Insects
Thousands of species of insects live in the Chesapeake Bay region, in nearly every habitat. Insects serve as a major food source for larger animals, including fish, birds, mammals and reptiles.
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Baltimore Checkerspot
Euphydryas phaetonThe Baltimore checkerspot is a black, orange and white butterfly that feeds on white turtlehead leaves and nectar. It can be found in the entire Chesapeake Bay region.
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Bumble Bee
BombusBumble bees are small, black and yellow fuzzy insects found throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. They are important pollinators and are threatened by pesticides, herbicides, habitat loss, disease and climate change.
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Emerald Ash Borer
Agrilus planipennisThe emerald ash borer is a green, shiny beetle that lives on ash trees in certain parts of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. It is an invasive species.
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European Gypsy Moth
Lymantria disparThe European gypsy moth is a destructive, invasive pest. Moth larvae gorge themselves on shrub and tree leaves, leaving them bare and susceptible to disease and damage from other pests.
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European Honey Bee
Apis melliferaThe European honey bee, found worldwide, is known for its delicious honey and painful sting.
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Monarch Butterfly
Danaus plexippusThe monarch butterfly is known for its bright orange and black wings, which signal to potential predators that the species is poisonous.
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Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle
Cicindela dorsalis dorsalisThe northeastern beach tiger beetle is a tiny, sand-colored beetle that lives on sandy beaches throughout the middle and lower Chesapeake Bay.
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Spotted Lanternfly
Lycorma delicatulaThe spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect with distinctive spotted wings. It damages plants by feeding on the sap which weakens the plant and attracts mold and other insects.
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Zebra Swallowtail
Eurytides marcellusThe zebra swallowtail is a butterfly with thick, black stripes on its white wings. It lives in moist, low woodlands where its host plant, the paw paw tree, grows.