Hey Entsoc Alberta, the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) is looking for expressions of interest from individuals wishing to serve as Species Specialist Subcommittee Co-Chair. Arthropod specialists would be greatly welcomed on the Committee!

@brevan_w_photography photographed this absolutely stunning Polyphemus Moth (Antheraea polyphemus). A member of the Saturniidae giant silkmoths, this species is one of Alberta's most impressive insects in terms of size. Average wingspans can reach 6 inches for these fellas.

If a spider's got 8 legs, might as well use them fast. This amazing capture from my friend Ash was filmed in the Northern Alberta Peatlands. A swift Agelenidae Funnel Weaver spider masterfully takes down a horsefly that has gotten stuck in its silky lair!

This magic orb is actually an Armadillidium vulgare or common pillbug photographed by Aldo from the Boyd Lab at the UofA. If you've kept a close eye on the arthropod scene over the past few decades, you may have noticed more and more isopods slowly creeping into Alberta.

Ever noticed ants hanging out on plants with their aphid buddies? Those are just some farmers tending to their cattle! Bugsnapz captured these Formica neoclara ants in Banff making sure all is well in the aphid farm.

@albertabugs captured this wonderful emergence of orbweaver spiderlings! Like many other spiders, these species produce an eggsac that eventually results in these large clusters of 8-legged friends that are common throughout Alberta summers.

@aaronandronyk photographed this beauty of a cuckoo wasp, really capturing their stunning emerald look. These insects get their name from being kleptoparasites - laying eggs in nests of various other insect hosts.

This showy beetle is Collops bipunctatus, a member of the Melyridae (soft-winged flower beetle) family. This guy was found in a canola field, presumably preying on soft-bodied pests like lygus nymphs and aphids! Albertans have been spotting lots of Melyridae this summer!

Help protect our environment by learning how to identify and report invasive species! While participant age of 8+ is recommended, we suggest the whole family come out for this workshop! For more info and to sign up, check out the eventbrite page at: bit.ly/44UBFDv

Mayfly Monday! Today’s feature: one of the Western green drakes, Drunella grandis. The “green drake” name also applies to other species, like D. doddsii. These large nymphs crawl rocky riverbeds. Often, duns struggle to emerge, making them great for trout! 📸: Robert Hinchliffe

On Wednesdays, we wear pink! Our #Orthopteran friend does too, thanks to #erythrism, usually caused by a mutation. Many #insects rely on concealing colouration to match their environment, so spotting a bright pink one when the expectation is something more covert is a treat!

Today we’re looking at one of #Alberta’s largest orb-weavers: the cat-faced #spider (#Araneus gemmoides)! They vary in colour but always sport “cat ear” horns. Not uncommon in autumn, you might find them under eaves by porch lights, waiting for a meal! 📸: Al Poplin & Kirra Kent.

The Joint Annual Meeting of the Entomological Societies of Canada and Alberta is approaching fast! Interested to see what's on? Check out our event website! entsocalberta.ca/jam2025/

(1/2) Pleased to introduce ESAB’s October Featured #Entomologist, Dr. Kevin Judge!

(2/2) Thanks again to Dr. Judge for chatting with us, and sharing these lovely #insect photos! Check out those vibrant #eumastax #grasshoppers!

At Calgary for the Entomological Society of Canada × Entomological Society of Alberta joint meeting! LeafHope in the house, with more of our lab and project team arriving soon 👏 I can’t wait to see all the insect science happening in Canada! 🪲🇨🇦

Want to learn about beneficial insects? Field Heroes makes an appearance at the Entomological Society of Canada meeting in a great talk by Haley Catton !

For folks in Lethbridge and surrounding areas... Jessenia literally wrote the book on bumble bees lethbridgeherald.com/news/lethbridg… via @leth_herald

'Tis the season for vampiric inverts! Many #Tabanidae (#horseflies) are anautogenous: females need a blood meal for egg maturation. Folks in #Alberta know these are rather persistent flies with sharp bites and hypnotic eyes! 📸: Al Poplin (1) & cutecreepycrawlies on Instagram (2)

Entries are open for the #InsectWeek #Photography #Competition 🦗 Show us your best shots of the incredible world of insects for a chance to win great prizes. (T&Cs apply) 🗓️ Deadline: 31 October 🔗 insectweek.org/2025-photograp… #InsectWeek #PhotographyCompetition #Entomology