk grassland and damp meadows. Males have feathery antennae. Larvae ...
Clover Root Weevil
Sitona obsoletus
A small, grey-brown weevil that feeds on clover roots and nitrogen-fixing nodules. It became a major invasive pest in Ne...
Common Blue Butterfly
Polyommatus icarus
A small butterfly where males are vivid violet-blue and females are brown with orange spots. It is the most widespread b...
Common Carpet Moth
Epirrhoe alternata
A small moth with distinctive dark and light banded forewings creating a chequered pattern. It is double-brooded and fli...
Common Damsel Bug
Nabis rugosus
A slender, drab brown predatory bug with raptorial forelegs that is common in European grasslands and agricultural field...
Common Wainscot Moth
Mythimna pallens
A plain straw-colored moth with a white hindwing and few distinguishing marks. It is abundant in grasslands and regularl...
Compass Termite
Amitermes laurensis
A termite that builds wedge-shaped mounds oriented east-west, exposing the broad face to the morning and evening sun. Th...
Congo Giant Ground Beetle
Anthia duodecimguttata
A massive black ground beetle with twelve white spots on its elytra, found across sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of the l...
Congo Jewel Beetle
Sternocera castanea
A large, brilliantly metallic jewel beetle with copper and green iridescent elytra. Adults are found on trees where they...
Crucifer Flea Beetle
Phyllotreta cruciferae
A shiny black jumping beetle that causes shothole damage on canola and mustard seedlings. It is one of the most serious ...
Daimyo Oak Stag Beetle
Dorcus curvidens
Known as 'daimyo-o-kuwagata,' a large stag beetle found in Japan and Korea. Males have impressively curved mandibles. Th...
Dark Green Fritillary
Speyeria aglaja
A fast-flying fritillary with a powerful gliding flight over open grasslands. Its underside features large silver spots ...
Denticulate Soldier Beetle
Silis percomis
A small, rarely noticed soldier beetle found in grasslands of the midwestern United States. Males have distinctive tooth...
Dingy Skipper
Erynnis tages
A small, moth-like butterfly with mottled grey-brown wings that rests with wings spread flat. It is easily overlooked du...
Dock Bug
Coreus marginatus
A common European squash bug relative that feeds on dock and sorrel plants. It has a distinctively wide, flattened abdom...
Dogbane Beetle
Chrysochus auratus
An iridescent beetle displaying blue, green, copper, and crimson colors. It feeds on toxic dogbane plants and sequesters...
Dromedary Tiger Beetle
Dromica kolbei
A large flightless tiger beetle with elongated legs and a matte black body. Females are larger than males and have reduc...
Duke of Burgundy
Hamearis lucina
A small, chequered brown and orange butterfly and Europe's only member of the metalmark family. It has declined signific...
Dung Beetle Navigator
Scarabaeus lamarcki
A medium-sized dung beetle from South Africa that navigates using celestial cues. It has been a key species in understan...
Dung Roller Beetle
Kheper nigroaeneus
A large dung beetle that navigates using the Milky Way to roll balls in straight lines....
East African Oil Beetle
Meloe angusticollis
A large, dark blue-black beetle with a soft, swollen abdomen and short wing covers. It oozes oily orange hemolymph conta...
East African Snouted Termite
Trinervitermes bettonianus
A grass-feeding nasute termite common in East African grasslands and savannas, building small to medium earthen mounds. ...
Eastern Lubber Grasshopper
Romalea microptera
A large, brightly colored grasshopper with short wings that cannot fly. Its bold yellow, red, and black coloration warns...
Eastern Tailed-Blue
Cupido comyntas
Tiny blue butterfly with thin tails on the hindwings and orange spots near the tail. One of the smallest and most common...
Eastern Tent Caterpillar Moth
Malacosoma americanum
A common moth whose caterpillars build conspicuous silk tents in the forks of cherry and apple trees. Colonies cooperate...
Elephant Dung Beetle
Heliocopris dilloni
A very large black dung beetle that specializes in elephant dung. Males have a prominent curved horn on the thorax....
Elephant Louse
Haematomyzus elephantis
A highly specialized louse found only on elephants, with piercing mouthparts adapted to penetrate the thick pachyderm sk...
Emerald Fruit Chafer
Dicronorrhina derbyana
A large and spectacular flower beetle from East Africa with vivid green elytra. It is popular among collectors for its s...
Essex Skipper
Thymelicus lineola
A small orange-brown skipper so similar to the small skipper that it was not recognised as a separate British species un...
Euphorbia Flea Beetle
Aphthona euphorbiae
A tiny bronze flea beetle that feeds on spurge plants. Used as a highly effective biological control agent for leafy spu...
European Dampwood Termite
Kalotermes flavicollis
The most widespread termite in Europe, inhabiting dead branches of oaks and other broadleaf trees. Colonies are small, t...
