Photographs of invertebrates

These photographs are organised (rather pretentiously, perhaps) by phylum, class, order and family, and then identified by genus and species where known to me with at least moderate certainty.

Unless otherwise noted, these photographs were taken using a Sony DSC-F707 or DSC-H5 camera. Close-up lenses used include a set of Hoya lenses (+4, +2 and +1) and a reversed Yashica 50-mm lens.

See also vertebrates.

1. Arthropoda I D

1.1 Insecta

1.1.1 Anoplura

• Human head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis): adult ~3 mm long (Montréal, 2004 Oct 23)

1.1.2 Coleoptera

1.1.2.1 Coccinellidæ

• Ladybug: larva top, side; adult top. side. After help from Marc on sci.bio.entomology.misc, I think this is a multicoloured Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis). These two individuals were seen within a couple of metres of the same spot, two days apart. (Montréal, 2004 Jul 4, 6)
  Ladybug pupa responding to touch (7.5 MB movie, Macromedia Flash; Montréal, 2004 Oct 23) as described by T. Eisner in For Love of Insects.
• 14-spotted lady bug (Propylea quatuordecimpunctata). (Montréal, 2005 Jun 18)

1.1.2.2 Family Chrysomelidæ

• Lily beetle

1.1.2.3 Curculionidæ

• Weevil: bottom, top. From descriptions and pictures I've seen, I think this might be a palmetto weevil, or possibly a Florida bromeliad weevil (or who knows what else). (Daytona Beach, 2003 Mar 7)

1.1.2.4 Dermestidæ

This family includes skin, carpet, larder and museum beetles, etc.

• Dermestid beetle: top, top, front/side. Length ~2 mm; found on wall in upstairs bathroom. (Montréal, 2005 Apr 15)

1.1.2.5 Erotylidæ

• Pleasing fungus beetle: top, side. Found on under surface of lid of compost bin. (Montréal, 2005 Apr 9)

1.1.2.6 Lampyridæ

• Firefly: alive & illuminated (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 11); dead top, side, bottom, bottom close-up (Montréal,2004 Jun 19)

1.1.3 Diptera

1.1.3.1 Dolichopodidæ

• Long-legged fly: top, side. ~6 mm long. (Montréal, 2005 Jun 18)

1.1.3.2 Muscidæ

• House fly. The differences between house flies and blow flies (Calliphoridæ) can be subtle so I might be wrong about this one. (Montréal, 2004 Jul 18)

1.1.3.3 Syrphidæ

• Hover fly: top, side. ~8 mm long, on a mock-orange blossom. (Montréal, 2005 Jun 18)

1.1.3.4 Tipulidæ

• Crane fly, ~22 mm long, resting on garage door. (Montréal, 2005 May 28)

1.1.4 Hemiptera

Some people refer to the Hemiptera as Heteroptera. Some people use the term Hemiptera to refer to both the Heteroptera and the Homoptera.

1.1.4.1 Lygæidæ

• Small Eastern milkweed bug (Lygæus kalmii): sitting on milkweed pod (Pierrefonds, 2003 Sep 27)

1.1.4.2 Pentatomidæ

• Stink bug: top, front. Banasa dimidiata? (Montréal, near Lachine Rapids, 2004 Jul 17)
• Stink bug nymph: top, bottom (Montréal, 2004 Aug 25)

1.1.4.3 Coreidæ

• Leaf-footed bug (squash bug): top, right front, right rear. Western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occidentalis? Note the leaf-like expansion of the hind leg. (Montréal, found in kitchen, 2013 Oct 13)

1.1.4.4 Cimicidæ

• Bed bug: overall, close-up. ~4 mm long. (Montréal, 2005 Oct 23)

1.1.5 Homoptera

Some people include Homoptera with the Hemiptera.

