Insects, Spiders, Centipedes, Millipedes

An orange skipper butterfly at Lincoln Home National Historic Site.

NPS/Bryce Shull

Located in an urban setting, visitors to Lincoln Home National Historic Site encounter many of the same insects you could find in any midwestern back yard: common black ant, fireflies, or ladybugs. Less common sightings might include butterflies, praying mantises, or the cicada-killer wasp (Sphecius speciosus).

Since Lincoln Home protects and maintains historic structures, our park experiences conflicts with some insect populations. While perfectly innocuous in their natural habitats, insects like termites, carpenter ants, carpet beetles, silverfish, and the omnipresent cockroach pose risks to historic resources. Lincoln Home monitors and mitigates these threats whenever we can.