#dawnsiren

[onenicebugperday]

Technically this guy should go in the Moth Season collage, but they’re so fuzzy I felt they deserved a special shoutout. No ID needed, pretty much has to be Tolype distincta based on appearance and location, which is Western Montana. (Could theoretically also be T. dayi but the two are outwardly identical and from what I understand the taxonomic distinction is poorly defined, so.)

(Apologies if this sends twice, tumblr was being weird)

Nope, only got it once! Agreed with your ID. One of my fav native moths, they're just SO so fuzzy

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

My friend would like you to know you are very good at making pictures of rats

Thanks. And if anyone knows an effective way to encourage my rat obsession, please let me know

[onenicebugperday]

Behold the incredibly massive stick insects in the back room of my local insectarium! I’m pretty sure they’re Phobaeticus serratipes but their cage isn’t labeled so I’m not 100% confident. Regardless of ID, they’re probably one of my favorites that we have.

LORGE. Bugs that are big enough to kiss

[onenicebugperday]

Gorgeous little sulphur moth I found near Flathead Lake in western Montana.

And, as a bonus, the garter snake I had in my other hand while I took this photo:

A lovely sulphur! Snake can be an honorary bug I think

[onenicebugperday]

A handsome little jumping spider I found chilling on a fence! Very active and curious, seemed to be considering jumping onto my hand a few times while being photographed. Definitely genus Phidippus, probably P. johnsoni.

Very cute! Spiritually, I'm giving them a little hug

[onenicebugperday]

Cuckoo bee! Probably a compact cellophane cuckoo, Epeolus compactus.

What a beauty! I love their fuzzy head :)

[onenicebugperday]

No ID required, just the incredibly defensive Venezuelan Sun Tiger at my local insectarium staring me down while I wiped condensation off the inside of her glass with my hand directly outside the entrance to her burrow (the direction she is facing).

I also hate it when a hand bigger than my body wipes condensation off the glass of my enclosure >:[

[onenicebugperday]

Any thoughts on this incredibly alien-looking larva I pulled out of a marsh in Glacier National Park? It was swimming when I caught it but it’s also likely that all my splashing around stirred up the muck it was chilling in.

Looks like a predaceous diving beetle larva! Family Dytiscidae :)