Genus Boreus

'boreus' (northern) refers to the distribution of these insects

10 species in NA (8 western, 2 eastern), 15 more in Eurasia; (1)

2-6 mm

Adults dark-colored with an elongated rostrum ("beak"), long antennae, vestigial wings, and long hind legs adapted to jumping; female has a straight ovipositor about the same length as the rostrum, and tapering to a point; males have a blunt rounded abdominal tip

Key to spp.: Carpenter 1935, pp. 111-112

widespread throughout the Holarctic Region, with 10 spp. in NA (AK to NB, south in the east to VA & TN, south in the west to CA & AZ), of which only two eastern (B. brumalis and B. nivoriundus)(1)

on surface of snow at high elevations in southern part of range; on snow in various habitats farther north

adults active from November to March in southern part of range; spring and summer in the far north (e.g. Alaska)

larvae and adults feed on leafy parts of mosses(2)

The mating behavior peculiar among insects: the male grasps the female with his slender, hardened wings and moves her to a position above his back, with the lower part of her ovipositor inserted into his ninth (genital) segment(3) (photo of mating couple; the female, on the male's back, has the base of her ovipositor touching the tip of the male's upturned abdomen)