In the Wild
From maddeningly itch-inducing to the wonderprovoking, take a look at insects you can expect to encounter this summer–even if you’re staying at home.
GIANT WATER BUG (Lethocerus americanus)
Southern Canada Also known as “toe-biters,” giant water bugs are exactly what they sound like: huge aquatic bugs with big pincers. These fierce predators survive on water-dwelling animals, even small fish! They don’t want to eat your toes, but still, leave them alone: they’ll deliver a painful bite if provoked.
FIREFLY (Lampyridae)
Southern Ontario Although Canada is home to nearly 30 species of these elusive, beautiful bugs, southern Ontario and Eastern Canada are where you’re most likely to encounter one. Last year, the nation’s capital, Ottawa, was full of these twinkly insects, whose shine is the result of a chemical reaction.
YUCCA MOTH (Tegeticula yuccasella)
Alberta These small white moths aren’t very noticeable, but they’re essential pollinators of Alberta’s soapweed yuccas, a member of the agave family. The moths, which don’t feed during their short lives, are gone by this point in the year, having spread the yucca’s pollen. But their larvae are busy gorging on yucca ahead of their winter dormancy.
JUMPING SPIDER (Habronattus decorus)
B.C. to New Brunswick Among British Columbia’s 700 known spider species, the jumping spiders, like flashy Habronattus decorus, stand out. These active spiders can be spotted wandering around in pursuit of food or mates, and the summer is their busiest time. You can tell the male H. decorus apart from other species by its red iridescent abdomen, which it displays in courtship rituals.
ARCTIC WOOLLY BEAR MOTH (Gynaephora groenlandica)
Arctic Found around the Arctic Circle, these moths spend up to 14 years as caterpillars, emerging for just a month each summer — June to early July — to eat before returning to dormancy. They freeze solid in the colder parts of the year.