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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey May 12, 2016


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

A warm and heavily overcast morning greeted our five participants on this week's survey. Two examples of nest parasites are shown below. Small Hive Beetles, native to Africa, can do significant damage to European Honey Bee hives, so they are considered to be pests. Beaded lacewing larvae, on the other hand, live in termite colonies and feast on the inhabitants. As you might expect, we label them as beneficial.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Pepsis sp. (spider wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Acmaeodera ornatoides (metallic woodborer)
photo by Dan Zinn


Phileurus valgus (scarab)
photo by Barbara Ribble


Rhodobaenus tredecimpunctatus (cocklebur weevil)
photo by Val Bugh


Aethina tumida (small hive beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Lomamyia sp. (beaded lacewing)
photo by Val Bugh


Megamelus sp. (delphacid planthoppers: male & female)
photo by Val Bugh


Jalysus sp. (stilt bugs mating)
photo by Val Bugh


Euptoieta claudia (variegated fritillary, teneral)
photo by Val Bugh


Phaeostrymon alcestis (soapberry hairstreak)
photo by Dan Zinn


Callophrys gryneus (juniper hairstreak)
photo by Val Bugh


Phyciodes tharos (pearl crescent)
photo by Harriett Wolf


Virbia aurantiaca (orange holomelina moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Iridopsis ephyraria (pale-winged gray)
photo by Val Bugh


Phytometra orgiae (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Tomoplagia obliqua (fruit fly ovipositing)
photo by Val Bugh


Colonus puerpera (jumping spider stalking fruit fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Colonus puerpera (jumping spider eating fruit fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Maevia poultoni (jumping spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus (redstripe ribbon snake)
photo by Harriett Wolf

  • Birds:
    American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)
    Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

  • Mammals:
    Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)

  • Reptiles & Amphibians:
    Redstripe Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus)
    Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)
    Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Rana berlandieri)