European Hangingfly
Bittacus italicus
A delicate predatory insect with long legs that hangs from grass stems and snatches prey with its prehensile hind tarsi....
European Lantern Bug
Dictyophara europaea
A striking planthopper with an elongated, cone-shaped head projection found in dry grasslands across southern Europe. It...
European Rhinoceros Beetle
Allomyrina dichotoma
A large, chestnut-brown beetle with a forked horn on the male's head. It is immensely popular as a pet in Japan and Sout...
Executioner Wasp
Polistes carnifex
The largest Neotropical paper wasp, with a sting that produces immediate searing pain and potentially causes tissue necr...
Fall Webworm
Hyphantria cunea
A native North American moth whose caterpillars build communal silk webs on tree branches. It has become invasive in Eur...
Femoralis Dung Beetle
Pachylomerus femoralis
The largest African roller dung beetle, with a stout black body and massively thickened hind femora. It can roll dung ba...
Fenshuiling Stick Insect
Neohirasea fenshuilingensis
A recently described stick insect from the Fenshuiling Nature Reserve in China. It has dark brown coloring and a slender...
Fierce Big-Headed Ant
Pheidole fervens
A widespread tropical ant and minor invasive species with clearly dimorphic workers. Majors have disproportionately larg...
Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus
A small bright orange skipper with short antennae and a fast darting flight. Males have a prominent black stigma on the ...
Fluted-horn Dung Beetle
Copris elphenor
A large black dung beetle with a prominent curved horn on the male's head. It buries dung balls underground to provision...
Four-banded Furrow Bee
Halictus quadricinctus
A large, robust halictid bee with four prominent white hair bands across its dark abdomen. It is one of the biggest swea...
Four-Spotted Carrion Beetle
Dendroxena quadrimaculata
A yellowish-brown beetle with four dark spots on its elytra, unusual for a silphid because it hunts in trees rather than...
Gambian Conehead Mantis
Empusa guttula
A West African conehead mantis with spotted markings on its wings and body. It is found in savanna habitats where it per...
Ghost Moth
Hepialus humuli
Males are ghostly white and perform an eerie hovering dance over grassland at dusk to attract brownish females. This pri...
Giant African Click Beetle
Tetralobus flabellicornis
Africa's largest click beetle, with impressive fan-shaped antennae in males. It can launch itself into the air with an a...
Giant African Dung Roller
Scarabaeus ambiguus
A large, robust matte black roller dung beetle found in East African grasslands. It has powerful clypeal teeth for cutti...
Giant African Longhorn
Macrotoma natala
One of the largest longhorn beetles in Africa with powerful mandibles. Dark brown body with a robust build....
Giant Charaxes
Charaxes castor
One of the largest charaxes butterflies with powerful tawny-orange wings with black borders. It has two short tails on e...
Giant Gymnopleurus
Gymnopleurus virens
A medium-sized roller dung beetle with a coppery-green sheen and a nearly spherical body shape. It is a rapid roller, mo...
Giant Leaf Insect
Phyllium giganteum
One of the largest leaf insects in the world, with a spectacularly flattened body that perfectly mimics a green leaf com...
Gigas Dung Beetle
Heliocopris gigas
A massive glossy black tunneling dung beetle with powerful digging forelegs. Males have a broad cephalic horn. This spec...
Gilded Roller
Kheper aegyptiorum
A large, metallic dark green to copper roller dung beetle found across African savannas. Males compete fiercely for poss...
Globular Springtail
Sminthurus viridis
A round-bodied green springtail found in grasslands and agricultural fields. It can become a pest of clover and alfalfa ...
Golden Dynastes Beetle
Allomyrina pfeifferi
A large rhinoceros beetle from mainland Southeast Asia related to the Japanese species. Males have a prominent forked ho...
Golden Sun Moth
Synemon plana
A day-flying moth with dull grey-brown forewings and brilliant orange-gold hindwings. It is critically threatened by the...
Golden-haired Longhorn
Oberea linearis
A slender, cylindrical lamiin covered in fine golden pubescence with a black head. Found across Europe and into Central ...
Goldenrod Soldier Beetle
Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus
A familiar autumn beetle of eastern North America, commonly seen in large numbers on goldenrod flowers. Its yellow-and-b...
Grass Mantis
Pyrgomantis jonesi
A very slender mantis adapted to hiding among tall grass stems in savanna....
Grass Webworm Moth
Herpetogramma licarsisalis
A small brownish moth with faint wavy lines across the forewings. Its larvae spin silk webs over grass and can cause ser...
Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus
One of the most widespread hairstreaks in North America with slate-gray wings and a bright orange spot near its tail. It...
Great Mullein Weevil
Cionus thapsus
A small rounded weevil found exclusively on great mullein plants. Similar to the figwort weevil but associated with diff...