• Aphid: body ~1.2 mm long. Notice the little tubes (cornicles) coming out of the back of the abdomen. (Montréal, 2004 Aug 27)
• Cicada: overall, close-up (Montréal, 2004 Sep 5)

1.1.6 Hymenoptera

• Sandhills hornet (Vespula arenaria): face, side (Montréal, 2003 Aug 23)
• Bald-face hornet (Vespula maculata): 1, 2 (Montréal, 2003 Aug 23)
• Gasteruptiid wasp (Gasteruption): side. Very long hind legs, long thin ovipositor. (Montréal, 2004 Jul 18)
• Ant (Montréal, 2004 Aug 8)
• Sweat bee (Montréeal, 2020 Jul 10)

1.1.7 Lepidoptera

1.1.7.1 Caterpillars

• Gypsy moth (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 12)
• Hawk moth (Ceratomia undulosa?) (Parc René-Lévesque, Montréal, 2002 Aug 27)
• Case-making moth (Tinea): overall, close-up (found on bathroom wall, Montréal, 2004 Oct 16; photographed on wall, in jar lid and on grey card)
• Fall webworm: nest; single caterpillar showing true legs (3 pairs) and prolegs (Montréal, 2021 Jul 19)
• Forest tent caterpillar: group on tree (Montréal, 2004 Jun 5); caterpillar on sculpture showing silk mat (Montréal, 2017 Jun 24)

1.1.7.2 Skippers

• Skipper: least skipper (Ancyloxypha numitor)? (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 13)

1.1.7.3 Moths I D

• Primrose moth (Schinia florida): side, top. There were 3 moths resting in the same plant, one with a wrinkled wing. (Montreal, 2003 Jul 27)
• Chickweed moth (Hæmatopis grataria) (I am told that the spelling ‘Hæmatopsis’ used by Holland (1903) is mentioned as a misspelling by Hodges et al., 1983.) This moth was behaving as described by Holland, resting in the grass. (Montréal, near Pont Mercier, 2003 Aug 1)
• Moth: overall, close-up (2004 Jul 12); closer-up top, side (2005 May 26, 27). On basement wall; ~7 mm long. (Montréal). Possibly a clothes moth (Tineidæ), either the webbing clothes moth (Tineola) or the less common case-making clothes moth (Tinea); perhaps more likely to be the latter because of the mottled wings, and the fact that I've also found a case-making caterpillar (see above, 2004 Oct 16).
• Moth: overall, close-up. Asleep on garage wall; wingspread ~17 mm (Montréal, 2004 Aug 7)

1.1.7.4 Butterflies I D

• Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus): wings folded, unfolded (Mississauga, 2003 Sep 6)
• Viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archippus): wings spread, folded. Note the black line across the hindwings, distinguishing it from the monarch. (Sandbanks Provincial Park, 2010 Aug 7)
• Sulphur butterfly: wings spread, folded. (Sandbanks Provincial Park, 2010 Aug 7)
• Cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapæ): female side, top; female and male (Montréal, near Pont Champlain, 2003 Sep 21; and downtown, Sep 22)
• Common blue butterfly: female, wings spread, folded (Montréal, 2021 Jul 19)

1.1.8 Mantodea

• Praying mantis (Stittsville, 2006 Aug)

1.1.9 Odonata

• Dragonfly (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 11)
• Dragonfly (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 13)
• Dragonfly (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 16)
• Dragonfly: recently born, wings have not dried straight (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 16)
• Dragonfly being born (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 17)
• Dragonfly (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 19)
• Dragonfly (Sherbrooke, 2004 Jul 28)
• Damselfly (near Canal Beauharnois, 2002 Aug 4)
• Damselfly (near Canal Beauharnois, 2002 Aug 4)
• Damselfly (Daytona Beach, FL, 2003 Mar 3)
• Damselfly (Mississauga, 2003 Sep 6)
• Damselfly, same markings as one in Florida; close-up (Montréal near Lachine Rapids, 2004 Jul 17)

1.1.10 Orthoptera

• Grasshopper (Montréal, 2003 Sep 21)
• Grasshopper (Mont Bellevue, Sherbrooke, 2005 Sep 4)

1.1.11 Thysanura

1.1.11.1 Lepismatidæ

• Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina?) eating; when disturbed by the flash it carried its food away, disappearing into the baseboard (basement, Montréal, 2004 Dec 8)
• Firebrat (Thermobia domestica?): top, side, close-up (downtown office floor, Montréal, 2005 Sep 18)

