Field Guide

Land Invertebrates

Showing 1 - 10 of 15 results
Photo of a rainbow scarab beetle, male.
Rainbow Scarab
Phanaeus vindex
Although most dung beetles are dull black, the rainbow scarab is bright metallic green and copper.
Male eastern Hercules beetle walking in grass
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Dynastes tityus
The eastern Hercules beetle is a breathtaking animal. Like its Greek-hero namesake, it is big and strong. Males have horns; females do not. Hercules beetles are harmless to people.
Green June beetle on goldenrod
Green June Beetle
Cotinis nitida
The green June beetle is a common type of scarab beetle in Missouri. These large, metallic green beetles buzz loudly when they fly. They are attracted to ripe and rotting fruit and compost piles.
Japanese beetle on a leaf
Japanese Beetle
Popillia japonica
Despite its decorative bronze wing shields, metallic green thorax, and black-and-white striped abdomen, the Japanese beetle is a serious agricultural pest.
Dogbane beetle resting on a window
Dogbane Beetle
Chrysochus auratus
The shiny, iridescent dogbane beetle is one of Missouri's most beautiful insects. As the name indicates, this beautiful beetle feeds on dogbanes.
Mating pair of common claybank tiger beetles at Smith CA, April 16, 2022
Common Claybank Tiger Beetle
Cicindela limbalis
The common claybank tiger beetle, or green-margined tiger beetle, occurs on dirt clay soils in open areas in spring and, less abundantly, in late summer. Color varies from red to purple to green. The outer shell edges are often edged with shiny green.
image of a bronzed or common shore tiger beetle
Bronzed Tiger Beetle
Cinindela repanda
The bronzed tiger beetle is usually seen patrolling the shores of creeks, rivers, and other bodies of water, in open areas with sand, gravel, or clay soils.
image of Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle crawling on dead leaves
Tiger Beetles
Subfamily Cicindelinae (about 100 species in North America)
Dizzyingly fast runners and fliers, tiger beetles are remarkable, and often very colorful, insect predators.
Dung beetle rolling a dung ball
Dung Beetles (Tumblebugs)
Subfamilies Scarabaeinae and Aphodiinae
Horses, cattle, dogs, and deer all drop manna from above to eager dung beetles, which collect, hoard, and guard the precious organic materials left undigested in the pile.
Red milkweed beetle eating a common milkweed leaf.
Longhorned Beetles (Borers; Sawyer Beetles)
About 1,000 species in North America north of Mexico
Longhorned beetles are elongated and cylindrical, with antennae that are at least half the length of the body — sometimes much longer. The larvae are grubs that bore in wood or other plants. Some are serious pests.
See Also
Photo of a Yellow-Collared Scape Moth
Yellow-Collared Scape Moth
Cisseps fulvicollis
The yellow-collared scape moth is more often “orange-collared.” And whether you think it looks more like a firefly or a wasp, it’s still a moth!
image of Plume Moth on blade of grass
Plume Moths
Nearly 150 species in North America north of Mexico
Slim, delicate plume moths are instantly recognizable by their T-shaped silhouette, long legs, and muted shades of tan and brown. It can be hard to separate the various species.
Photo of an Isabella Tiger Moth
Isabella Tiger Moth (Woolly Bear; Woolly Worm)
Pyrrharctia isabella
Not many people know the adult Isabella tiger moth when they see one, but we’re all acquainted with its caterpillar, the woolly worm, or woolly bear.

About Land Invertebrates in Missouri

Invertebrates are animals without backbones, including earthworms, slugs, snails, and arthropods. Arthropods—invertebrates with “jointed legs” — are a group of invertebrates that includes crayfish, shrimp, millipedes, centipedes, mites, spiders, and insects. There may be as many as 10 million species of insects alive on earth today, and they probably constitute more than 90 percent all animal species.