Insects of Alberta

Insects of Alberta - Home

Introduction:

There are about 20,000 species of insects in Alberta. They range in size from millimetre long beetles to 10 centimetre long dragonflies. Due to the sheer number of insects in Alberta, making a photographic record of each, let alone finding them to photograph is a long process. As such this website will be continuously evolving as new insects are photographed and added to it. In general you will find photographs in it that will allow you to identify the most commonly occurring insects in Alberta and some of the rarer ones too! Check back regularly as new photographs and insects are added. Enjoy!

Classification:

Under the Linnaean system of classification insects are placed in the Phylum Arthropoda, Superclass Hexapoda and then the Class Insecta. Below this they are sub-divided into 28 Orders. The sub-divisions that I have made for each button (on the left of the screen) cover most of the orders. Damselflies will be found under the "Dragonflies" button. Homoptera (aphids, cicadas and hoppers) and Hemiptera (true bugs) are found under "True Bugs". Any insect that does not fall into one of these buttons / subdivisions can be found under other insects (i.e. cockroaches, caddisflies, lacewings, ant-lions, springtails, mayflies, and stoneflies).

If you have an ID request or question you may contact Insects of Alberta at: insectsofalberta@shaw.ca ^{1 & 2}
Please provide the date and location with all photos to aid in identification - due to the volume of e-mail, photos without this information will not be identified.

Insects of Alberta would like to thank the following people for their contributions to this website: D. Johnson, E. Eaton, J. Acorn, H. Goulet, G. Townsend, B. Patterson, J. Troubridge, J. Bovee, P. Beuk, C. Bird, D. MacEachem, C. Calahesin, B. Airhart, J. Bregar, G. Anweiler, N. Kondla, H. MacMillan, B. Oswald, T. MacDonald, W. Kipp, G. Brousseau, D. Shaw, M. Baier, P. Marlowe, D. Kohls, M. Buck, L. Pollock, R. Heavy Head, I. Morozoff, J.A. Garland and J. Ascher.

Please Note: Insects of Alberta does not provide advice on controlling insect pests. If you need more information beyond what is provided here, either contact a local exterminator or search further on the web.


	News, Resources and Other Cool Stuff

	Educational Resources		Biodiversity & Historical Species Lists
	Eliminate household fruit fly infestations		Build a Bumble Bee house for your garden
	Canadian Insect News		Where do Insects of Alberta visitors live?

¹Please Note: Submitters own the copyright to and are solely responsible for any content that is submitted to Insects of Alberta.
²This e-mail address has opted out of CEM correspondence under CASL