  • Misc.:
    Greenhouse Millipede (Oxidus gracilis)
    Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.)
    Marsh Slug (Deroceras laeve)
    Garden Snail (Otala lactea)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
        Libytheana carinenta  American Snout
        Phyciodes tharos  Pearl Crescent
        Junonia coenia  Common Buckeye
        Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Euptoieta claudia  Variegated Fritillary
        Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (adult & larva)
      pieridae  Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
        Eurema lisa  Little Yellow
        Zerene cesonia  Southern Dogface
        Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
        Colias eurytheme  Orange Sulphur
        Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
        Kricogonia lyside  Lyside Sulphur
      papilionidae  Battus philenor  Pipevine Swallowtail (larva)
        Papilio polyxenes  Black Swallowtail (larva)
      lycaenidae  Satyrium favonius  Oak Hairstreak
        Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak (larva)
        Phaeostrymon alcestis  Soapberry Hairstreak
        Callophrys gryneus  Juniper Hairstreak
        Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
        Erynnis horatius  Horace's Duskywing
      noctuidae  Phosphila miselioides  Spotted Phosphila
        Condica videns  White-dotted Groundling
        Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Anicla infecta  Green Cutworm Moth
        Spodoptera ornithogalli  Yellow-striped Armyworm (larva)
        Emarginea percara  Beloved Emarginea
        Ponometia phecolisca  Bird Dropping Moth
        Ponometia candefacta  Olive-shaded Bird Dropping Moth
        Tripudia quadrifera  Moth
        Cobubatha lixiva  Moth
        Helicoverpa zea  Corn Earworm Moth
        Cosmia calami  American Dun-bar Moth
        Xerociris wilsonii  Wilson's Wood-nymph
      erebidae  Melipotis indomita  Moth
        Melipotis cellaris  Moth
        Phytometra orgiae  Moth
        Ptichodis vinculum  Black-tipped Ptichodis
      arctiidae  Virbia aurantiaca  Orange Holomelina Moth
        Estigmene acrea  Saltmarsh Caterpillar (larva)
      saturniidae  Hyalophora cecropia  Cecropia Moth (larva)
      geometridae  Digrammia pallidata  Moth
        Digrammia californiaria  Moth
        Digrammia atrofasciata  Moth
        Glena quinquelinearia  Five-lined Glena
        Prochoerodes lineola  Large Maple Spanworm Moth
        Cyclophora nanaria  Dwarf Tawny Wave
        Iridopsis ephyraria  Pale-winged Gray
        Iridopsis gemella  Moth
        Anavitrinella atristrigaria  Gulf Coast Gray
        Glenoides texanaria  Texas Gray Moth
        Episemasia cervinaria  Moth
        Nemoria zygotaria  Emerald
        Lobocleta ossularia  Drab Brown Wave
        Eubaphe unicolor  Moth
        Eulithis diversilineata  Lesser Grapevine Looper Moth
        Fernaldella fimetaria  Moth
        Unknown sp.  Moth (larva)
      crambidae  Pyrausta spdeuderosnealis  Pyrausta Moth
        Oenobotys texanalis  Moth
        Aethiophysa lentiflualis  Moth
        Glaphyria sequistrialis  White-roped Glaphyria
        Lipocosma polingi  Moth
        Diacme elealis  Moth
        Fissicrambus profanellus  Grass-veneer Moth
        Euchromius ocelleus  Grass-veneer Moth
        Microcrambus croesus  Grass-veneer Moth
      pyralidae  Laetilia coccidivora  Moth
        Dolichomia olinalis  Moth
        Homoeosoma electella  Sunflower Moth
        Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
        Etiella zinckenella  Gold-banded Etiella
      tortricidae  Endothenia hebesana  Verbena Bud Moth
        Crocidosema plebejana  Cotton Tipworm Moth
        Eucosma salaciana  Leafroller Moth
        Archips semiferana  Oak Leafroller Moth
        Archips georgiana  Leafroller Moth
        Platynota flavedana  Black-shaded Platynota Moth
        Cochylis sp.  Moth
      gelechiidae  Aristotelia sp.  Moth
        Isophrictis similiella  Moth
        Brachyacma palpigera  Soybean Webworm Moth
        Battaristis concinusella  Moth
        Anacampsis fullonella  Moth
        Deltophora glandiferella  Moth
        Friseria cockerelli  Mesquite Webworm Moth
      coleophoridae  Blastobasis sp.  Moth
      oecophoridae  Inga cretacea  Chalky Inga
        Inga obscuromaculella  Moth
      elachistidae  Ethmia semilugens  Ethmia Moth
        Ethmia zelleriella  Zeller's Ethmia
      cosmopterigidae  Triclonella determinatella  Moth
      momphidae  Mompha murtfeldtella  Moth
      lacturidae  Lactura sp.  Moth
      gracillariidae  Caloptilia sp.  Moth
      ypsolophidae  Ypsolopha unicipunctella  Agarita Slug Moth
      psychidae  Unknown sp.  Bagworm Moth
      acrolophidae  Acrolophus mortipennella  Tubeworm Moth
        Acrolophus texanella  Tubeworm Moth
        Acrolophus griseus  Tubeworm Moth

