Top 20 Most Common Insects in Manitoba
Welcome to the enthralling world of insects in Manitoba where varied landscapes shape insect diversity. These tiny beings, distinguished by their segmented bodies and three pairs of jointed legs, play crucial roles from pollination to pest control in our ecosystems. Explore our list of the top 20 to witness how Manitoba's environment influences both harmful and beneficial insect populations. Discover, understand and appreciate the unsung heroes of our state's vibrant ecological canvas.
Most Common Insects
1. Monarch butterfly
The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is the most recognizable butterfly in North America. It is best known for its appearance, but should be better known for the fact that it has a 3000-mile migration that takes the butterfly 4 generations to complete. Their diet is also a natural deterrent for predators, as they eat milkweed, a poison that induces vomiting.
2. Pearl crescent
The pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos) is an orange butterfly that lives in open areas that are generally moist and sunny. These butterflies are attracted to puddles, and the males will often fight with other male butterflies that land near the same puddle. However, females are not as aggressive and prefer to stay in groups.
3. Silvery blue
Its upperside is a light blue in males and a dull grayish blue in females. The underside is gray with a single row of round spots of differing sizes depending upon the region. Wingspan is from 1.8 - 3 cm.
4. Clouded Sulphur
The scientific name is Colias philodice, also known as the clouded Sulphur. It is very commonly seen in North America with pale yellow wings, which have solid black borders on the upper surface and a doubled hindwing spot trimmed in brownish red. Interestingly, the wing color of the clouded Sulphur varies in a seasonal manner from white to yellow and the spots on the wings also change as well, being more pronounced during the cool months in spring and fall.
5. Cabbage white
Cabbage white (Pieris rapae) derives its common name from its habits as a caterpillar, which is a ferocious pest for cabbage, kale and broccoli farmers. In North America, it is one of the first butterflies to emerge in spring, heralding the beginning of the season.
6. Mourning cloak
The state insect of Montana, mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) owes its name to a visual comparison with a girl who, disliking mourning, allows a few inches of color to show from under her mourning garb. Among the longest-lived butterflies, individuals may persist for as long as eleven to twelve months. It is a powerful flier, with vagrants often found many miles from the usual migration paths.
7. Canada thistle gall fly
The thistle boring fly (Urophora cardui) is a fly from the family of boreholes (Tephritidae).
8. Multicolored asian ladybeetle
Often confused for the ladybug, multicolored asian ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis) is a separate species that, unlike the ladybug, is a household pest. It is considered particularly annoying for its habit of returning to places from which it is removed. One of the most variable species in the world, there are many different colors and patterns multicolored asian ladybeetle may display, making identification potentially difficult.
9. Common wood nymph
The common wood nymph (Cercyonis pegala) is a brown butterfly that has eyespots located on it to assist in warding off predators, as they are pretty easily spooked by anything that looks like a giant face. Depending on the location, they may or may not come with the eyespots or additional yellow spots, giving them a good chunk of variance depending on growing environment.
10. Aphrodite fritillary
This orange coloured fritillary has rows of dark dots or chevrons at the wing edges and black or brown lines more proximally. The ventral sides of the wings are also orange with several rows of white dots.Its wingspan is between 5 cm and 7 cm.
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