Insects of Lake Pueblo State Park

Positioned approximately six miles west of the City of Pueblo, and within two hour’s drive of Denver and Colorado Springs, Lake Pueblo State Park attracts around 1.8 million visitors each year. It is located at the interface of the southern Rocky Mountains to the west and Great Plains to the ...more ↓

Black Swallowtail

The (Eastern) Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes), also called the American Swallowtail or Parsnip Swallowtail, is a butterfly found throughout much of North America. It is the state butterfly of Oklahoma. An extremely similar-appearing species, Papilio joanae, occurs in the Ozark Mountains region, but it appears to be closely related to Papilio ...more ↓

Two-tailed Swallowtail

The Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata) is a species of the Papilionidae family found in western North America from British Columbia to Central America.

Western Tiger Swallowtail

The Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus) is a common swallowtail butterfly of western North America, frequently seen in urban parks and gardens as well as in rural woodlands and riparian areas. It is a member of the Papilio genus, of which Papilio appalachiensis and Papilio xuthus are also members. It is a large, brightly colored and active butterfly, ...more ↓

Fiery Skipper

The fiery skipper (Hylephila phyleus) is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae and is approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. The males are orange or yellow with black spots while the females are dark brown with orange or yellow spots. The caterpillars are greenish pink with a black head. The caterpillars are often considered pests and can feed on Bermudagrass, creeping bentgrass, ...more ↓

Sachem

Atalopedes campestris (called the Sachem in the United States) is a small skipper. It is just over 1 inch long and has orange-and-brown adults. Females are slightly larger and have paler markings on their wings compared to males.

Common Branded Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper (Hesperia comma) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is known as the Common Branded Skipper or Holarctic Grass Skipper in North America, where the butterfly Epargyreus clarus, a spread-winged skipper, also has the common name of "Silver-spotted Skipper".

Uncas Skipper

The Uncas Skipper or White-vein Skipper (Hesperia uncas) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from US midwest to southern portions of the three Canadian Prairie provinces, north as far as Edmonton, Alberta.

Dun Skipper

The Dun Skipper, Sedge Witch or Dun Sedge Skipper (Euphyes vestris) is a species of butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from Nova Scotia west across southern Canada to southern Alberta, south to Florida, the Gulf Coast and eastern Texas. There are disjunct populations in the high plains and Rocky Mountains and along the Pacific Coast.

Delaware Skipper

The Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan) is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae (skippers), subfamily Hesperiinae (grass skippers). This skipper ranges from the southern Prairies in Canada and southern Ontario and southwards through the midwestern and eastern states in the US.

Least Skipper

The Least Skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor) is a North American butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. They have a weak, satyr-like flight.

Silver-spotted Skipper

The Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus) is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is claimed to be the most recognized skipper in North America.

Common Sootywing

Pholisora catullus (the Common Sootywing or Roadside Rambler) is a butterfly of the Hesperiidae family. It is found from the central parts of the United States, south to central Mexico. Strays may colonizes up to southern British Columbia, northern Michigan, southern Quebec and southern Maine. It is not found on Peninsular Florida.

Viceroy

The viceroy (Limenitis archippus) is a North American butterfly that ranges through most of the contiguous United States as well as parts of Canada and Mexico. The westernmost portion of its range extends from the Northwest Territories along the eastern edges of the Cascade Range and Sierra Nevada mountains, southwards into central Mexico. Its easternmost range extends along the ...more ↓

Weidemeyer's Admiral

The Weidemeyer's Admiral (Limenitis weidemeyerii) is a butterfly from the Nymphalinae subfamily, in western North America.

Mylitta Crescent

The Mylitta Crescent or Mylitta Crescentspot (Phyciodes mylitta) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found in the western North America.

Phaon Crescent

Phyciodes phaon, the Phaon crescent or mat plant crescent, is a species of butterfly found in Florida, neighboring states, west to New Mexico and south to Cuba (since the 1930s) and the Cayman Islands where is it known as the crescent spot.

Field Crescent

The Field Crescent (Phyciodes pulchella) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found in the Nearctic ecozone.

Pearl Crescent

The Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos) is a butterfly of North America. It is found in all parts of the United States except the west coast, and throughout Mexico and parts of southern Canada, in particular Ontario. Its habitat is open areas such as pastures, road edges, vacant lots, fields, open pine woods. Its pattern is quite variable. Males usually have black antennal ...more ↓

Gorgone Checkerspot

The Gorgone Checkerspot (Chlosyne gorgone) is a species of Nymphalinae that occurs in North America.

Red Admiral

The Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) is a well-known colourful butterfly, found in temperate Europe, Asia and North America. The Red Admiral has a 45–50 mm (1.8–2.0 in) wing span. The species is resident only in warmer areas, but migrates north in spring, and sometimes again in autumn.

