We had chilly, windy, and sunny conditions as four people conducted this week's survey. Many of the insects we found were basking in the sun to warm up. The Wheel Bug, one of our largest assassin bugs, should not be handled. It is capable of piercing skin and injecting venom with its stout rostrum (mouthparts). In spite of this, it is considered beneficial as it eats caterpillars and other garden pests. Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings: Agrotis venerabilis (venerable dart) photo by Val Bugh Agapostemon sp. (bee, family Halictidae) photo by Val Bugh Caloptilia sp. (moth, family Gracillariidae) photo by Val Bugh Nathalis iole (dainty sulphur) photo by Val Bugh Euptioeta claudia (variegated fritillary) photo by Val Bugh Colias eurytheme (orange sulphur) photo by Val Bugh Uresiphita reversalis (genista caterpillar) photo by Val Bugh Lactista aztecus (Aztec bandwing nymph & cotton flea hopper) photo by Val Bugh Cryptocephalus fulguratus (leaf beetle) photo by Val Bugh Dictyna sp. (meshweb weaver) photo by Val Bugh Neokolla uhleri (leafhopper) photo by Val Bugh Graphocephala versuta (leafhopper) photo by Val Bugh Helina sp. (fly, family Muscidae) photo by Val Bugh Copestylum marginatum (flower fly) photo by Val Bugh Copestylum mexicana (black flower fly) photo by Val Bugh Arilus cristatus (wheel bug) photo by Val Bugh Birds: American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica) Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) Insects & Spiders: order family genus/species common name lepidoptera   nymphalidae   Danaus gilippus   Queen       Agraulis vanillae   Gulf Fritillary       Vanessa atalanta   Red Admiral       Vanessa virginiensis   American Lady       Euptoieta claudia   Variegated Fritillary    pieridae   Eurema nicippe   Sleepy Orange       Nathalis iole   Dainty Sulphur       Colias eurytheme   Orange Sulphur    lycaenidae   Hemiargus isola   Reakirt's Blue       Strymon melinus   Gray Hairstreak    hesperiidae   Lerema accius   Clouded Skipper    noctuidae   Agrotis venerabilis   Venerable Dart    arctiidae   Estigmene acrea   Saltmarsh Caterpillar    geometridae   Nemoria zygotaria   Emerald       Leptostales pannaria   Moth       Unknown sp.   Inchworm    crambidae   Uresiphita reversalis   Genista Caterpillar    gracillariidae   Caloptilia sp.   Moth odonata   coenagrionidae   Argia immunda   Kiowa Dancer    libellulidae   Sympetrum corruptum   Variegated Meadowhawk coleoptera   coccinellidae   Cycloneda sanguinea   Red Ladybird    chrysomelidae   Asphaera lustrans   Flea Beetle       Diabrotica undecimpunctata   Spotted Cucumber Beetle       Ophraella sp.   Leaf Beetle       Cryptocephalus fulguratus   Leaf Beetle    cerambycidae   Sphaenothecus bivittata   Long-horned Beetle    carabidae   Notiobia sp.   Ground Beetle    curculionidae   Conotrachelus sp.   Weevil hemiptera   coreidae   Acanthocephala terminalis   Coreid Bug       Hypselonotus punctiventris   Coreid Bug       Leptoglossus phyllopus   Leaf-footed Bug    reduviidae   Arilus cristatus   Wheel Bug       Zelus renardii   Assassin Bug    rhyparochromidae   Neopamera bilobata   Seed Bug    miridae   Halticotoma valida   Yucca Plant Bug       Pseudatomoscelis seriatus   Cotton Flea Hopper    alydidae   Hyalymenus tarsatus   Texas Bow-legged Bug (nymph)       Hyalymenus sp.   Broad-headed Bug       Alydus pilosulus   Broad-headed Bug    pentatomidae   Euschistus servus   Brown Stink Bug       Euschistus obscurus   Brown Stink Bug       Chinavia hilare   Green Stink Bug homoptera   cicadellidae   Neokolla uhleri   Leafhopper       Graphocephala versuta   Leafhopper       Gyponana sp.   Leafhopper hymenoptera   vespidae   Vespula squamosa   Southern Yellowjacket    sphecidae   Prionyx sp.   Thread-waisted Wasp    apidae   Apis mellifera   Honey Bee    halictidae   Unknown sp.   Green Sweat Bee       Agapostemon sp.   Sweat Bee diptera   syrphidae   Copestylum marginatum   Flower Fly       Copestylum mexicana   Black Flower Fly       Dioprosopa clavata   Flower Fly (larva)    anthomyiidae   Unknown sp.   Root Maggot Fly    sarcophagidae   Unknown sp.   Flesh Fly    muscidae   Helina sp.   Fly orthoptera   acrididae   Schistocerca sp.   Bird Grasshopper (nymph)       Schistocerca americana   American Bird Grasshopper       Melanoplus sp.   Spur-throated Grasshopper       Melanoplus ponderosus   Ponderous Grasshopper       Eritettix abortivus   Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper       Lactista aztecus   Aztec Bandwing (adult & nymph)       Chortophaga viridifasciata   Northern Green-striped Grasshopper    tettigoniidae   Scudderia furcata   Fork-tailed Bush Katydid       Pediodectes bruneri   Bruner's Shieldback    tetrigidae   Paratettix mexicanus   Pygmy Grasshopper    gryllidae   Gryllus sp.   Field Cricket (nymph) araneae   araneidae   Argiope aurantia   Black and Yellow Garden Spider    salticidae   Phidippus audax   Bold Jumper    lycosidae   Unknown sp.   Wolf Spider    dictynidae   Dictyna sp.   Meshweb Weaver    thomisidae   Mecaphesa sp.   Crab Spider    oxyopidae   Peucetia viridans   Green Lynx