A light freeze ushered in a cold and sunny morning as four volunteers completed this week's survey. Several species of tree crickets live in our area and they all look very similar. The most reliable way to tell them apart is by the shape of tiny black and white markings at the bases of their antennae. These distinguishing characters can only be seen in a head-on view, as illustrated below. Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings: Sigmodon hispidus (hispid cotton rat) photo by Harriett Wolf Hoarfrost on Heartleaf Skullcap leaf photo by Val Bugh Habronattus cognatus (jumping spider) photo by Val Bugh Mecaphesa sp. (crab spider, male) photo by Val Bugh Unknown sp. (wolf spider) photo by Val Bugh Archytas sp. (tachinid fly) photo by Val Bugh Gnadochaeta sp. (tachinid fly) photo by Val Bugh Eupeodes americanus (flower fly) photo by Val Bugh Unknown sp. (green sweat bee) photo by Val Bugh Oecanthus fultoni (snowy tree cricket) photo by Val Bugh Lestes alacer (plateau spreadwing) photo by Val Bugh Homalodisca vitripennis (glassy-winged sharpshooter) photo by Val Bugh Polymerus basalis (plant bug) photo by Val Bugh Melanoplus plebejus (plebeian grasshopper) photo by Val Bugh Eupackardia calleta (calleta silkmoth, larva) photo by Val Bugh Euclea incisa (oak slug, larva) photo by Harriett Wolf Eumarozia malachitana (sculptured moth) photo by Val Bugh Libytheana carinenta (American snouts - too cold to move!) photo by Val Bugh Agraulis vanillae (gulf fritillary) photo by Val Bugh Birds: Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) Mammals: Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor), tracks Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) Misc.: Millipede (Unknown sp.), order Julida Insects & Spiders: order family genus/species common name lepidoptera   nymphalidae   Agraulis vanillae   Gulf Fritillary (adult, pupa & larva)       Euptoieta claudia   Variegated Fritillary       Danaus gilippus   Queen       Libytheana carinenta   American Snout       Vanessa atalanta   Red Admiral       Vanessa cardui   Painted Lady    pieridae   Eurema nicippe   Sleepy Orange       Colias eurytheme   Orange Sulphur    lycaenidae   Hemiargus isola   Reakirt's Blue    hesperiidae   Atalopedes campestris   Sachem       Pyrgus communis/albescens   Common/White Checkered-skipper    noctuidae   Rachiplusia ou   Gray Looper Moth       Tripudia balteata   Moth    arctiidae   Estigmene acrea   Saltmarsh Moth (larva)       Hypercompe scribonia   Great Leopard Moth (larva)    saturniidae   Eupackardia calleta   Calleta Silkmoth (larva)    geometridae   Digrammia californiaria   Moth       Eupithecia miserulata   Common Pug       Iridopsis defectaria   Brown-shaded Gray    tortricidae   Eumarozia malachitana   Sculptured Moth    limacodidae   Euclea incisa   Oak Slug (larva)    zygaenidae   Acoloithus novaricus   False Skeletonizer (larva) coleoptera   chrysomelidae   Asphaera lustrans   Flea Beetle hemiptera   coreidae   Leptoglossus phyllopus   Eastern Leaf-footed Bug    miridae   Polymerus basalis   Plant Bug       Halticotoma valida   Yucca Plant Bug homoptera   cicadellidae   Neokolla dolobrata   Leafhopper       Homalodisca vitripennis   Glassy-winged Sharpshooter hymenoptera   apidae   Apis mellifera   Honey Bee       Xylocopa virginica   Eastern Carpenter Bee    colletidae   Colletes birkmanni   Cellophane Bee    halictidae   Unknown sp.   Green Sweat Bee    vespidae   Polistes exclamans   Paper Wasp       Polistes carolina   Red Wasp       Polistes bellicosus   Paper Wasp    ichneumonidae   Unknown sp.   Ichneumon diptera   syrphidae   Palpada vinetorum   Flower Fly       Copestylum marginatum   Flower Fly       Toxomerus marginatus   Flower Fly       Eupeodes americanus   Flower Fly    anthomyiidae   Unknown sp.   Root Maggot Fly    calliphoridae   Lucilia sp.   Blow Fly       Cochliomyia macellaria   Secondary Screwworm Fly       Cynomya cadaverina   Bluebottle Fly    tachinidae   Peleteria sp.   Tachinid Fly       Archytas sp.   Tachinid Fly       Gnadochaeta sp.   Tachinid Fly    culicidae   Unknown sp.   Mosquito odonata   libellulidae   Sympetrum corruptum   Variegated Meadowhawk    lestidae   Lestes alacer   Plateau Spreadwing orthoptera   acrididae   Eritettix abortivus   Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper (nymph)       Chortophaga viridifasciata   Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (nymph)       Melanoplus plebejus   Plebeian Grasshopper    tetrigidae   Paratettix mexicanus   Pygmy Grasshopper    gryllidae   Oecanthus fultoni   Snowy Tree Cricket    tettigoniidae   Scudderia furcata   Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph) neuroptera   chrysopidae   Chrysoperla sp.   Green Lacewing araneae   araneidae   Neoscona crucifera   Orbweaver       Neoscona oaxacensis   Orbweaver       Argiope trifasciata   Banded Garden Spider    thomisidae   Mecaphesa sp.   Crab Spider    philodromidae   Unknown sp.   Running Crab Spider (egg sac)    oxyopidae   Peucetia viridans   Green Lynx    salticidae   Habronattus cognatus   Jumping Spider    lycosidae   Unknown sp.   Wolf Spider