Painted Lady

Vanessa cardui is a well-known colourful butterfly, known as the Painted Lady, or in North America as the Cosmopolitan. This butterfly has a strange pattern of flying in a sort of screw shape.

Mourning Cloak

Nymphalis antiopa, known as the Mourning Cloak in North America and the Camberwell Beauty in Britain, is a large butterfly native to Eurasia and North America. See also Anglewing butterflies.

Common Buckeye

The common buckeye or simply, buckeye, (Junonia coenia) is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia and all parts of the United States except the northwest, and is especially common in the south, the California coast, and throughout Central America and Colombia. The sub-species Junonia coenia bergi is ...more ↓

Common Wood-Nymph

The Common Wood-nymph (Cercyonis pegala) is a North American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. It is also known as the Wood-nymph, Grayling,Blue-eyed Grayling, and the Goggle Eye.

Aphrodite Fritillary

The Aphrodite Fritillary (Speyeria aphrodite) is a fritillary butterfly, from North America. This orange coloured fritillary has rows of dark dots or chevrons at the wing edges and black or brown lines more proximally. The ventral side of the wings are also orange with several rows of white dots. Its wingspan is between 51 and 73 mm.

Coronis Fritillary

The Coronis Fritillary (Speyeria coronis) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family of North America. It is common from Baja California to Washington and west to Colorado and western South Dakota and once reported in Alberta.

Edwards' Fritillary

The Edwards' Fritillary (Speyeria edwardsii) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family of North America. It is common from Alberta west to Manitoba and south as far as northern New Mexico.

Variegated Fritillary

The Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia) is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Even though the Variegated Fritillary has some very different characteristics from the Speyeria Fritillaries, it is still closely related to them. Some of the differences are: Variegated Fritillaries have 2–3 broods per year vs. one per year in Speyeria; ...more ↓

Queen

The queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) is a North and South American butterfly in the family Nymphalidae with a wingspan of 70–88 mm (2.8–3.5 in). It is orange or brown with black wing borders and small white forewing spots on its dorsal wing surface, and reddish ventral wing surface fairly similar to the dorsal surface. The ventral hindwings have black veins and small white ...more ↓

Monarch

The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. It may be the most familiar North American butterfly. The monarch butterfly is not currently listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) or protected specifically under U.S. domestic laws. Its wings feature ...more ↓

American Snout

The American Snout or Common Snout Butterfly (Libytheana carinenta) is a member of the Libytheinae subfamily, in the brush-footed butterfly family Nymphalidae. This species is found in both North and South America. The larval host plants are Celtis spp. on which the eggs are laid singly. Massive migrations of this species often attract attention in the Texas ...more ↓

Gray Hairstreak

The Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), is one of the most common hairstreaks in North America, ranging over nearly the entire continent. It occurs also throughout Central America and in northern South America.

Acadian Hairstreak

The Acadian Hairstreak (Satyrium acadica) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from British Columbia east to Nova Scotia and south to Idaho, Colorado, the northern Midwest, Maryland, and New Jersey.

Juniper Hairstreak

The Juniper Hairstreak (Callophrys gryneus) is a butterfly native to North America. It belongs in the family Lycaenidae.

Gray Copper

The Grey Copper or Great Copper (Lycaena dione) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from the southern Prairie Provinces of Canada and western Ontario south to Texas and east to Illinois and Missouri. There is a disjunct population in southern British Columbia.

Purplish Copper

The Purplish Copper (Lycaena helloides) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from Great Lakes area to British Columbia, south to Baja California.

Bronze Copper

Lycaena hyllus, the bronze copper, is a butterfly of the lycaenids family found in North America.

Square-spotted Blue

The Square-spotted Blue or Buckwheat Blue (Euphilotes battoides) is a species of butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found from Washington south to Baja California Norte and then west to southern Colorado and New Mexico.

Western Pygmy-Blue

The Western Pygmy Blue (Brephidium exilis or Brephidium exile) is one of the smallest butterflies in the world and is the smallest in North America. It has reached Hawaii. It has a wingspread of about half an inch.

Marine Blue

The Marine Blue or Striped Blue (Leptotes marina) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in from South America through Mexico up to Southern Texas, Arizona and California.

Reakirt's Blue

The Reakirt's Blue (Hemiargus isola) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Central America and the extreme southern U.S., isola migrates regularly throughout most of the U.S. almost to the Canadian border, and very rarely into the southern Prairies.

Melissa Blue

The Melissa Blue (Lycaeides melissa) is a butterfly of the Lycaenidae family. It is found in Western North America, from Canada to Mexico. The Karner Blue (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) is a subspecies of the Melissa Blue, and was described by the novelist/lepidopterist Vladimir Nabokov. It is sometimes placed in the genus Plebejus.