Green Dock Beetle
Gastrophysa viridula
A small, brilliant metallic green beetle that feeds on dock and sorrel plants. Gravid females have enormously swollen ab...
Green Lacewing Firefly
Photinus scintillans
A small firefly with a bright green flash and a dark body with yellowish pronotal borders. Males produce a brief twinkli...
Green Metallic Bee
Augochloropsis metallica
A large, robustly built metallic green sweat bee common throughout eastern North America. It is a ground-nesting communa...
Green Milkweed Leaf Beetle
Labidomera clivicollis
A large, handsome beetle with blue-black elytra marked with orange to cream-colored spots and a blue-black pronotum. It ...
Grey Bush-Cricket
Platycleis albopunctata
A cryptic grey-brown bush-cricket of dry coastal grasslands and chalky hillsides in Europe. It sings a brief, staccato b...
Grizzled Skipper
Pyrgus malvae
A tiny butterfly with dark brown wings chequered with white spots, resembling a small moth. It basks with wings spread f...
Gwynne's Mining Bee
Andrena bicolor
A small, common mining bee with a two-toned appearance: dark brown thorax and orange-brown abdominal hair. It produces t...
Harvester Termite
Hodotermes mossambicus
One of the few termite species that forages above ground in broad daylight. Workers have functional eyes and harvest dry...
Hastatus Mound Termite
Tumulitermes hastilis
An Australian nasute termite that builds small, spire-shaped mounds in northern tropical regions. Colonies are moderate-...
High Brown Fritillary
Fabriciana adippe
A large, fast-flying fritillary with rich tawny-orange wings and a complex pattern of silver spots beneath. It is one of...
Highland Froghopper
Neophilaenus lineatus
A common froghopper found in mountain grasslands across Europe. Nymphs produce the familiar cuckoo spit on grass stems....
Hockeria Chalcid
Hockeria unicolor
A metallic dark parasitoid wasp that attacks the pupae of noctuid moths in the soil. It is found across Europe in grassl...
Hornet Robber Fly
Asilus crabroniformis
Europe's largest robber fly, a hornet mimic with a yellow-and-brown body that hunts dung beetles on grazed pastures. Fem...
Iberian Spoonwing
Josandreva sazi
A rare Iberian Peninsula nemopterid found in hot, dry calcareous grasslands. One of Europe's more localized spoonwing sp...
Imbrasia Silk Moth
Imbrasia epimethea
A large West African saturniid with reddish-brown wings bearing dark eyespots. Its caterpillars are among the most widel...
Indian Walking Leaf
Pulchriphyllium bioculatum
An extraordinary leaf-mimicking insect with a broad, flattened green body that closely resembles a leaf complete with ve...
Iranian Conehead Mantis
Empusa hedenborgii
A Middle Eastern conehead mantis adapted to arid mountain valleys and steppe habitats. It has a tall head crest and long...
Isabella Tiger Moth
Pyrrharctia isabella
A plain orange-yellow moth with scattered black spots. Its caterpillar is the famous woolly bear a fuzzy black and brown...
Isotoma Springtail
Isotoma viridis
A greenish elongate springtail common in grasslands and gardens throughout Europe. It is active year-round even in cold ...
Italian Owlfly
Libelloides italicus
A handsome owlfly with distinctive half-black, half-yellow hindwings. It is an agile predator of small flying insects in...
Jade-headed Buffalo Beetle
Trypoxylus dichotomus
A large rhinoceros beetle with a glossy dark brown to black body. Males sport a long, forked cephalic horn and a shorter...
Japanese Clouded Yellow
Colias erate
Known as 'monjiro-cho' in Japanese, a common yellow butterfly found in open grasslands. Males are bright yellow while fe...
Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle (Blue)
Trypoxylus dichotomus septentrionalis
The northern Japanese subspecies of the rhinoceros beetle, found in Hokkaido. Slightly smaller and darker than mainland ...
Javanese Leaf Insect
Phyllium bioculatum
A remarkable leaf mimic with a broad, flat green body, complete with realistic leaf veins, midrib, and even fake bite ma...
Kenyan Conehead Mantis
Empusa capensis
A southern and eastern African conehead mantis found in dry bushveld and savanna. It has a prominent head cone and feath...
Kenyan Montane Tiger Beetle
Lophyra flexuosa
A colorful tiger beetle found across eastern and southern Africa. It displays green, copper, and cream markings on its e...
Klamath Weed Beetle
Chrysolina quadrigemina
A dark bronze to coppery-brown beetle with a convex, heavily punctured body. It was introduced to control the invasive K...
Knapweed Gall Weevil
Bangasternus fausti
A weevil that induces galls in knapweed flower heads. Larvae develop inside the enlarged flower buds. Used in biological...
Knotgrass Leaf Beetle
Chrysolina hyperici
A rounded, metallic bronze to coppery-green beetle that was introduced to control St. John's wort. It has a smooth, conv...
