Insects

New Orthoptera Species for Martha’s Vineyard

Late summer 2026 saw four species of Orthoptera added to the Martha’s Vineyard checklist. The new species included both apparent imports and species that have presumably been present but overlooked for many years.

Carrion Beetles: the Subfamily Silphinae

The eight carrion beetle species known from Martha’s Vineyard may have an image problem, but these insects are as interesting as they are important.

New Vineyard Orthoptera Records

Recent observations bring the Vineyard’s Orthoptera checklist to 71 species.

A New Obsession

Photographer and teacher Chris Baer explains his fascination with finding and documenting the obscure wildlife that surrounds us all.

American Golden Longhorn (Callicera erratica)

Found in West Tisbury on May 3, 2025, a male Callicera erratica represented a new species of hoverfly for Martha’s Vineyard – and apparently for Massachusetts as well.

Protandrena compositarum

Protandrena compositarum, a small, specialized bee associated with aster flowers, has been documented for the first time on Martha’s Vineyard.

Neotridactylus apicialis

Neotridactylus apicialis, the larger pygmy mole grasshopper, has been documented on Martha’s Vineyard – the 69th species of Orthoptera known from the island.

Stylogaster neglecta

Apparently a first record for Martha’s Vineyard, the Conopid fly Stylogaster neglecta was recently found outside the BiodiversityWorks office in Vineyard Haven.

Microdon fulgens on Martha’s Vineyard

The discovery of the “ant fly” Microdon fulgens on Martha’s Vineyard extends the known distribution of the colorful, mainly southern Syprhid fly by about 250 miles.

Correllus State Forest Moth Night

More than 40 moth enthusiasts joined BiodiversityWorks for our traditional blacklighting event at Correllus State Forest on July 2, 2024.