Southern Dogface

The Southern Dogface, Colias cesonia, is a North American butterfly in the family Pieridae, subfamily Coliadinae (until recently the species was sometimes placed in the related genus Colias instead of Zerenia).

Mexican Yellow

The Mexican Yellow (Eurema mexicana, sometimes called the Wolf-Face Sulphur) is a North and South American butterfly in the family Pieridae. It occurs mainly in Mexico but occasionally is found in central and southwestern USA and rarely in Canada.

Dainty Sulphur

The Dainty Sulphur or Dwarf Yellow (Nathalis iole) is a North American butterfly in the family Pieridae.

Orange Sulphur

The Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme), also known as the Alfalfa Butterfly and in its larval stage as Alfalfa Caterpillar, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae, where it belongs to the lowland group of "clouded yellows and sulphurs" subfamily Coliadinae. It is found throughout North America from southern Canada to Mexico, but is absent from the central and ...more ↓

Clouded Sulphur

The Common or Clouded Sulphur (Colias philodice) is a North American butterfly in the family Pieridae, subfamily Coliadinae.

Cabbage White

The Small White (Pieris rapae) is a small- to medium-sized butterfly species of the Yellows-and-Whites family Pieridae. It is also known as the Small Cabbage White and in New Zealand, simply as White Butterfly. The names "Cabbage Butterfly" and "Cabbage White" can also refer to the Large White.

Western White

Pontia occidentalis, the western white, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Western North America.

Checkered White

The Checkered White (Pontia protodice), also called Southern Cabbage Butterfly, is a common North American butterfly in the family Pieridae. Its green larva is a type of cabbage worm.

Forage Looper Moth

The Forage Looper or Common Grass Moth (Caenurgina erechtea) is a moth of the Erebidae family. It is found from coast to coast in the United States and adjacent parts of Canada. It is not found in Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories.

Fall Webworm Moth

The fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) is a moth in the family Erebidae known principally for its larval stage, which creates the characteristic webbed nests on the tree limbs of a wide variety of hardwoods in the late summer and fall. It is mainly an aesthetic pest and is not believed to harm otherwise healthy trees. It is well known to commercial tree services and ...more ↓

Black-and-yellow Lichen Moth

Lycomorpha pholus, the black-and-yellow lichen moth, is a moth in the family Erebidae. It is found in North America from Nova Scotia to North Carolina, west to South Dakota and Texas. The habitat consists of short-grass prairie.

Army Cutworm Moth

The army cutworm is the immature form of Euxoa auxiliaris. The adult moth is called a "miller moth" because of the fine scales on its wings that rub off easily and remind people of the dusty flour that covers the clothing of a miller.

Fall Armyworm Moth

The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) is a species the order of Lepidoptera and is the larval life stage of a fall armyworm moth. It is regarded as a pest and can damage and destroy a wide variety of crops, causing large economic damage. Its scientific name derives from frugiperda, which is Latin for lost fruit, named because of the species' ability to destroy ...more ↓

Purslane Moth

Euscirrhopterus gloveri, the purslane moth, is a species of owlet moth in the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America.

Eight-spotted Forester Moth

The Eight-Spotted Forester (Alypia octomaculata) is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found in the Eastern part of the United States, Texas and Florida. It is also present in parts of Canada.

Schinia albafascia

Schinia albafascia is a moth of the Noctuidae family. It is found south-western Montana and Idaho, west to Oregon, south to central and southern California, east to Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado.

Pale Metanema Moth

Metanema inatomaria, the pale metanema or yellow-lined thorn, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found from east-central British Columbia and southern Northwest Territories and Yukon, east to Nova Scotia, south to Mississippi, Texas and Arizona.

Speckled Wave

Lobocleta peralbata is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Arizona to Florida, north to North Carolina.

Chickweed Geometer Moth

Haematopis grataria, the chickweed geometer, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is found throughout the United States. In Canada it is found from Quebec to Alberta, north to the Northwest Territories.

Spring Petrophila

Petrophila avernalis is a moth in the Crambidae family. It was described by Grote in 1878. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Mexican Honeypot Ant

Myrmecocystus mexicanus is a species of ant in the genus Myrmecocystus, which is one of the six genera that bear the common name "honey ant" or "honeypot ant", due to curious behavior where some of the workers will swell with liquid food until they become immobile and hang from the ceilings of nest chambers, acting as living food storage for the colony. Honey ants are ...more ↓

Red Harvester Ant

Pogonomyrmex barbatus is a species of harvester ant from the genus Pogonomyrmex. Its common names include red ant and red harvester ant. These large (5– to 7-mm) ants prefer arid chaparral habitats and are native to the Southwestern United States. Nests are made underground (up to 2.5 m deep) in exposed areas. Their diets consist primarily of seeds, and they ...more ↓

Rough Harvester Ant

Pogonomyrmex rugosus, or rough harvester ant, is a species of harvester ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae which is endemic to the southwestern United States, specifically New Mexico and southern Colorado.

