Minnesota Seasons
| Destinations |
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These are locations in Minnesota where native plants, birds, and other wildlife can be viewed. With very few exceptions, these destinations are open to the public. Visitors can share their own photos, videos, plant and wildlife sightings, and other observations or comments. |
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| Species |
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| Plants |
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Native, naturalized, invasive, or simply planted—any plant growing outside of cultivation in Minnesota. More than 1,000 plant pages include a profile, photos, a distribution map, a list of sightings by MinnesotaSeasons.com, and visitor sightings. |
Photo by Alfredo Colon |
| Insects |
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Insects and arachnids found in Minnesota. More than 1,200 insect and arachnid pages include a profile, photos, a distribution map, a list of sightings by MinnesotaSeasons.com, and visitor sightings. |
Photo by Norm & Peg Dibble |
| Wildlife |
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Birds and bears, snakes and squirrels, toads and turtles—wildlife found in Minnesota. Wildlife pages include a profile, photos, a distribution map, a list of sightings by MinnesotaSeasons.com, and visitor sightings. |
Photo by Luciearl |
| Mushrooms, Lichens, and Other Fungi |
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Mushrooms, lichens, and other fungi found in Minnesota. Almost 300 fungi and lichen pages include a profile, photos, a distribution map, a list of sightings by MinnesotaSeasons.com, and visitor sightings. |
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| Wallpapers |
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Download free high resolution wallpapers (screen backgrounds). These are photos of destinations featured on MinnesotaSeasons.com. The wallpapers are grouped by ecological season. Each wallpaper is optimized for the screen resolutions used most often on desktops, laptops, and tablets. |
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492
Destinations
2,945
Species*
* Species pages may represent a species, subspecies, variety, genus, family, or other taxonmomic group, or an unidentified organism. Using the word “taxa” here would be more accurate but less widely understood.
Snow Depth
Drought Monitor
| Autumnal Season |
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The autumnal ecological season, called fall in North America but autumn elsewhere, needs no explanation. It is that time when the landscape transitions from summer to winter. It follows the serotinal season (late summer) when leaves of deciduous trees and many forbs and grasses begin to change color, and precedes the the usually snow-blanketed hibernal season (winter). In Minnesota, the Autumnal season usually begins about September 15 and ends about December 1. In the Twin Cities metro area it typically arrives late September to early (north metro) to mid- (south metro) October. Deciduous leaves are in full fall color then turn brown and fall to the ground. Birds migrate back to wintering areas. The advance of the season can be watched on the Minnesota DNR's Fall Color Finder Web page. The map displayed there is updated daily. The Autumnal season has arrived in those areas colored red (75–100%) and dark brown (past peak). The northwest corner is the first area in Minnesota to see peak fall colors each year. |
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| Recent Uploads |
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| November |
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Luciearl uploaded 3 photos of northern pin oak 11/20/2025. |
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Luciearl uploaded 2 photos of poke milkweed 11/20/2025. |
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Leon Purcell uploaded 1 photo of Barred Owl 11/17/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of wood, mound, and field ants (Formica spp.) on Gray Reindeer Lichen 11/13/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 3 photos of Diminutive Agaricus 8/9/2025. |
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Luciearl uploaded 3 photos of goldenrod gall fly 11/12/2025. |
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Bobbi Johnson uploaded 1 photo of bald-faced hornet 11/10/2025. |
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Bobbi Johnson uploaded 1 photo of Virginia opossum 11/10/2025. |
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Bobbi Johnson uploaded 1 photo of red maple 11/10/2025. |
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Bobbi Johnson uploaded 1 photo of Golden Pholiota 11/10/2025. |
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Bobbi Johnson uploaded 1 photo of field thistle 11/10/2025. |
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Alfredo Colon uploaded 2 photos of heptagonal orbweaver 12/12/2022. |
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Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of heptagonal orbweaver 12/2/2022. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Hexagonal-pored Polypore 11/8/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Destructive Pholiota 11/7/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 2 photos of Aspen Bolete 11/7/2025. |
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Nancy Falkum uploaded 1 photo of Dog Pelt Lichen 10/28/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of dog sick slime mold 8/7/2025. |
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Carrie Andersson uploaded 1 photo of Purple-spored Puffball 11/4/2025. |
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Luciearl uploaded 1 photo of eastern gray squirrel 11/4/2025. |
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Luciearl uploaded 3 photos of Birch Polypore on paper birch 11/2/2025. |
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Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of ghost spiders (Anyphaena spp.) 12/13/2022. |
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Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of ghost spiders (Anyphaena spp.) 12/12/2022. |
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Alfredo Colon uploaded 1 photo of ghost spiders (Anyphaena spp.) 12/2/2022. |