    coleoptera  coccinellidae  Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Lady Beetle
        Hippodamia convergens  Convergent Lady Beetle
        Cycloneda sanguinea  Red Lady Beetle
      chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
      buprestidae  Acmaeodera ornatoides  Metallic Woodborer
      cerambycidae  Ataxia hubbardi  Longhorn Beetle
      carabidae  Notiobia sp.  Ground Beetle
      nitidulidae  Aethina tumida  Small Hive Beetle
      hybosoridae  Hybosorus illigeri  Scavenger Scarab
      scarabaeidae  Cyclocephala sp.  Masked Chafer
        Diplotaxis sp.  Scarab
        Phileurus valgus  Scarab
      attelabidae  Haplorhynchites sp.  Flower Weevil
      curculionidae  Rhodobaenus tredecimpunctatus  Cocklebur Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)
        Chelinidea vittiger  Opuntia Bug (nymph)
        Leptoglossus phyllopus  Eastern Leaf-footed Bug
      lygaeidae  Oncopeltus fasciatus  Large Milkweed Bug
      rhyparochromidae  Ozophora picturata  Seed Bug
      reduviidae  Zelus renardii  Assassin Bug (nymph)
        Zelus tetracanthus  Four-spined Assassin Bug (nymph)
      berytidae  Jalysus sp.  Stilt Bug
      miridae  Phytocoris sp.  Plant Bug
        Hesperolabops gelastops  Cactus Plant Bug
        Taedia sp.  Plant Bug
        Poecilocapsus lineatus  Four-lined Plant Bug
      pentatomidae  Proxys punctulatus  Black Stink Bug
        Banasa euchlora  Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Homalodisca vitripennis  Glassy-winged Sharpshooter (adult & nymph)
        Neokolla dolobrata  Leafhopper
        Osbornellus scalaris  Leafhopper
        Agalliopsis cervina  Leafhopper
        Empoasca sp.  Leafhopper
      membracidae  Ceresa sp.  Treehopper
        Cyrtolobus sp.  Treehopper
        Entylia carinata  Treehopper
      issidae  Dictyonissus griphus  Planthopper (nymph)
      delphacidae  Megamelus sp.  Planthopper
      acanaloniidae  Acanalonia conica  Planthopper (nymph)
      cercopidae  Clastoptera sp.  Spittlebug
        Prosapia bicincta  Two-lined Spittlebug
        Lepyronia quadrangularis  Spittlebug
      aphididae  Unknown sp.  Aphid

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Xylocopa micans  Southern Carpenter Bee
        Xylocopa virginica  Eastern Carpenter Bee
      halictidae  Lasioglossum sp.  Sweat Bee
      pompilidae  Pepsis sp.  Spider Wasp
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
        Polistes rubiginosus  Red Wasp
      braconidae  Aleiodes politiceps  Braconid Wasp
      ichneumonidae  Unknown sp.  Ichneumon

    diptera  syrphidae  Allograpta obliqua  Flower Fly
        Toxomerus marginatus  Flower Fly
        Ocyptamus fascipennis  Flower Fly
      asilidae  Atomosia melanopogon  Robber Fly
      sarcophagidae  Unknown sp.  Flesh Fly
      anthomyiidae  Unknown sp.  Root Maggot Fly
      calliphoridae  Lucilia sp.  Blow Fly
      dolichopodidae  Condylostylus sp.  Long-legged Fly
      tephritidae  Tomoplagia obliqua  Fruit Fly
      limoniidae  Limonia sp.  Crane Fly

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer
        Ischnura hastata  Citrine Forktail
        Enallagma civile  Familiar Bluet
      libellulidae  Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer

    orthoptera  acrididae  Melanoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper (nymph)
        Schistocerca nitens  Gray Bird Grasshopper
        Schistocerca sp.  Bird Grasshopper (nymph)
      tetrigidae  Paratettix mexicanus  Pygmy Grasshopper (nymph)
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)
        Dichopetala catinata  Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (nymph)
        Paracyrtophyllus robustus  Truncated True Katydid (nymph)
        Conocephalus strictus  Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid (nymph)
      gryllidae  Gryllus sp.  Field Cricket

    phasmatodea  diapheromeridae  Megaphasma denticrus  Giant Walkingstick

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Unknown sp.  Green Lacewing (pupa)
      berothidae  Lomamyia sp.  Beaded Lacewing

    trichoptera  philopotamidae  Chimarra sp.  Black Caddisfly
      hydropsychidae  Hydropsyche sp.  Net-spinning Caddisfly

    plecoptera  perlidae  Neoperla clymene  Stonefly

    araneae  salticidae  Anasaitis canosa  Jumping Spider
        Colonus puerpera  Jumping Spider
        Maevia poultoni  Jumping Spider
        Hentzia palmarum  Long-jawed Jumper
      oxyopidae  Oxyopes salticus  Striped Lynx
        Hamataliwa grisea  Gray Lynx
      lycosidae  Rabidosa rabida  Rabid Wolf Spider
      oecobiidae  Oecobius sp.  Wall Spider
      araneidae  Argiope aurantia  Black & Yellow Garden Spider
        Neoscona arabesca  Arabesque Orbweaver
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Longjawed Orbweaver
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider

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