ICE BUGS (Grylloblattids)
STATUS: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED
Grylloblattids (also known as ice crawlers or rock crawlers) are a poorly known group of insects named for their resemblance to both crickets and cockroaches. They are restricted to cold and extreme habitats such as glaciated mountains or ice caves. Grylloblattids are found only in Japan, Siberia, the northwestern United States, and western Canada. There are 26 species known worldwide; the 10 North American species are restricted to icy mountains in Montana, California, Oregon, Washington, and western Canada. (info)
Current Status: As glaciers and ice fields recede due to the effects of climate change many grylloblattid habitats are threatened. Therefore, Grylloblattodea stands as the least known and the most threatened insect order. Conservation efforts are further complicated by an almost complete lack of information on grylloblattid life history, biology, and behavior. For example, the IUCN hasn't evaluated their status since 1996 and based on climate change since then, they are probably closer to endangered/critically endangered rather than vulnerable (iucn)
Jennie's Comment: Okay, so this isn't the cutest endangered animal, but it's super cool. I just found out about this family of extremophile and wingless insects that live in the cold on top of mountains and I was so in awe of them. I think the last place I'd expect insects to be is near glaciers, but here they are, living their life. But as Purdue's Entomology department notes in this video on the little guys, they are critically endangered and their habit is literally melting away.
