Species library

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

16 species

Alewife Floater

Alewife Floater

Utterbackiana implicata

A silent guardian of coastal waterways, the Alewife Floater is a master of filtration with a life cycle inextricably ...

Mollusks
Common Atlantic Slippersnail

Common Atlantic Slippersnail

Crepidula fornicata

The architect of the intertidal zone, the Common Atlantic Slippersnail is famous for its leaning towers of shells and...

Mollusks
Eastern Lampmussel

Eastern Lampmussel

Lampsilis radiata

A master of disguise beneath the surface, the Eastern Lampmussel uses a lifelike 'fishing lure' to ensure the next ge...

Mollusks
Eastern White Slippersnail

Eastern White Slippersnail

Crepidula plana

The 'ghost of the tide pool,' the Eastern White Slippersnail is a master of adaptation, growing paper-thin to fit ins...

Mollusks
Giant Floater

Giant Floater

Pyganodon grandis

The unsung hero of the pond, the Giant Floater is a master of filtration that keeps our waterways healthy. This large...

Mollusks
Green Cellar Slug

Green Cellar Slug

Limacus maculatus

A nocturnal wanderer with a penchant for damp stone and hidden corners, the Green Cellar Slug is a master of the midn...

Mollusks
Mucket

Mucket

Ortmanniana ligamentina

Meet the Mucket, the silent engineer of North America's riverbeds. This heavy-shelled mussel spends its life filterin...

Mollusks
Paper Pondshell

Paper Pondshell

Utterbackia imbecillis

The Paper Pondshell is the translucent treasure of the freshwater world. With a shell so thin it earned the nickname ...

Mollusks
Plain Pocketbook

Plain Pocketbook

Lampsilis cardium

The Plain Pocketbook is a master of underwater deception, using a lifelike 'fish lure' to trick predators and ensure ...

Mollusks
Shield Limpet

Shield Limpet

Lottia pelta

The Shield Limpet is a rugged survivor of the Pacific surf, known for its iconic ribbed shell and its remarkable abil...

Mollusks
Spiny Slippersnail

Spiny Slippersnail

Bostrycapulus aculeatus

The Spiny Slippersnail is a master of the intertidal zone, sporting a prickly suit of armor and a fascinating life st...

Mollusks
Three-ridge Mussel

Three-ridge Mussel

Amblema plicata

The Three-ridge Mussel is a silent engineer of our freshwater ecosystems, using its rugged, corrugated shell to withs...

Mollusks
Tidewater Mucket

Tidewater Mucket

Atlanticoncha ochracea

A master of disguise hidden beneath the silt, the Tidewater Mucket is a rare gem of our coastal rivers. Discover the ...

Mollusks
Wartyback

Wartyback

Pustulosa nodulata

A rugged and resilient filter feeder, the Wartyback is an essential architect of North American river ecosystems. Kno...

Mollusks
Yellow Lampmussel

Yellow Lampmussel

Lampsilis cariosa

Meet the river's most deceptive resident: a mussel that 'fishes' with a minnow-shaped lure. The Yellow Lampmussel is ...

Mollusks
Yellow Sandshell

Yellow Sandshell

Lampsilis teres

Glowing with a brilliant golden hue, the Yellow Sandshell is a hidden gem of North American waterways. This master of...

Mollusks

Not sure what you saw?

Upload a photo and we will put a name to it — usually in a few seconds.

Identify a species

Keep a record of who visits you

Connect a camera and EverydayEarth builds your own field guide — every species, first seen to last seen.

Join free Connect a camera