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Nancy Falkum uploaded 1 photo of pines (family Pinaceae) with dual pathogen symptoms 10/28/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Candy Apple Waxy Cap 9/9/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Candy Apple Waxy Cap 9/6/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Candy Apple Waxy Cap 8/27/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Candy Apple Waxy Cap 8/5/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Candy Apple Waxy Cap 8/4/2025. |
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Dan W. Andree uploaded 1 photo of Candy Apple Waxy Cap 8/3/2025. |
| October |
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| New Pages |
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| November |
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11/23/2025 |
Amara lunicollis common name changed from moon-collared harp ground beetle to mesophile sunshiner |
| 11/22/2025 | Dicots (Class Magnoliopsida) (updated) |
| 11/22/2025 | Class Magnoliopsida common name changed to Dicots |
11/14/2025 |
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11/10/2025 |
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| 11/8/2025 | Hemipholiota populnea common name changed from Poplar Pholiota to Destructive Pholiota |
11/6/2025 |
Dog Pelt Lichen |
| 11/5/2025 | |
11/3/2025 |
ghost spiders (Anyphaena spp.) |
| 11/2/2025 | |
| 11/1/2025 |
| October |
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10/31/2025 |
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10/31/2025 |
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10/30/2025 |
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10/28/2025 |
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10/26/2025 |
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10/25/2025 |
eastern thistle longhorn bee |
10/22/2025 |
Geometer Moths (Family Geometridae) (updated) |
10/22/2025 |
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10/21/2025 |
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| 10/20/2025 | camel crickets (Ceuthophilus spp.) (updated) |
10/20/2025 |
metallic flea beetles (Altica spp.) (updated) |
| 10/19/2025 | dung beetles (Subfamily Scarabaeinae) (updated) |
10/19/2025 |
Moose scientific name changed from Alces americanus to Alces alces. |
10/16/2025 |
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10/15/2025 |
flea beetles (Tribe Alticini) (updated) |
10/15/2025 |
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| 10/13/2025 | |
10/12/2025 |
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10/11/2025 |
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10/10/2025 |
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10/9/2025 |
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10/8/2025 |
red-tailed flesh fly scientific name changed from Sarcophaga haemorrhoidalis to Sarcophaga africa |
| 10/8/2025 | Dieunomia heteropoda common name changed from sunflower nomia to giant sweat bee |
10/7/2025 |
Sachem (Atalopedes campestris) name changed to Huron sachem (Atalopedes huron) |
10/7/2025 |
low baby’s-breath |
10/6/2025 |
pruinose squash bee |
10/5/2025 |
Summer Tanager |
10/4/2025 |
five-banded thynnid wasp |
| 10/3/2025 |
| What’s Next |
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1 |
Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera) | Randy |
2 |
Many-fruited Pelt Lichen (Peltigera polydactylon) | Nancy Falkum |
3 |
braconid wasps (Opius spp.) |
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4 |
Earthy Powdercap (Cystoderma amianthinum) | Bobbi Johnson |
5 |
Fragrant Funnel (Clitocybe fragrans) |
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6 |
house pseudoscorpion (Chelifer cancroides) | Bill Reynolds |
7 |
Freckled Pelt Lichen (Peltigera aphthosa) | Nancy Falkum |
8 |
tachinid fly (Zelia vertebrata) |
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9 |
emperor moths (Subfamily Saturniinae) | Bobbi Johnson |
10 |
Bolete Eater (Hypomyces chrysospermus) |
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11 |
Sheepish Pelt Lichen (Peltigera extenuata) | Nancy Falkum |
12 |
insect destroyer (Entomophaga maimaiga) |
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13 |
Dragon Horn (Cladonia squamosa) |
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14 |
weevil wasp (Cerceris halone) |
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15 |
carnival candy slime mold (Arcyria denudata) | Dan W. Andree |
16 |
broad-winged skipper (Poanes viator) |
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17 |
tree-skirt moss (Pseudanomodon attenuatus) |
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18 |
stink bug (Dendrocoris humeralis) |
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19 |
Lumpy Bracket (Trametes gibbosa) | Dan W. Andree |
20 |
eastern dobsonfly (Corydalus cornutus) |
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21 |
Common Milkcaps (Lactarius spp.) | Dan W. Andree |
22 |
slender-footed jewel beetle (Spectralia gracilipes) |
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23 |
Common Conecap (Conocybe tenera) | Dan W. Andree |
24 |
imported willow leaf beetle (Plagiodera versicolora) |
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25 |
Orange Pinwheel (Marasmius siccus) | Dan W. Andree |
26 |
three-ribbed soldier beetle (Podabrus tricostatus) |
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27 |
Gray Reindeer Lichen (Cladonia rangiferina) | Dan W. Andree |
28 |
guided soldier beetle (Rhagonycha recta) |
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29 |
Fan Ramalina (Ramalina sinensis) | Dan W. Andree |
30 |
wide-horned soldier beetle (Polemius laticornis) |
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31 |
Red-banded Webcap (Cortinarius armillatus) | Dan W. Andree |
32 |
soldier beetles (Rhagonycha spp.) |
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33 |
Easter Foam (Stereocaulon paschale) | Dan W. Andree |
34 |
Pennsylvania flea beetle (Disonycha pensylvanica) |
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35 |
Mealy Pixie Cup (Cladonia chlorophaea) |
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36 |
mourning fire-colored beetle (Pedilus lugubris) |
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37 |
Common Fieldcap (Agrocybe pediades) | Dan W. Andree |
38 |
bronze darkling beetle (Arthromacra aenea) |
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39 |
Wrinkled Cortinarius (Cortinarius caperatus) | Dan W. Andree |
40 |
common brown click beetle (Athous haemorrhoidalis) |
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41 |
fraternal darkling beetle (Mycetochara fraterna) |
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42 |
golden loosestrife beetle (Neogalerucella pusilla) |
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43 |
