By: Mariam Adegoke, Colby College
Welcome to Mariam’s Top 5 list of Beetles found in Taku, British Columbia, Canada on the 2025 Round River trip. In this list, I will be ranking 5 of the beetles I’ve found on this trip based on shape, color, and location they were found in. Stay tuned to see which beetle gets placed at #1!
Disclaimer: All beetles are identified to the best of my ability. They are really small and difficult to ID.
#5 – Seven Spotted Lady Beetle (Coccinella septempunctata)
This first beetle may be a controversial take as it’s so popular, but the lady beetle at this point is overdone and not interesting enough for me to rank it higher on this list. My luck has gone up three times, sighting this beetle once at Sentinel’s Bowl during an ungulate survey and then twice at Llewellyn Glacier. It gained points for landing on my mosquito net (seen above), but lost points when one bit me on top of a hill in Sentinel’s Bowl. Both locations were phenomenal, one being on the edge of a glacial moraine with an amazing view. It gained points for its bright red color and nice round shape. If it wasn’t so common and mean, it would’ve ranked higher on this list.
#4 – Common Name Unknown (Genus Syneta)
The rest of the beetles on this list are ones I’ve never seen before, likely because I never took the time to look, but this seed-looking beetle was found on Spruce Mountain right before we conducted an ungulate survey at the summit. Most of the vegetation there consisted of lichens and avens. It was incredibly windy at the top, which is likely why he decided to stop and hold onto me so he wouldn’t get blown away. He didn’t do much and I eventually had to put him on the ground for the survey, but he was just really plain. I liked his colors and the dark line that goes down the middle of his back. The mountain had a beautiful view, but it was a cloudy day. Overall, not too interesting.
#3 – Cold Country Caterpillar Hunter (Calosoma frigidum)
This is our first large beetle and for this, he ranks 3 on the list. Not to mention that he was spotted at the top of a low alpine mountain, making a frantic escape as I attempted to take a picture of him without dropping my summer sausage and cheddar tortilla sandwich? Burrito? Taco? Anyway, the location was great, but better views had been seen by this point. He is easily the most energetic beetle on this list and even took flight so that I could see his wings. Despite his lack of color, he is sleek and asocial and I love him for that.
#2 – Common Name Unknown (Subfamily Cantharinae)
Getting into the big numbers here, my #2 on this list is the bear spray beetle. I call her this simply because I don’t know the common name, but the design of this beetle just scratched an itch in my brain that I didn’t know I had. This small, pill shaped beetle is not afraid of anything, even bear spray. She came into our camp near Dominion Creek and made sure that we weren’t doing anything she didn’t approve of. In addition to this, after backpacking near a glacier for six days, Dominion Creek was a great change of pace and view. The power radiating off of this beetle really spoke to me and I knew in that moment she would become #2 on this list.
Honorable Mention: Aphids (Order Hemiptera)
Before we get to #1, I have to be annoying and add an honorable mention. Aphids! These small green bugs have been at every camp we’ve stayed at. They always seem to find me and catch my attention. For such small green bugs, they aren’t hard to spot. So watch out, that leaf or seed might just be an aphid! (They will destroy your home garden).
#1 – Sawyer Beetle (Genus Monochamus)
Finally! On to our best beetle! The Sawyer beetle. Another huge beetle, but there is a reason why this beetle is on a hat; he hitched a ride on Ruby as they went down Monarch Mountain. While the view doesn’t compare to some of the other places we’ve been to, looking down on Atlin Lake will never get old. This clever guy went unnoticed despite his size. I have a feeling this isn’t the first time that he has done this. Smarts aside, his antennas are impressive, they’re longer than his body, which provide for an intimidating appearance. He is also speckled with white dots which likely help him camouflage against the speckles of light that make their way to the forest floor. I like his “grab life by the horns” attitude and his excessive laziness. If I was a beetle in my next life, I hope to become him.
Have You Seen This Beetle? 
Before I let you go, if you’re ever in British Columbia, Canada, make sure to look out for the Spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis). While this beetle is native to British Columbia, this beetle is the most damaging pest of hybrid white spruce. While it’s hard to tell when the spruce beetle has struck, typically about a year after, the leaves will turn a yellowish green then grey. If you find yourself in an area with hybrid white spruce trees that seem ill, find and get rid of one of their biggest enemies.
Anddddd. . . . Just For Fun!
Here is everyone’s favorite:
Ben: Sawyer Beetle
Wyatt: Cold Country Caterpillar Hunter
Karyssa: Seven Spotted Lady Beetle
Katie: Seed Beetle
Ruby: Sawyer Beetle
Gabe: Seven Spotted Lady Beetle
Micheal: Seven Spotted Lady Beetle
Lauren: Seven Spotted Lady Beetle
Lots of seven spotted lady beetle enjoyers, good thing it’s my list! I hope you enjoyed.
