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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey February 16, 2012


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

Our party of seven conducted this week's survey under very cloudy skies with a cold and brisk wind. Moments of sunshine brought out a few flying insects, but the greatest diversity and numbers were seen in moths that had been lured to the lights during the previous warm night. The discovery of a beautifully metallic butterfly chrysalis was another treat. Many such pupae are capable of bending at the end closest to their attachment, and this one wiggled energetically when we touched its supporting branch.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Thryomanes bewickii (Bewick's wren)
photo by Carl Fabre


Vanessa atalanta (red admiral)
photo by Val Bugh


Euptoieta claudia (variegated fritillary pupa)
photo by Val Bugh


Digrammia delectata (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Phigalia strigataria (small phigalia, 3 color variations)
photo by Val Bugh


Abrostola microvalis (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Psaphida resumens (figure-eight sallow)
photo by Val Bugh


Caenurgina erechtea (forage looper moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Galgula partita (the wedgling)
photo by Val Bugh


Schizura unicornis (unicorn caterpillar moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Holochroa dissociarius (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Acrocercops quinquistrigella (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Elachista illectella (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Phyllodesma americana (lappet moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (root maggot fly)
photo by Carl Fabre


Thyanta custator (stink bugs mating)
photo by Val Bugh


Deroceras laeve (marsh slug)
photo by Val Bugh


Falconina gracilis (ant-mimic spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Tetragnatha laboriosa (silver long-jawed orbweaver, male)
photo by Carl Fabre

  • Birds:
    American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
    Bewick's Wren (Thryothorus bewickii)
    Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
    Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
    Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula)
    Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)

  • Mammals:
    Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)

  • Misc.:
    Slender Springtail (Entomobrya multifasciata)
    Globular Springtail (Unknown sp.), order Symphypleona
    Pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare)
    Land Snail (Polygyra sp.)
    Marsh Slug (Deroceras laeve)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
        Euptoieta claudia  Variegated Fritillary (pupa)
      noctuidae  Aon noctuiformis  Moth
        Peridroma saucia  Variegated Cutworm (larva)
        Psaphida resumens  Figure-eight Sallow
        Megalographa biloba  Bilobed Looper Moth
        Apamea cariosa  Moth
        Mythimna unipuncta  Armyworm Moth
        Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Caenurgina erechtea  Forage Looper Moth
        Abrostola microvalis  Moth
        Zale lunata  Lunate Zale
      nolidae  Meganola minuscula  Confused Meganola
      notodontidae  Schizura errucata  prominent
        Schizura unicornis  Unicorn Caterpillar Moth
      geometridae  Digrammia delectata  Moth
        Digrammia californiaria  California Granite
        Caripeta triangulata  Moth
        Costaconvexa centrostrigaria  Bent-line Carpet
        Anavitrinella atristrigaria  Gulf Coast Gray
        Iridopsis defectaria  Brown-shaded Gray Moth
        Eupithecia bolterii  Pug
        Eupithecia longidens  Pug
        Holochroa dissociarius  Moth
        Phigalia titea  The Halfwing
        Phigalia strigataria  Small Phigalia
        Paleacrita vernata  Spring Cankerworm Moth
      lasiocampidae  Phyllodesma americana  Lappet Moth
      elachistidae  Ethmia semilugens  Ethmia Moth
        Elachista illectella  Moth
      lacturidae  Lactura sp.  Moth
      gracillariidae  Acrocercops quinquistrigella  Moth

    coleoptera  trogidae  Trox sp.  Hide Beetle

    hemiptera  lygaeidae  Nysius sp.  False Chinch Bug
      pentatomidae  Thyanta custator  Stink Bug

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
      formicidae  Solenopsis invicta  Imported Fire Ant
      cynipidae  Andricus quercusfoliatus  Leafy Oak Gall

    diptera  anthomyiidae  Unknown sp.  Root Maggot Fly
      calliphoridae  Cynomya cadaverina  Bluebottle Fly
      tipulidae  Tipula sp.  Crane Fly

    orthoptera  rhaphidophoridae  Ceuthophilus sp.  Camel Cricket

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Chrysoperla sp.  Green Lacewing
        Unknown sp.  Green Lacewing (egg)

    araneae  thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
      corinnidae  Falconina gracilis  Ant-mimic Spider
      lycosidae  Unknown sp.  Wolf Spider
      dictynidae  Dictyna sp.  Meshweb Weaver
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Long-jawed Orbweaver

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