1.2 Arachnida

1.2.1 Araneæ I D

• Shamrock spider, Araneus trifolium?: top, bottom. Family Araneidæ. (Sherbrooke, 2003 Oct 11)
• Dysderid spider: legs spread; legs bunched over head and spinnerets visible. Family Dysderidæ, Dysdera crocata? Found in basement bathroom, photographed in lid of peanut-butter jar on 0.1" graph paper, then released outdoors (Montréal, 2004 Aug 3)
• Baby spiders: bodies about 1 mm long; mother and babies. In compost bin. (Montréal, 2004 Aug 7)
• Family Agelenidæ (funnel web weavers): top view (porch, Aug 15); front view with eyes, cheliceræ (fangs) and pedipalps (in basement bathroom, Aug 18); eyes and cephalothorax (in compost bin, Aug 7); eyes (2nd-floor window frame, Aug 16). Bodies about 8-10 mm long. (Montréal, 2004 Aug)
• Black-and-yellow argiope, Argiope aurantia? With egg sac. Family Araneidæ. (Conley Road, Ottawa, 2006 Aug 4)
• Jumping spider with prey. Family Salticidæ. Spider was ~2 mm long. This image was created from two images using CombineZM to obtain greater depth of field. (Montréal, 2007 Aug 26)

1.2.2 Opiliones

• Two daddy-long-legs: brown (Phalangium opilio) and eastern (Leiobunum)? Apparently fighting. (Île aux Allumettes, 2002 Jul 19)

1.3 Malacostraca (superclass Crustacea)

1.3.1 Isopoda

• Pillbug (Montréal, 2003 Oct 10): grey, two (grey and brown), curled up, uncurling,
• Sowbug: note the appendages at the back, and the fact that it's not curling up when disturbed (Montréal, found on garage floor, photographed on hand, 2005 Apr 10)

1.4 Chilopoda

Centipedes.

1.4.1 Lithobiida

• Garden centipede: overall, head, tail. Note the eyes, each consisting of a cluster of ocelli. Found in basement bathroom; captured, photographed and returned to bathroom. While transferring from one enclosure to another, apparently injured it so that it could not move its rearmost few pairs of legs. (Montréal, 2005 May 23)

1.4.2 Scutigerida

• House centipede: 1, found on kitchen floor (Montréal, 2004 Aug 16); 2, found in basement bathroom, captured, photographed and returned to bathroom. (Montréal, 2005 May 23)
• In sink. Note smaller size, fewer legs, and lack of stripes on legs. (Montréal, 2002 Aug 4);

1.5 Diplopoda

• Millipede: orange colour (Montréal, 2003 May 4); with pillbug, with legs visible (Montréal, 2003 Oct 10)

1.6 Xiphosurida

• Horseshoe crab (Limulus): 1, 2 (Florida, 2003 Mar 3, in aquarium)

2. Annelida

• Earthworm: knotted, unknotted. (Montréal, 2002 Jun 9)

3. Cnidaria

Alternate, deprecated name is Cœlenterata.

3.1 Anthozoa

• Sea anenome (Marineland, Florida, 2003 Mar 3)

3.2 Cubozoa, Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa I D

• Cannonball jellyfish, Stomolophus meleagris (ref ): side view, bottom view (Daytona Beach, 2003 Feb 24 & Mar 4)
• Portuguese man o' war; this is not a jellyfish, although commonly referred to that way (Varadero, Cuba, 2009 Mar 22)
• By-the-wind sailor, Velella velella (Varadero, Cuba, 2009 Mar 22)

4. Echinodermata

• Seastar (starfish) (Daytona Beach, 2003 Mar 4)

5. Mollusca

5.1 Gastropoda

5.1.1 Stylommatophora

• Snail (Helix?) on plant (Mississauga, 2003 Sep 6)
• Snail (Helix?) on hand: 1, 2, 3, (Mississauga, 2003 Sep 6)
• Snail (Helix?) on tree (Pierrefonds, 2003 Sep 27)
• Slug (Limax maximus): top; side with pneumostome open (Montréal, 2003 Oct 10)
• Slug (Arion rufus?), ~10 mm diameter (Sherbrooke, 2005 Sep 4)
• Slug, ~15 mm diameter (Vancouver Island, 2005 Aug 10)