Korean Click Beetle
Campsosternus auratus
A large metallic green click beetle with a coppery sheen found across East Asia. It can propel itself several inches int...
Korean Rhinoceros Beetle
Allomyrina dichotoma tunobosonis
The Korean subspecies of the Japanese rhinoceros beetle, slightly different in horn morphology. Known as 'jangsu-pungden...
Korean Stag Beetle
Dorcus koreanus
A stag beetle endemic to the Korean Peninsula with dark brown to black coloring. Males possess well-developed mandibles ...
Lamarcks Sacred Scarab
Kheper lamarcki
A large glossy black dung beetle with subtle purple and green iridescence. It constructs large brood balls from elephant...
Large Blue
Phengaris arion
A blue butterfly with distinctive black spots that has one of the most complex life cycles in the insect world. It was d...
Large Skipper
Ochlodes sylvanus
A robust golden-orange skipper with a distinctive swift darting flight. Males have a prominent dark scent brand across t...
Locust Treehopper
Thelia bimaculata
A large, dull-colored treehopper found on black locust trees across eastern North America. It produces copious honeydew ...
Long-horned Bee
Eucera longicornis
Males are unmistakable with their extraordinarily long antennae, nearly as long as the body. It nests in the ground in w...
Lovebug
Plecia nearctica
A small black march fly famous for flying in mated pairs connected end to end for days. Massive swarms occur twice yearl...
Macrotermes Queen
Macrotermes bellicosus
Queens can live for over 25 years (possibly up to 50) and grow to enormous size — a single queen lays up to 30,000 eggs ...
Malagasy Scarab
Scarabaeus radama
A robust dung-rolling scarab beetle named after the Malagasy king Radama. It has a broad, rounded body with a dark metal...
Marbled White
Melanargia galathea
A distinctive butterfly with bold black and white chequered wings that resembles no other European species. Despite its ...
Margined Burying Beetle
Nicrophorus marginatus
A burying beetle with thin orange marginal bands along the edges of its elytra. It is common in open grasslands and prai...
Marsh Damsel Bug
Nabis limbatus
A small, slender predatory bug found in damp grassland and marshy areas. Ambushes prey on vegetation. Both nymphs and ad...
Matabele Ant
Megaponera analis
A large black ant that specializes in raiding termite mounds in organized military-style columns. Workers are among the ...
Meadow Brown
Maniola jurtina
The most abundant butterfly in Britain, a brown species with a single eyespot on each forewing....
Meadow Grasshopper
Pseudochorthippus parallelus
A common European grasshopper with shortened wings that render it flightless. It produces a regular, ticking song from d...
Meadow Quedius
Quedius curtipennis
A common rove beetle of grasslands and meadows with shortened wing cases exposing the flexible abdomen. Found in grass t...
Meat Ant
Iridomyrmex purpureus
A large iridescent blue-black ant that is one of Australia's most dominant and ecologically important ant species. It bu...
Mexican Dung Beetle
Phanaeus mexicanus
A large, metallic green and coppery tunneling dung beetle found from Mexico to Central America. Males have a robust, bac...
Milkweed Bug
Oncopeltus fasciatus
A medium-sized bug with bold orange-red and black warning coloration. It feeds on milkweed seeds and sequesters toxic ca...
Mnestra's Ringlet
Erebia mnestra
A dark alpine ringlet with bright orange patches on its forewings. It inhabits steep, rocky grasslands at high elevation...
Moellenkamp's Stag Beetle
Dorcus titanus
One of the most widely kept stag beetles in Asia, with powerful broad mandibles. Males show extreme size variation depen...
Molossus Scarab
Catharsius molossus
A large, robust black tunneling dung beetle found across South and Southeast Asia. Males have a prominent curved horn on...
Molybdenum Ground Longhorn
Dorcadion molybdaeneum
A flightless longhorn beetle with a lead-grey velvety appearance found in the grasslands of Anatolia. Males are smaller ...
Mother Shipton
Euclidia mi
A day-flying moth whose forewing markings resemble the profile of a witch's face. It is named after the famous English p...
Mottled Tortoise Beetle
Deloyala guttata
A small tortoise beetle with variable coloration, often gold with irregular black spots on the elytra. Like its relative...
Mountain Ladybird
Coccinella quinquepunctata
A five-spotted ladybird commonly found in alpine meadows and mountain pastures. It is an active predator of aphids on al...
Mountain Seed Bug
Nysius helveticus
A small seed bug found in alpine and subalpine grasslands across Europe. It feeds on seeds and sap of various mountain p...
Neotropical Longhorn Beetle
Callipogon relictus
A large relict longhorn beetle with massive toothed mandibles and dark reddish-brown coloring. It is considered a living...
