Very cold morning temperatures greeted our survey team of seven, but the sun quickly warmed things up to one of those perfect Austin autumn days. There are two species of Opuntia Bugs in our area, and we happened to find adults of both feeding on the same Prickly Pear Cactus. Syrphid flies (also called hover flies or flower flies) are often mistaken for the bees that they mimic. Four examples are shown below. Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings: Agraulis vanillae (gulf fritillary) photo by Harriett Wolf Danaus gilippus (queen) photo by Harriett Wolf Vanessa cardui (painted lady) photo by Harriett Wolf Strymon melinus (gray hairstreak) photo by Val Bugh Pyrgus communis/albescens (common/white checkered-skipper) photo by Harriett Wolf Nathalis iole (dainty sulphur) photo by Val Bugh Digrammia atrofasciata (moth) photo by Val Bugh Blastobasis sp. (moth) photo by Val Bugh Battaristis concinusella (moth) photo by Val Bugh Unknown sp. (caterpillar) photo by Val Bugh Unknown sp. (geometrid caterpillar) photo by Val Bugh Enallagma civile (familiar bluet) photo by Val Bugh Schistocerca sp. (bird grasshopper, nymph in defensive position) photo by Val Bugh Chelinidea tabulata (opuntia bug) photo by Val Bugh Chelinidea vittiger (opuntia bug) photo by Val Bugh Palpada vinetorum (flower fly) photo by Val Bugh Eristalis sp. (flower fly) photo by Val Bugh Eupeodes americanus (flower fly) photo by Val Bugh Helophilus sp. (flower fly) photo by Val Bugh Birds: American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata) Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica) White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) Mammals: Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) Insects & Spiders: order family genus/species common name lepidoptera   lycaenidae   Hemiargus isola   Reakirt's Blue       Strymon melinus   Gray Hairstreak    nymphalidae   Danaus gilippus   Queen       Vanessa cardui   Painted Lady       Vanessa virginiensis   American Lady       Vanessa atalanta   Red Admiral       Agrauilis vanillae   Gulf Fritillary (adult & larva)    pieridae   Nathalis iole   Dainty Sulphur       Eurema nicippe   Sleepy Orange    hesperiidae   Pyrgus communis/albescens   Common/White Checkered-skipper    geometridae   Digrammia pallidata   Moth       Digrammia atrofasciata   Moth       Unknown sp.   Moth (larva)    crambidae   Uresiphita reversalis   Genista Caterpillar       Agriphila vulgivagella   Vagabond Crambus Moth    tortricidae   Decodes basiplagana   Leafroller Moth    coleophoridae   Blastobasis sp.   Moth    gelechiidae   Battaristis concinusella   Moth    xyloryctidae   Scythris fuscicomella   Moth    unknown family   Unknown sp.   Moth (larva) coleoptera   chrysomelidae   Diabrotica undecimpunctata   Spotted Cucumber Beetle    bruchidae   Mimosestes amicus   Seed Beetle    buprestidae   Acmaeodera flavomarginata   Metallic Woodborer hemiptera   coreidae   Chelinidea vittiger   Opuntia Bug       Chelinidea tabulata   Opuntia Bug    lygaeidae   Craspeduchus uhleri   Seed Bug       Nysius sp.   False Chinch Bug    miridae   Engytatus modestus   Plant Bug homoptera   cicadellidae   Neokolla dolobrata   Leafhopper       Trypanalebra maculata   Leafhopper (adult & nymph) hymenoptera   apidae   Apis mellifera   Honey Bee       Unknown sp.   Digger Bee    pteromalidae   Unknown sp.   Pteromalid Wasp diptera   syrphidae   Copestylum marginatum   Flower Fly       Copestylum avidum   Flower Fly       Allograpta obliqua   Flower Fly       Eristalis sp.   Flower Fly       Palpada vinetorum   Flower Fly       Eupeodes americanus   Flower Fly       Helophilus sp.   Flower Fly    bombyliidae   Hemipenthes scylla   Bee Fly    calliphoridae   Cynomya cadaverina   Bluebottle Fly    sarcophagidae   Unknown sp.   Flesh Fly    anthomyiidae   Unknown sp.   Root Maggot Fly odonata   libellulidae   Sympetrum corruptum   Variegated Meadowhawk    coenagrionidae   Enallagma civile   Familiar Bluet orthoptera   acrididae   Schistocerca obscura   Obscure Bird Grasshopper       Schistocerca sp.   Bird Grasshopper (nymph)       Eritettix abortivus   Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper araneae   salticidae   Phidippus audax   Bold Jumper