Species library

Field marks, habits, and camera tips for the wildlife that visits backyard habitats.

469–504 of 569 species

Spined Soldier Bug

Spined Soldier Bug

Podisus maculiventris

Meet your garden's most effective tiny security guard. The Spined Soldier Bug is a master hunter that protects your p...

Insects
Spongy Moth

Spongy Moth

Lymantria dispar

The Spongy Moth is one of nature's most resilient survivors, famous for its striking larvae and the day-flying antics...

Insects
Spot-winged Glider

Spot-winged Glider

Pantala hymenaea

The ultimate aerial nomad, the Spot-winged Glider is a golden-hued pilot that travels thousands of miles on the wind....

Insects
Spotless Lady Beetle

Spotless Lady Beetle

Cycloneda sanguinea

The Spotless Lady Beetle is nature's minimalist predator, identified by its brilliant orange shell and a total lack o...

Insects
Spotted Asparagus Beetle

Spotted Asparagus Beetle

Crioceris duodecimpunctata

Often mistaken for a ladybug at a distance, the Spotted Asparagus Beetle is a vibrant, 12-spotted jewel of the summer...

Insects
Spotted Cucumber Beetle

Spotted Cucumber Beetle

Diabrotica undecimpunctata

With its neon-green coat and twelve bold black spots, the Spotted Cucumber Beetle is a striking garden visitor that i...

Insects
Spotted Green Pine Needle Aphid

Spotted Green Pine Needle Aphid

Eulachnus agilis

Meet the sprinter of the insect world. The Spotted Green Pine Needle Aphid is a leopard-spotted speedster that brings...

Insects
Spruce Aphid

Spruce Aphid

Elatobium abietinum

A tiny green marvel with striking red eyes, the Spruce Aphid is a master of the cool season. While small, these sap-s...

Insects
Square-spot Rustic

Square-spot Rustic

Xestia xanthographa

A classic late-summer visitor, the Square-spot Rustic is easily identified by the neat, pale 'windows' on its wings. ...

Insects
Square-spotted Clay

Square-spotted Clay

Xestia stigmatica

A gem of the late-summer garden, the Square-spotted Clay is easily recognized by the bold geometric markings on its v...

Insects
Squash Lady Beetle

Squash Lady Beetle

Epilachna borealis

The Squash Lady Beetle is a bold, spotted herbivore that turns the 'beneficial ladybug' narrative on its head. With i...

Insects
Steel-blue Cricket-hunter Wasp

Steel-blue Cricket-hunter Wasp

Chlorion aerarium

A shimmering jewel of the garden, the Steel-blue Cricket-hunter is a master of pest control and one of the most strik...

Insects
Striped Cucumber Beetle

Striped Cucumber Beetle

Acalymma vittatum

A striking but notorious visitor to the vegetable patch, the Striped Cucumber Beetle is easily identified by its vibr...

Insects
Summer Chafer

Summer Chafer

Amphimallon solstitiale

Often called the 'June Bug' of Europe, the Summer Chafer is a bumbling, golden-brown beetle famous for its sunset swa...

Insects
Swarthy Skipper

Swarthy Skipper

Nastra lherminier

The understated ghost of the meadow, the Swarthy Skipper is a delight for those who appreciate the subtle details of ...

Insects
Swift Crab Spider

Swift Crab Spider

Mecaphesa celer

A pint-sized powerhouse of the garden, the Swift Crab Spider uses incredible camouflage and lightning-fast reflexes t...

Insects
Tailed Jay

Tailed Jay

Graphium agamemnon

With its striking electric-green spots and swift, shivering flight, the Tailed Jay is a jewel of the tropical garden....

Insects
Tansy Beetle

Tansy Beetle

Chrysolina graminis

Known as the 'Jewel of York,' this rare and radiant beetle is a masterpiece of natural iridescence. Discover how to s...

Insects
Tawny-edged Skipper

Tawny-edged Skipper

Polites themistocles

A pint-sized dynamo of the backyard, the Tawny-edged Skipper is a master of rapid flight and sun-drenched meadows. Lo...

Insects
Tawny Shears

Tawny Shears

Hadena perplexa

A master of camouflage and a specialist of the night, the Tawny Shears is a frequent visitor to moonlit gardens. Know...

Insects
terrapin scale

terrapin scale

Mesolecanium nigrofasciatum

Looking like miniature, ornate turtle shells stuck to a branch, the Terrapin scale is a master of camouflage and a co...

Insects
The Rustic

The Rustic

Hoplodrina blanda

A master of nighttime camouflage, The Rustic is the understated star of the midsummer garden. Look closely at its sil...

Insects
The Sallow

The Sallow

Xanthia icteritia

A golden gem of the autumn night, The Sallow moth perfectly mimics the falling leaves of the season. Its vibrant yell...

Insects
The Uncertain

The Uncertain

Hoplodrina octogenaria

A master of summer camouflage, The Uncertain is a frequent visitor to backyard light traps. While its name suggests m...

Insects
Thick-legged Flower Beetle

Thick-legged Flower Beetle

Oedemera nobilis

A shimmering emerald of the garden, the Thick-legged Flower Beetle is a sun-worshipping pollinator famous for its met...

Insects
Thisbe's Tarantula-hawk Wasp

Thisbe's Tarantula-hawk Wasp

Pepsis thisbe

A shimmering titan of the insect world, Thisbe's Tarantula-hawk Wasp is a master of the desert garden, blending strik...

Insects
Three-lined Potato Beetle

Three-lined Potato Beetle

Lema daturaphila

A striking visitor to the summer garden, the Three-lined Potato Beetle is known for its bold racing stripes and its u...

Insects
Tile-horned Prionus

Tile-horned Prionus

Prionus imbricornis

A nocturnal giant with architecturally stunning antennae, the Tile-horned Prionus is one of North America's most impr...

Insects
Tobacco Budworm Moth

Tobacco Budworm Moth

Chloridea virescens

A delicate visitor of the night, the Tobacco Budworm Moth features subtle green hues and elegant stripes. While often...

Insects
Tomentose Burying Beetle

Tomentose Burying Beetle

Nicrophorus tomentosus

The Tomentose Burying Beetle is the golden-haired undertaker of the forest floor. With its striking orange-on-black p...

Insects
Triangle Plume Moth

Triangle Plume Moth

Platyptilia gonodactyla

With wings like feathery fans and a silhouette like a tiny aircraft, the Triangle Plume Moth is one of the most archi...

Insects
Tricolored Bumble Bee

Tricolored Bumble Bee

Bombus ternarius

With its signature sunset-orange belt and industrious nature, the Tricolored Bumble Bee is one of the most striking p...

Insects
Triple-spotted Clay

Triple-spotted Clay

Xestia ditrapezium

A nocturnal gem of the Eurasian woodlands, the Triple-spotted Clay is prized by moth-watchers for its rich purplish h...

Insects
Tule Bluet

Tule Bluet

Enallagma carunculatum

The Tule Bluet is a dazzling splash of electric blue found dancing across North American wetlands. This resilient dam...

Insects
Tulip-tree Silkmoth

Tulip-tree Silkmoth

Callosamia angulifera

A nocturnal giant of the Eastern forests, the Tulip-tree Silkmoth is a master of camouflage and a spectacular find fo...

Insects
Tuliptree scale

Tuliptree scale

Toumeyella liriodendri

The Tuliptree scale is a master of the sedentary life, masquerading as a simple bump on a branch while supporting an ...

Insects

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