Neotropical Tiger Longhorn
Megacyllene acuta
A wasp-mimicking cerambycid from South America with bold yellow chevron markings on a black body. It breeds in dead bran...
Nigerian Snouted Termite
Trinervitermes oeconomus
A grass-harvesting nasute termite found across West African savannas, building small dome-shaped mounds. Colonies play a...
Notched-mouth Ground Beetle
Dicheirus dilatatus
A large southern African ground beetle with powerful mandibles and a robust body. It is a formidable predator found in s...
Nuttall Blister Beetle
Lytta nuttalli
A brilliant metallic purple-blue blister beetle found in the prairies and grasslands of western North America. Adults co...
Oberthur's Grizzled Skipper
Pyrgus armoricanus
A small greyish-brown skipper with white spots, very similar to related species but with distinct underside markings. It...
Obtuse Rove Beetle
Tachyporus obtusus
A tiny, boat-shaped rove beetle with a yellow-brown pronotum and darker elytra. It is common in grasslands and meadows w...
Ohlone Tiger Beetle
Cicindela ohlone
One of the rarest tiger beetles in North America, known from only a handful of coastal terrace grassland sites near Sant...
Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme
Orange-yellow butterfly with black wing borders and a pink-rimmed silver spot on the hindwing underside. Often hybridize...
Oregon Oak Gall Wasp
Besbicus mirabilis
A gall wasp that induces conspicuous galls on Oregon white oak in western North America. Galls form on leaf veins and ca...
Oregon Silverspot Butterfly
Speyeria zerene hippolyta
A medium-sized fritillary butterfly with bright silver spots on its hindwing undersides. It inhabits coastal grasslands ...
Pallid Emperor Moth
Cirina forda
A medium-sized saturniid moth with pale brownish-grey wings. The caterpillars, known as shea worms, feed on shea butter ...
Palo Verde Root Borer Cicada
Okanagana hesperia
A medium-sized dark cicada found in sagebrush steppe and desert grasslands. Males call from low shrubs during the heat o...
Patagonian Darkling Beetle
Nyctelia multicostata
A flightless darkling beetle endemic to Patagonian steppe habitats, with a rounded, heavily ridged black exoskeleton. It...
Patagonian Tiger Beetle
Cicindela patagonika
A fast-running predatory beetle adapted to the harsh steppe environment of Patagonia. It has a dark metallic body with p...
Persian Spoonwing
Lertha sheppardi
A Middle Eastern nemopterid found in arid steppe and desert-margin habitats. Adults have beautifully patterned forewings...
Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor
A dark swallowtail with brilliant iridescent blue hindwings and an orange-spotted underside. Its toxicity from Aristoloc...
Plantain Gall Weevil
Mecinus pyraster
A small cylindrical weevil that causes stem galls on plantain. Larvae develop inside swollen plant stems. An inconspicuo...
Predatory Katydid
Clonia melanoptera
A large predatory katydid with powerful spiny forelegs for catching insects....
Proagoderus Dung Beetle
Proagoderus tersidorsis
A medium-sized, dark metallic tunneling dung beetle with elaborate pronotal horns in major males. Found in African savan...
Provence Short-tailed Blue
Cupido alcetas
One of Europe's smallest butterflies with violet-blue males and dark brown females. It lacks the tail projection of its ...
Punctate Sweat Bee
Lasioglossum punctatissimum
A tiny, dark furrow bee with dense punctation covering its thorax and head. It is one of the most common but overlooked ...
Punctured Tiger Beetle
Cicindela punctulata
A small dark bronze to greenish tiger beetle with fine punctures on its elytra. It is one of the most adaptable tiger be...
Puriri Moth
Aenetus virescens
New Zealand's largest moth, with a wingspan up to 150 mm. The caterpillars bore into the trunks of native trees, particu...
Queensland Cathedral Termite
Nasutitermes magnus
A large Australian nasute termite that constructs impressive cathedral-like mounds in tropical Queensland. Mounds are ta...
Rabbit Flea
Spilopsyllus cuniculi
A flea specific to European rabbits with a remarkable reproductive strategy tied to its host. It can transmit myxomatosi...
Ragweed Leaf Beetle
Zygogramma suturalis
A brown beetle with dark longitudinal stripes on the elytra, introduced to several countries as a biocontrol agent again...
Rain Beetle Hunter
Calosoma cancellatum
A medium to large caterpillar hunter with dark elytra marked by rows of rectangular pits giving a grid-like appearance. ...
Rajah Naga Stag Beetle
Prosopocoilus astacoides
A medium-sized stag beetle with reddish-brown elytra and a black head bearing distinctly toothed mandibles. Males displa...
Red Assassin Bug
Rhynocoris iracundus
A striking red and black assassin bug common in European meadows and grasslands. It is a generalist predator that hunts ...
