Aphrophora permutata “Douglas Fir Spittlebug” Cercopidae
Missoula, MT
September 14, 2013
Robert Niese
Month: November 2014
Rhizocarpon geographicum “Map Lichen"
Mount Rainier National Park, WA
August 9, 2013
Robert Niese
Map Lichen is an easily recognizable montane species of crustose lichen that can be found throughout the Pacific Northwest. Look for its characteristic yellow thallus with black apothecia (the black dots surrounded by yellow). Individual lichens are bordered by a thick black line (seen clearly in the center left of this image) which makes them look somewhat like delineated countries on a map (hence the name).
Mantis religiosa “European Mantis” Mantidae
Woodinville, WA
August 13, 2013
Robert Niese
Native mantids are exceedingly rare in Washington, but that doesn’t make the introduced and abundant European Mantis any less photogenic. If you’re interested in finding natives, try scouring sagebrush habitats in central Washington for Litaneutria, a small gray ground mantis.
Calypso bulbosa “Calypso Orchid” or “Pink Fairy Slipper” Orchidaceae
Glacier National Park, MT
June 22, 2014
Robert Niese
The Calypso Orchid has an amazingly broad circumboreal distribution. From Japan to Mongolia, Scandinavia to Newfoundland, New Mexico to Alaska – this single species can be found in nearly every montane coniferous forest in the Northern Hemisphere. In spite of this C. bulbosa is considered endangered in Sweden, Finland, and several U.S. states due to its extreme sensitivity to even the slightest human disturbances.
Brochymena affinis “Pacific Northwest Rough Stink Bug” Pentatomidae
Missoula, MT
September 14, 2013
Robert Niese
Pentidotea (Idotea) wosnesenskii “Kelp Isopod” Isopoda
Olympic National Park, WA
June 1, 2013
Robert Niese
This is an abundant intertidal crustacean that feasts on algae growing among mussel and barnacle beds throughout northern Pacific rocky coastlines. They range in color from purple to red to brown to green, depending on their current algae diet.
Cercyonis pegala "Common Wood-nymph" Nymphalidae
Missoula,MT
September 2, 2013
Robert Niese
Adiantum pedatum (aleuticum) "Northern Maidenhair Fern" Pteridaceae
Victoria, BC
May 24, 2014
Robert Niese
Sinodendron rugosum “Rugose Stag Beetle” Lucanidae
Tacoma, WA
July 2, 2013
Robert Niese
This adorable stag beetle is the only member of its genus found in North America. It is also commonly consumed by the endangered Spotted Owl.
Vaccinium ovalifolium “Oval-leaf Bluberry” Ericaceae
Mount Rainier National Park, WA
August 9, 2013
Robert Niese
Northwest Naturalist 