| A Gallery of Western Colorado Insect Photography
This gallery highlights western Colorado insect photography. Click on pictures for higher resolution images. We want your insect photographs! If you have pictures you would like to post in this gallery, please contact Bob Hammon. If you can identify any of these that are not identified, or improperly identified, please let us know. |
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| Index | ||
| Arachnid-Spiders & Scorpions | Coleoptera-Beetles | Collembola-Springtails |
| Diptera-Flies | Hemiptera-True Bugs, Aphids, Cicadas | Hymenoptera-Bees, Wasps, Horntails |
| Lepidoptera-Moths & Butterflies | Orthoptera-Grasshoppers, Katydids, & Crickets | |
 
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| Vaejovidae Northern scorpion |
The northern scorpion, Paruroctonus boreus, is common in desert areas across western Colorado. This one was photographed on East Orchard Mesa near Grand Junction. |
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| Meloidae Blister Beetles |
These blister beetles, Lytta nigrocyanea,were photographed just off of I-70 in Grand Co. Utah by Dick Colby. They are on one of the locoweeds (Oxytropis?). |  |
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| Meloidae Lytta deserticola |
This species, Lytta deserticola , was photographed by Justin Bowen in the Colorado National Monument. Colorado collections of this species are recorded from only a few desert areas of western part of the state. |  |
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| Cerambycidae
Longhorn Beetle |
Longhorn beetles are the adult stages of round headed borers, of which many species attack dying or recently killed wood. This species was collected in a pheromone trap in a pinyon forest near Glade Park (Mesa County). |  |
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| Cerambycidae Tetraopes tetraophthalmus Milkweed Beetle |
Milkweed beetles are longhorn beetles which feed exclusively on milkweed. This picture was taken by Bob Hammon in the gardens at the Mesa County Extension office. |  |
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| Meloidae Nemognatha lurdia |
This blister beetle is unique in that its mouthparts are modified into a tube like structure. It was photographed by Patti Susman in Grand Junction on a sunflower. |  |
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| Curculionidae Root Weevil |
This root weevil is a common home invader in many settings in western CO. There are several similar species. This picture was taken by Bob Hammon. |  |
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| Cantharidae Soldier Beetles |
Soldier beetles can be found in significant numbers on the flowers of Rabbitbrush. Bob Hammon took this picture in early September 2005, in Unaweep Canyon. |  |
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| Scarabaeidae Popillia japonica Japanese Beetle |
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| Springtails |
Springtails are one of the most common insects in Colorado. They are sometimes found congregating on snowfields. Linda Corwine photographed these "snow fleas" on snow along a road in southern Montrose County in February 2007. |  |
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| Alfalfa Aphids |  |
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| Rhopalidae Boisea trivittata Box Elder Bug |
Click here to view pictures of box elder bugs exhibiting carnivorous behavior. |  |
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| Apidae Bombus griseocollis Bumblebee |
There are many species of bumblebees in western Colorado . Bob Hammon photographed this B. griseocollis flying in to a white foxtail lily at the Mesa County Extension office in 2005. |  |
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| Sphecidae Chlorion aerarium Cricket Hunter |
This beautiful cricket hunter was photographed by Dick Colby in his back yard in Grand Junction. These sphecid wasps are very common in the lower altitudes of western Colorado. They specialize on hunting crickets, as the picture aptly displays. They paralyze their prey, bury it and lay an egg on it. The wasp larva then consumes the cricket. |  |
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| Asailidae Efferia sp. Female Robber fly |
Robber flies are predators on flying insects. This fly was photographed by Bob Hammon near Gateway (Mesa County) on Sep 1, 2005. |  |
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| Tachinidae Spiny tachinid Paradejeania rutiloides |
Tachind fly larvae parasitise other insects. This species parasitises caterpillars. Adult flies feed on nectar. This one was photographed by Bob Hammon in September 2005 in Rio Blanco County. The fly is feeding on tailleaf pericome, Pericome caudata. |  |
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| Hesperidae Skipper |
This skipper was photographed by Bob Hammon at McGinnis Canyons Conservation area near Grand Junction on Sep 15, 2005. |  |
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| Lycaenidae Pygmy blue Brephidium exilis |
The pygmy blue is the smallest butterfly in North America. Larvae feed on plants in the Polyganaceae family. This butterfly was photographed by Bob Hammon at the Mesa County Fairgrounds on Nov. 10, 2005. |  |
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| Lycaenidae Lycaenea rubidus Ruddy copper Female |
Ruddy coppers are common from the agricultural areas of the lower altitudes up to almost treeline in western Colorado. Bob Hammon shot this female in Gunnison County in 1985, |  |
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| Lycaenidae Paratrytone snowi Snow's Copper |
Snow's copper inhabits alpine environments and is often found near remnant snow fields above treeline during July. This male was photographed by Bob Hammon on July 15, 2005 in Gunnison County. |  |
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| Noctuidae Noctuid larva |
Bob Hammon shot this colorful noctuid moth larva on Black Mesa, Montrose CO in August 2006. |  |
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| Nymphalidae Chlosyne whitneyi Rockslide checkerspot |
The rockslide checkerspot inhabits alpine talus slopes above treeline. This picture was taken by Bob Hammon on July 1, 2005 in Gunnison County. |  |
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| Tettigoniidae Immature katydids |
These katydids have just hatched from their egg mass. They were photographed by Bob Hammon in 2005. |  |
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