Top 20 Most Common Insects in Mexico City

The black Witch (Ascalapha odorata) is given this spooky name because its part in folklore being associated with misfortune or death. In the novel, The Silence of the Lambs, they were placed in the mouths of the victims of Buffalo Bill. They can be identified with darker colorings and undertones of purple and pink.

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.

The Stenomacra marginella can be identified primarily with the bright-orange borders around their brown bodies. They are commonly found around short grasses nearby streams due to their affinity for moisture. As a result, they can swarm up the bodies of trees during floods.

A large butterfly with a wingspan of 8 - 11 cm. The females are dimorphic, either resembling the male or dark forms lacking the cream median and postdiscal bands contrasting with deep black ground colour.

The western spotted orbweaver (Neoscona oaxacensis) has a large, round abdomen that's brown with white spots. It builds its webs in open areas, making it easy to spot. Its webs are circular like other spiders, but instead of making a stabilimentum web like other orb weavers, its webs are more sporadic and spaced out.

The black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) is one of the fastest swallowtails out there. With a lifespan that maxes out at 45 days, it has a limited amount of time to get a mate. As a result, courtship is only around forty seconds long. They can also put their abdomen at the top of their wings, keeping them warm during colder flights.

Catasticta nimbice, the pine white or Mexican dartwhite, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found from Costa Rica north to Mexico. Rare strays can be found as far north as the Chisos Mountains of western Texas. The wingspan is 45–57 mm (1.8–2.2 in). The upperside is creamy tan with thick black veins. There is a wide black outer margin surrounding the cream-colored spots. Males perch and patrol for females. Adults are on wing year round in Mexico. They have been recorded feeding on nectar from Fuscia, Lantana and Senecio species in Costa Rica. The larvae feed on parasitic mistletoes, including Struthantus species and Phoradendron velutinum. They feed in groups. Pupae are found in groups on tree trunks and look like bird droppings.

The horsefly-like carpenter bee (Xylocopa tabaniformis) looks and acts like a carpenter bee. Its ability as a natural actor allows it to get access to flowers that Carpenter bees (Xylocopa) would normally get. The "horsefly-like" portion of its name comes from its pitch-black appearance making it similar to some horseflies.