The specific epithet refers to Arctic explorer and naturalist John Richardson.

[8] Ermines live and find cover from predators in hollow spaces from logs, burrows and man made structures.

[1] Some of the larger wild predators of ermines are minks, martens, fishers, bobcats, coyotes, and large owls and hawks.

A. Allen, 1903) mortigena (Bangs, 1913) M. r. semplei The fur of ermine was valued by the Tlingit and other indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast.

They could be attached to traditional regalia and cedar bark hats as status symbols or made into shirts.