Mourning Cloak Butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa)

Mourning Cloak Butterfly (Nymphalis antiopa)

The Mourning Cloak Butterfly (Nymphalis antoipa) hibernates in the winter and mates in the spring, the males perching in sunny openings until they attract a female. They prefer oaks, cottonwoods and aspens, laying their eggs on the leaves in webs. The caterpillars...
Leafcutter Bese-Linda_Smith

Leafcutter Bese-Linda_Smith

Leafcutter Bees (Megachile spp.) are a native bee which is approximately the size of a honey bee. It is a solitary bee (does not live in colonies) which cuts leaves of plants and uses the leaf fragments to form its nest cells. The bees nest in soft, rotted wood or in...
Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata)

Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata)

Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata) is found in Western North America and is a large butterfly with yellow wings with black striping. Like other yellowtails, it has orange eye spots near the lower angle of each hind wing, which is designed to fool predators...
Ornate Checkered Beetle (Trichodes ornatus)

Ornate Checkered Beetle (Trichodes ornatus)

Ornate Checkered Beetle (Trichodes ornatus) occurs from Alaska and Western Canada down the Rocky Mountain States to Western Mexico. This beetle mates and the female lays her eggs on flowers frequented by bees. The larvae hatch and attach themselves to the back of...