featherlegged orbweaver (Uloborus glomosus) |
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44 |
perennial mason wasp (Parancistrocerus perennis) |
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45 |
Texas striped sweat bee (Agapostemon texanus) |
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46 |
common crane fly (Tipula caloptera) |
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47 |
Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae) |
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48 |
horned parasitic cobweaver (Neospintharus trigonum) |
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49 |
shore spider (Pardosa milvina) |
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50 |
black-tailed red sheetweaver (Florinda coccinea) |
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51 |
privet leafhopper (Fieberiella florii) |
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52 |
violet dancer (Argia fumipennis violacea) |
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53 |
carrot wasps (Gasteruption spp.) |
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54 |
lyric cobweaver (Yunohamella lyrica) |
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55 |
alder spittlebug (Clastoptera obtusa) |
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56 |
half-belted blue-black spider wasp (Anoplius semicinctus) |
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57 |
wood nettle gall midge (Dasineura investita) |
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58 |
common ectemnius (Ectemnius continuus) |
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59 |
striped sweat bees (Agapostemon spp.) |
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60 |
chalcidoid wasp (Leucospis affinis) |
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61 |
assassin bugs (Family Reduviidae) |
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62 |
dog day cicadas (Neotibicen spp.) |
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63 |
starry bristle moss (Orthotrichum stellatum) |
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64 |
crisped pincushion (Ulota crispa) |
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65 |
pine tree spur-throat grasshopper (Melanoplus punctulatus) |
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66 |
Speckled Greenshield (Flavopunctelia flaventior) |
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67 |
Wheeler's thick-legged jumping spider (Admestina wheeleri) |
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68 |
hybotid dance flies (Tachypeza spp.) |
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69 |
Hooded Rosette Lichen (Physcia adscendens) |
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70 |
rough stink bug (Brochymena arborea) |
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71 |
flea jumping spider (Naphrys pulex) |
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72 |
hook-toothed money spider (Erigone dentosa) |
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73 |
crabronid wasps (Tachytes spp.) |
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74 |
European tube wasp (Ancistrocerus gazella) |
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75 |
gold-marked thread-waisted wasp (Eremnophila aureonotata) |
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76 |
rustic wolf spider (Trochosa ruricola) |
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77 |
European alder spittlebug (Aphrophora alni) |
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78 |
gall midges (Subfamily Cecidomyiinae) |
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79 |
fungus (Gibellula pulchra) |
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80 |
ichneumonid wasps (Glypta spp.) |
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81 |
triangle weaver (Hyptiotes cavatus) |
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82 |
miserable mining bee (Andrena miserabilis) |
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83 |
oribatid mites (Galumna spp.) |
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84 |
tachinid fly (Gymnoclytia occidua) |
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85 |
lyre-tipped spreadwing (Lestes unguiculatus) |
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86 |
bot flies, blow flies, and allies (Superfamily Oestroidea) |
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87 |
American harlequin (Xanthogramma flavipes) |
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88 |
oak gall wasps (Tribe Cynipini) |
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89 |
flat bug (Aradus robustus) |
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90 |
non-biting midges (Family Chironomidae) |
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91 |
tortricid leafroller moths (Family Tortricidae) |
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92 |
non-biting midge (Psectrotanypus dyari) |
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93 |
unequal cellophane bee (Colletes inaequalis) |
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94 |
rufous-backed cellophane bee (Colletes rufocinctus) |
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95 |
contrasted long-jawed spider (Tetragnatha straminea) |
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96 |
winter midge (Diamesa mendotae) |
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97 |
oblique-banded pond fly (Sericomyia chrysotoxoides) |
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98 |
yellow-haired falsehorn (Temnostoma balyras) |
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99 |
lump-legged swamp fly (Anasimyia chrysostoma) |
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100 |
mountain ash sawfly (Pristiphora geniculata) |
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101 |
leafhopper (Macropsis basalis) |
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102 |
rust fly (Loxocera cylindrica) |
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103 |
black-headed ash sawfly (Tethida barda) |
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104 |
treehopper (Archasia belfragei) |
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105 |
gray pug moth (Eupithecia subfuscata) |
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106 |
large clover casebearer moth (Coleophora trifolii) |
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107 |
Brown-staining Cheese Polypore (Fuscopostia fragilis) |
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108 |
scarlet plant bugs (Lopidea spp.) |
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109 |