Red Locust
Nomadacris septemfasciata
A large brown and red locust that swarms periodically from outbreak areas in Central and Southern Africa. It has distinc...
Red Milkweed Beetle
Tetraopes tetrophthalmus
A bright red beetle with black spots, exclusively associated with common milkweed. Its antennae bisect its compound eyes...
Red-Breasted Carrion Beetle
Oiceoptoma thoracicum
A flattened black beetle with a broad, reddish-orange thorax found on carrion. Unlike burying beetles, it does not bury ...
Red-tailed Bumblebee
Bombus lapidarius
A jet-black bumblebee with a vivid orange-red tail that is unmistakable in flight. It commonly nests underground in old ...
Rhinoceros Cockroach
Macropanesthia rothi
A large burrowing cockroach related to the giant burrowing cockroach but with a more northern distribution. It is wingle...
Rift Valley Fever Mosquito
Aedes mcintoshi
A medium-sized mosquito found in the floodplains and dambos of East Africa. It is an important primary vector of Rift Va...
Ringlet
Aphantopus hyperantus
A dark chocolate-brown butterfly with small ringed eyespots on the underwings. Flies in shady grasslands....
Robust Brown Rove Beetle
Ocypus brunnipes
A large, dark rove beetle with characteristic brown legs, found commonly in grasslands and meadows. It is a powerful noc...
Rosy Footman Moth
Miltochrista miniata
A beautiful small moth with orange-pink forewings crossed by delicate yellow lines. It is one of the most colorful footm...
Ruby-Legged Dung Beetle
Onthophagus medius
A small, dark bronze tunneling dung beetle with reddish-brown legs found in parts of Africa and Asia. Males have a pair ...
Rufous Grasshopper
Gomphocerippus rufus
A medium-sized grasshopper with distinctive white-tipped, club-shaped antennae. Males have reddish-brown coloring while ...
Sachem Skipper
Atalopedes campestris
A small tawny-orange skipper with a distinctive large dark patch on the male's forewing. Females are darker with more mo...
Saga Longhorn Beetle
Batocera lineolata
A large longhorn beetle with pale greenish-grey elytra marked with dark spots and lines. Its larvae develop in living ha...
Sart's Ground Longhorn
Dorcadion sartum
A flightless ground-dwelling cerambycid from the steppes of Central Asia. Its elytra are fused and covered in dense brow...
Savanna Cubitermes
Cubitermes severus
A soil-feeding termite building characteristic mushroom-shaped mounds in West African savannas. Workers process large am...
Savanna Driver Ant
Dorylus gribodoi
A subterranean driver ant of African savannas that rarely surfaces, conducting most raids through underground tunnels. C...
Sertania Metalmark
Sertania circumdata
Small brown butterfly with orange patches and metallic scaling on the underside. Endemic to the Brazilian cerrado biome....
Shepherd's Fritillary
Boloria pales
A variable fritillary butterfly of high alpine pastures. Its wing pattern varies greatly between populations across diff...
Sieber's Mountain Grasshopper
Miramella alpina
A green alpine grasshopper with short wings, common in European mountain meadows. It is one of the most characteristic i...
Silver-spotted Skipper
Hesperia comma
A small golden-brown butterfly with distinctive silvery spots on the green underside of its hindwings. It is restricted ...
Sinuate-horned Dung Beetle
Helictopleurus sinuatocornis
A medium-sized dung beetle named for the sinuate or wavy shape of the male's cephalic horn. Its body is dark brown with ...
Sipyloidea Tuberculata Stick Insect
Sipyloidea tuberculata
A winged stick insect from southern China with small tubercles along its thorax. It was recently described from specimen...
Slender Ant
Myrmica scabrinodis
A medium-sized red-brown ant with coarsely sculptured cuticle, common in grasslands across Europe. Colonies are typicall...
Small Elephant Hawk Moth
Deilephila porcellus
A smaller relative of the elephant hawk moth, with delicate pink and yellow-olive coloring. It is found in grasslands an...
Small Heath Butterfly
Coenonympha pamphilus
A small, plain orange-brown butterfly that always rests with its wings closed. It is one of the most widespread grasslan...
Small Milkweed Bug
Lygaeus kalmii
A boldly patterned red-and-black seed bug that feeds on milkweed seeds and sequesters toxic cardiac glycosides. Its warn...
Small-headed Fly
Ogcodes pallidipennis
A round-bodied fly with a tiny head whose larva parasitizes spiders from the inside....
Smoky Wainscot
Mythimna impura
A dull brownish wainscot moth extremely common in grasslands. Larvae feed on various grass species. Often confused with ...
Snailcase Bagworm
Apterona helicoidella
A tiny bagworm moth whose larva builds a coiled, snail-shell-shaped case from silk and sand grains. It reproduces entire...