Common Eastern Velvet Ant

Dasymutilla occidentalis (red velvet ant or eastern velvet ant), is a species of parasitoid wasp native to the eastern United States. It is commonly mistaken for a member of the true ant family, as the female is wingless. The species ranges from Connecticut to Missouri in the north and Florida to Texas in the south. Other common names include cow ant and ...more ↓

Four-spotted Velvet Ant

Dasymutilla quadriguttata is a species of velvet ant in the family Mutillidae.

Noble Scoliid Wasp

Scolia nobilitata is a species of scoliid wasp in the family Scoliidae.

Yellow-legged Mud-dauber Wasp

Black and yellow mud dauber is a common name for the sphecid wasp species Sceliphron caementarium.

Nearctic Blue Mud-dauber Wasp

The blue mud dauber (Chalybion californicum) is a metallic blue species of mud dauber wasp that is the primary predator of black widow spiders. Females build their own nests, but occasionally refurbish nests abandoned by other mud dauber wasps, particularly Sceliphron. It is not normally aggressive. It is similar in shape and colour to the steel-blue cricket hunter ...more ↓

Steel-blue Cricket-hunter Wasp

Chlorion aerarium, known generally as the steel-blue cricket hunter or aphid wasp, is a species of thread-waisted wasps in the family Sphecidae....

Cerceris frontata

Cerceris frontata is a species of wasp in the family Crabronidae. It is found in North America.

Bumblebee-like Digger Bee

Anthophora bomboides, the bumble-bee-mimic anthophora, is a species of anthophorine bee in the family Apidae. It is found in North America.

American Bumble Bee

Bombus pensylvanicus, the American bumblebee or Sonoran bumblebee, is a threatened species of bumblebee native to North America. It occurs in eastern Canada, throughout much of the United States, and much of Mexico.

Western Honey Bee

The western honey bee or European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most common of the 7–12 species of honey bee worldwide. The genus name Apis is Latin for "bee", and mellifera is the Latin for "honey-bearing", referring to the species' production of honey for the winter.

Concave Longhorn-Cuckoo

Triepeolus concavus is a species of cuckoo bee in the family Apidae. It is found in Central America and North America.

Euodynerus annulatus

Euodynerus annulatus is a species of stinging wasp in the family Vespidae.

European Paper Wasp

The European paper wasp (Polistes dominula, often misspelled as dominulus) is one of the most common and well-known species of social wasps in the genus Polistes. Its diet is more diverse than that of most Polistes species (many genera of insects versus mainly caterpillars in other Polistes), giving it superior survival value over many other wasp ...more ↓

Golden Paper Wasp

Polistes aurifer, the golden paper wasp, is a species of paper wasp in the family Vespidae.

Metric Paper Wasp

Polistes metricus (metricus paper wasp) is a wasp native to North America. In the United States, it ranges throughout the southern Midwest, the South, and as far northeast as New York, but has recently been spotted in southwest Ontario. A single female specimen has also been reported from Dryden, Maine. Polistes metricus is dark colored, with yellow tarsi and black ...more ↓

Western Paper Wasp

Mischocyttarus flavitarsis is a social paper wasp found in western North America. Their nests can be found both in forests close to rivers or in close proximity to human life under the eaves of roofs. Despite the fact that M. flavitarsis nests are frequently in close contact with humans, M. flavitarsis typically will not sting, but rather ram into the threatening ...more ↓

Punctured Tiger Beetle

Cicindela punctulata, the Punctured Tiger Beetle, is a species of Tiger Beetle (Subfamily Cicindelinae) commonly found across much of the US, Southeastern Canada, and in parts of Northern Mexico.

Green Claybank Tiger Beetle

Cicindela denverensis, the green claybank tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.

Bronzed Tiger Beetle

Cicindela repanda, commonly known as the bronzed tiger beetle or common shore tiger beetle, is a species of tiger beetle that measures 10–13 millimetres (0.39–0.51 in) long, lives in most of North America. Its labrum is small with one tooth and the pronotum is coppery and hairy. The shoulder marking touches or nearly touches the middle band. It is usually seen in ...more ↓

Festive Tiger Beetle

Cicindela scutellaris, the festive tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.

Splendid Tiger Beetle

Cicindela splendida, the splendid tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.

Oblique-lined Tiger Beetle

Cicindela tranquebarica, the oblique-lined tiger beetle, is a species of flashy tiger beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found in North America.

steel-blue grapevine flea beetle

Altica torquata, the steel-blue grapevine flea beetle, is a species of flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is found in Central America, North America, and Oceania.

Edited by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)