The Overlooked Heroes of the Canal: 7 Bugs Worth Knowing

In April, dozens of community scientists came together, eyes wide and phones in hand, to explore the vibrant ecology living around us along the Canal. The annual Bioblitz invites everyone—whether you're a seasoned naturalist or just nature-curious—to step outside, observe the world a little more closely and share your discoveries on iNaturalist.org. It's not just fun—it's meaningful. The data collected helps researchers track species, monitor migrations and occasionally even uncover signs of resilience in struggling populations. 

When I was first invited to join this year's event, my immediate reaction was… eww, bugs. I wouldn't say I hated them, but the idea of tiny legs crawling on my skin or a beetle launching itself toward me? No, thank you. Still, I said yes. I grabbed my phone, stepped onto the trail and started looking. Not just at bugs, but at everything—leaf shapes, flower petals, the flash of movement in the underbrush. And somewhere between photographing a striking beetle and identifying a milkweed bug, I noticed something surprising: I was genuinely curious. The more I learned, the more the "ick" turned into "whoa." 

This year, people across the Denver and Boulder areas joined in the City Nature Challenge with that same spirit of curiosity. Whether they were overcoming a personal fear or simply chasing their fascination, their observations helped shine a spotlight on some of ecology's unsung champions: bugs. From pollinators to decomposers, these tiny creatures are essential to the health of the Canal's greenway and the larger web of life it supports. 

In this article, we'll highlight a few of the incredible insects recorded along the Canal during this year's City Nature Challenge Bioblitz and discover the quiet, often hidden ways they help our shared landscape thrive. 

🐝 Western Honey Bee

You’ve probably seen them buzzing around, but did you know the Canal supports both honey bees and rare native bees like the western bumble bee?

A single honey bee can visit 50–100 flowers on one trip, and they communicate through dances to tell hive mates where to find the best blooms.

While not native, honey bees are vital agricultural pollinators. Along the High Line Canal, they often supplement native pollinators and are commonly seen on flowering plants and trees. Millions of bees live along the Canal.

🐞 LeConte’s Giant Lady Beetle

One of Colorado’s largest native lady beetles, the Giant Lady Beetle, is striking in size and pattern, with an orange body and bold black spots.

It’s a voracious predator of aphids and scale insects, making it an important natural pest controller.

Unlike the invasive Asian lady beetle, this native species plays a balanced role in local ecosystems.

🐜 Harvester Ant

Think ants are just tiny workers? These ones are farmers too.

Did you know that harvester ants build impressive underground colonies with seed chambers? Their seed sorting and storing work make them important seed dispersers and soil aerators. Ultimately, their activity helps shape the plant landscape.

🕷️ Oblong Running Spider

These spiders don’t sit and wait — they’re active hunters in the Canal’s tall grasses.

A long-legged spider that hunts rather than webs; blends into grass and plant stems, they have slim, oblong-shaped bodies and stalk prey like a cat. These spiders control small insect populations and play a stealthy role in the food web.

🌀 Round-Backed Millipede

Meet the slow-and-steady recyclers of the trail — millipedes are nature’s composters.

A decomposer with dozens (not hundreds) of legs, in moments of stress, they do something that feels familiar to me – they roll into a tight coil for defense.

These critters are essential decomposers, turning dead plant matter into nutrients.

🕸 Ornamental Orbweaver

Orbweavers are nature’s engineers, designers and pest control experts — all rolled into one eight-legged package.

These bugs are striking, often brightly colored spiders that spin the classic spiral-shaped web. Many orbweavers rebuild their web every night — and eat the old one to recycle the silk proteins.

🌊 North American Common Water Strider

The Water Strider is an aquatic insect that appears to walk on water — thanks to hydrophobic legs and surface tension.

Often found in slow-moving water like the Canal’s pooled sections, they’re predators of mosquitoes and other insects that land on water. A healthy population means good water balance and low mosquito larvae numbers.

So, next time you see a small insect crawling on a bench or digging into the dirt by the Canal, you’ll better understand the vital role it plays in maintaining the ecosystem that supports the trail we cherish.