Snouted Harvester Termite
Trinervitermes geminatus
A nasute termite common in West African savannas that harvests dry grass in large foraging columns. Soldiers defend the ...
Somali Harvester Termite
Hodotermes sjoestedti
A harvester termite found in the dry grasslands and semi-deserts of the Horn of Africa. Like other hodotermitids, worker...
South African Owlfly
Tmesibasis lacerata
A large African owlfly with intricately patterned wings and prominent clubbed antennae. Active during warm summer aftern...
South American Giant Hornet
Apoica pallens
A large nocturnal social wasp that builds exposed paper nests under tree branches. Unlike most wasps, it is primarily ac...
South American Robber Fly
Microstylum magnum
A large, elongate robber fly from tropical regions with a slender abdomen and long spiny legs. It hunts from exposed per...
South American Spittlebug
Deois flavopicta
A dark brown and yellow spittlebug that is a major pest of tropical pasture grasses in Brazil. Nymphs produce protective...
South American Velvet Ant
Traumatomutilla indica
A large tropical velvet ant with striking black and orange patterns. Despite its species name, it is native to South Ame...
Southern Rove Beetle
Philonthus spinipes
A shiny, black rove beetle with distinctive spiny hind tibiae. It is a fast-running predator commonly found under stones...
Spangled Ground Beetle
Callisthenes luxatus
A striking caterpillar hunter with dark elytra covered in rows of metallic golden or copper pits. It is a nocturnal pred...
Spanish Fly Beetle
Berberomeloe majalis
A huge wingless blister beetle with a massively swollen red and black banded abdomen. The largest European meloid....
Specious Leaf Beetle
Oreina speciosa
A metallic green or coppery leaf beetle of mountain pastures. It feeds on various alpine composites and is common in the...
Speckled Emperor Moth
Gynanisa maja
A large earth-toned emperor moth with speckled brown and grey wings bearing clear eyespots. It is a common moth in south...
Spinifex Termite
Nasutitermes longipennis
A mound-building termite common across the dry interior of Australia. Its hard earthen mounds dot the landscape of arid ...
Splendid Rove Beetle
Philonthus splendens
A large, shiny black rove beetle associated with mammal dung. Found across European pasturelands. An effective predator ...
Spoonwing Lacewing
Nemoptera bipennis
A graceful insect with spatula-shaped hindwing extensions, giving it an ethereal appearance in flight. Common in Iberian...
Stellate Dung Beetle
Gymnopleurus humanus
A medium-sized, glossy black roller found in African savannas. It has a nearly perfectly spherical body when viewed from...
Steppe Darkling Beetle
Blaps mortisaga
A large, slow-moving black beetle found in dry steppe and semi-desert regions from Europe to Central Asia. It is mainly ...
Steppe Mole Cricket
Gryllotalpa stepposa
A mole cricket of the Eurasian steppe belt distinguished from other European species by its song and chromosome number. ...
Stick Mantis
Popa spurca
A twig-mimicking mantis with lobed legs and bark-like body texture....
Stripe-Backed Leafcutter Ant
Acromyrmex striatus
A small leafcutter ant adapted to the grasslands and dry regions of southern South America. Unlike most leafcutter ants,...
Stripe-winged Grasshopper
Stenobothrus lineatus
A colorful grasshopper with a distinctive white stripe along its forewing. Males perform elaborate courtship dances invo...
Sunflower Leaf Beetle
Zygogramma exclamationis
A pale yellowish-brown beetle with dark brown elytral stripes that curve to form an exclamation-mark-like pattern. It fe...
Sunflower Maggot Fly
Strauzia longipennis
A picture-winged fruit fly whose larvae mine the stems of sunflowers. Adults have attractive amber-patterned wings....
Sunflower Treehopper
Heliria cristata
A small brown treehopper with a tall dorsal crest on its pronotum that gives it a distinctive high-backed silhouette. It...
Sylvicola Tunneler
Ontherus sulcator
A medium-sized, black tunneling dung beetle with deep longitudinal furrows on the elytra. Males have a short, broad ceph...
Tanzanian Ground Mantis
Galepsus sp.
A small, dark-colored ground-dwelling mantis found in East African grasslands. It hunts by running along the ground rath...
Tawny-edged Skipper
Polites themistocles
A small brown skipper with a warm orange-tawny leading edge on the forewing. It is one of the most common grass skippers...
Texas Striped Sweat Bee
Agapostemon texanus
A widespread metallic green sweat bee found across much of North America. Males have distinctive black and yellow abdomi...
Thistle Tortoise Beetle
Cassida rubiginosa
A pale green to yellowish-brown tortoise beetle with a somewhat flattened, circular body. It has been used as a biocontr...
Toadflax Stem Weevil
Mecinus janthinus
A dark metallic blue-purple weevil that feeds on toadflax species. Successfully used as a biological control agent for i...
