Field Guide

Bot flies are chunky, beelike flies usually with rounded heads. Adults are not commonly seen. The larvae are short, pudgy, segmented grubs that live as parasites in the tissues of animals. Those that live just under the skin often form a bulge. Some types live in the nasal or throat cavities of deer.

Whitebanded fishing spiders are often seen on tree trunks, walls, or other vertical surfaces, sometimes far from water. The coloration and markings can vary, but many individuals have an olive-green cast that helps them blend in with mosses and lichens. Note the bristly legs.

The striped fishing spider feels vibrations on the water surface to detect the movements of prey, then skates across the water to grab and subdue it. Like most other fishing spiders, it can also go underwater to capture small fish and other small aquatic animals.

Jumping worms are invasive earthworms that are native to east Asia. They are spreading in North America and cause problems for plants and soils. They thrash violently when disturbed.

The longlegged flies are a large, diverse fly family. They often have eye-catching metallic green, copper, bronze, or blue bodies and long legs. Their delicate wings are often clear and look iridescent in bright light, but many species have dark marks near the wing tips.

The diamondback spittlebug is common in weedy areas. The larvae live protected in spitty masses of foam. The adults are drab and well camouflaged, so few people notice them.

A widespread species, the barn spider commonly builds its webs in woods and on the eaves of barns, houses, and similar structures.

Nut and acorn weevils, in genus Curculio, have very long, narrow beaks and chunky bodies. Females bore tiny holes into developing acorn, hickory, or other nuts, and deposit their eggs within.