rose plume moth (Cnaemidophorus rhododactyla) |
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110 |
red-lipped lacewing (Chrysoperla rufilabris) |
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111 |
dusky-banded leafwalker (Chalcosyrphus nemorum) |
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112 |
chalcidid wasps (Conura side complex) |
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113 |
fragile forktail (Ischnura posita) |
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114 |
lance flies (Lonchaea spp.) |
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115 |
distinct quaker (Achatia distincta) |
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116 |
snipe fly (Chrysopilus proximus) |
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117 |
black locust treehopper (Vanduzea arquata) |
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118 |
New York scalewort (Frullania eboracensis) |
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119 |
purplish stylus money spider (Styloctetor purpurescens) |
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120 |
banded olethreutes moth (Olethreutes fasciatana) |
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121 |
yellow-spotted webworm moth (Anageshna primordialis) |
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122 |
low-horned wrinkleheads (Chrysogaster spp.) |
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123 |
spotted cobweaver (Thymoites unimaculatus) |
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124 |
short-winged Darwin wasp (Agrothereutes abbreviatus) |
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125 |
common sawflies (Subfamily Nematinae) |
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126 |
ichneumonid wasps (Subfamily Campopleginae) |
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127 |
Nebraska harvestman (Leiobunum ventricosum) |
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128 |
braconid wasps (Spathius spp.) |
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129 |
Newman’s mathildana moth (Mathildana newmanella) |
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130 |
limoniid crane fly (Gnophomyia tristissima) |
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131 |
twigsitters (Holopogon spp.) |
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132 |
treehopper (Telamona decorata) |
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133 |
dung fly (Cordilura varipes) |
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134 |
limoniid crane fly (Antocha saxicola) |
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135 |
brown lacewings (Micromus spp.) |
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136 |
grape plume moth (Geina periscelidactylus) |
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137 |
northern eudeilinia moth (Eudeilinia herminiata) |
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138 |
variegated midget (Elaphria versicolor) |
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139 |
clastopterid spittlebugs (Clastoptera spp.) |
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140 |
spotted cuckoo spider wasp (Ceropales maculata) |
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141 |
green cloverworm moth (Hypena scabra) |
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142 |
ichneumonid wasps (Euceros spp.) |
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143 |
predatory stink bug (Podisus brevispinus) |
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144 |
buffalo treehoppers and allies (Tribe Ceresini) |
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145 |
white long-legged cobweaver (Theridion albidum) |
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146 |
hairy poplar sawfly (Cladius grandis) |
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147 |
dwarf spiders (Subfamily Erigoninae) |
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148 |
olethreutine leafroller moths (Olethreutes spp.) |
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149 |
hairy-eyed mimic (Mallota posticata) |
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150 |
rhododendron leafhopper (Graphocephala fennahi) |
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151 |
dusky mucksucker (Orthonevra pulchella) |
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152 |
picture-winged fly (Callopistromyia strigula) |
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153 |
moth mullein (Verbascum blattaria) |
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154 |
sidewalk mites (Balaustium spp.) |
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155 |
large crane flies (Dolichopeza spp.) |
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156 |
house fly (Eudasyphora cyanicolor) |
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157 |
cow vetch (Vicia cracca) |
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158 |
chalcidoid wasps (Oodera spp.) |
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159 |
two-spotted tree cricket (Neoxabea bipunctata) |
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160 |
snipe fly (Chrysopilus modestus) |
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161 |
narrow-winged tree cricket (Oecanthus niveus) |
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162 |
wild pansy (Viola tricolor) |
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163 |
limoniid crane fly (Erioptera chlorophylla) |
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164 |
rice leaf bug (Trigonotylus caelestialium) |
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165 |
four-toothed mason wasp (Monobia quadridens) |
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166 |
sawflies, horntails, and wood wasps (Suborder Symphyta) |
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167 |
sawflies, horntails, and wood wasps (Suborder Symphyta) |
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168 |
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169 |
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170 |
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short-collared soldier beetle (Podabrus brevicollis) | John Valo |
confederate violet (Viola sororia f. priceana) |
John Valo | |
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swamp rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) |
John Valo |
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Newfoundland Chanterelle (Cantharellus enelensis) |
John Valo |
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jewel bug (Homaemus aeneifrons) | John Valo |