Transparent Burnet
Zygaena purpuralis
A day-flying moth with semi-transparent red-streaked forewings. It is found in calcareous grasslands where wild thyme gr...
Tree Locust
Anacridium melanorhodon
A large grey-brown locust with distinctive vertical stripes on its eyes and a rough thorax crest. It roosts in trees and...
Trimmer's Mining Bee
Andrena trimmerana
A widespread spring mining bee with brownish-grey fur and a distinctive tooth on the hind femur. It forages on a wide ra...
Trinervitermes Nasute Termite
Trinervitermes trinervoides
A grass-harvesting nasute termite of southern Africa that builds small dome-shaped mounds in grasslands. Soldiers have p...
Tropical Fire Ant
Solenopsis geminata
A pantropical fire ant with large-headed major workers specialized for seed milling. It is one of the oldest known invas...
Tsetse Fly
Glossina morsitans
Vector of African sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis). Unlike most flies, females give live birth to a single large larv...
Tumblebug Beetle
Canthon vigilans
A small dung beetle that buries carrion as well as dung for its larvae....
Tumulitermes Mound Termite
Tumulitermes pastinator
An Australian grass-harvesting termite that builds small columnar mounds in tropical savannas. Workers forage in open co...
Two-coloured Mason Bee
Osmia bicolor
A distinctive bee with a black head and thorax and bright orange abdominal hair. It uniquely nests inside empty snail sh...
Two-lined Spittlebug
Prosapia bicincta
A black spittlebug with two vivid red-orange transverse bands across its wings, common in turf grasses across the southe...
Two-Spotted Dung Beetle
Onthophagus nuchicornis
A small, mottled brown and yellow tunneling dung beetle with two dark spots on the pronotum. Males have a single backwar...
Vacca Dung Beetle
Onthophagus vacca
A small coppery-green to bronze tunneler with a broad head and short horns in males. It is a common pasture dung beetle ...
Variable Cuckoo Bumble Bee
Bombus variabilis
A rare social parasite bumble bee that takes over colonies of other Bombus species in North America. Queens invade host ...
Violet Dung Beetle
Oniticellus planatus
A small, distinctive dung beetle with a flattened body and yellowish elytra marked with dark spots. Despite being in the...
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...
Walker's Cicada
Neotibicen pronotalis
A large cicada of the southern United States with a distinctive loud buzzing call. It prefers hot, open habitats and sin...
Wart-biting Bush-Cricket
Decticus albifrons
A large, pale bush-cricket of Mediterranean scrublands and dry grasslands with powerful mandibles. It is a close relativ...
Western Ground Squirrel Flea
Oropsylla montana
A flea found on ground squirrels and prairie dogs in western North America. It is an important vector of sylvatic plague...
Western Harvester Ant
Pogonomyrmex occidentalis
A large red ant that constructs conspicuous gravel-topped mound nests in western grasslands. It clears all vegetation fr...
White Clover Weevil
Protapion fulvipes
A minute black weevil with pale legs that feeds on white clover flower heads. Extremely common in pastures. Larvae consu...
White Morpho
Morpho polyphemus
A large pearly white morpho butterfly with subtle iridescent sheen on its broad wings. It has a slower, more gliding fli...
Wide-Headed Dung Beetle
Onthophagus nigriventris
A small, greenish-bronze tunneling dung beetle from East Africa with a very wide head in major males. The broad head is ...
Widefooted Treehopper
Campylenchia latipes
A North American treehopper with a distinctly angular pronotum and flattened tibiae. It is commonly found on herbaceous ...
Wingless Grasshopper
Phaulacridium vittatum
A small, common grasshopper found across Australia and New Zealand with reduced or absent wings. It can become a signifi...
Woundwort Shieldbug
Eysarcoris venustissimus
A small, compact bronze-green shield bug with a metallic sheen that feeds on woundwort and white dead-nettle. It has a b...
Yellow Meadow Ant
Lasius flavus
A yellow subterranean ant that builds earth mounds in grasslands across Europe. Workers rarely come to the surface, spen...
Yellow Swarming Fly
Thaumatomyia notata
A tiny yellow fly famous for forming enormous hibernation aggregations in buildings, sometimes numbering millions. Larva...
Yellow-legged Mining Bee
Andrena flavipes
A widespread mining bee with distinctive yellow-orange pollen brushes on its hind legs. It produces two generations per ...
Yellow-Winged Darter Rove Beetle
Philonthus cognatus
A medium-sized, metallic-black rove beetle with brownish wing tips. It is one of the most common staphylinids in Europea...
Zambesianus Scarab
Scarabaeus zambesianus
A nocturnal African roller dung beetle with a smooth, dark body. It was the first animal proven to use polarized light f...
Zegris eupheme
Zegris eupheme
A white butterfly with orange wingtip patches found in steppe grasslands from Spain to Central Asia. European population...