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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey December 13, 2018


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

Fourteen participants completed this week's survey under cool and sunny conditions. Like insects, springtails (see example below) have six legs, three body parts and antennae. Unlike the former, though, they have internal mouthparts and the ability, if environmental conditions are unfavorable, to actually shrink after a molt.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Mangora gibberosa (orbweaver)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Neoscona domiciliorum (spotted orbweaver)
photo by Val Bugh


Habronattus cognatus (jumping spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Scythris trivinctella (moth)
photo by Julie Shaw


Amyna stricta (eight-spot moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Spoladea recurvalis (Hawaiian beet webworm moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Samea ecclesialis (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Melanoplus plebejus (plebeian grasshopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Syrbula admirabilis (handsome grasshopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Chelinidea vittiger (opuntia bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Leptoglossus clypealis (leaf-footed bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Alydus pilosulus (broad-headed bugs mating)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Leptogenys elongata (ant, male)
photo by Val Bugh


Lasioglossum sp. (sweat bee)
photo by Val Bugh


Polistes exclamans (paper wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Myrmeleon sp. (antlion larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Loensia moesta & Parapsocus sp. (barklice)
photo by Val Bugh


Isotoma delta (elongate-bodied springtail)
photo by Val Bugh


Deroceras laeve (marsh slug)
photo by Val Bugh


Sceloporus olivaceus (Texas spiny lizard)
photo by Joe Fernandes

  • Birds:
    American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
    American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus), feathers
    House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
    Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris)
    Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata)
    Song Sparrow (Melspiza melodia)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
    Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)

  • Mammals:
    Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
    Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
    White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), fresh tracks
    Coyote (Canis latrans), fresh tracks
    Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor), fresh tracks

  • Reptiles & Amphibians:
    Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
    Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)
    Western Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum testaceus), shed skin
    Rough Earth Snake (Haldea striatula)
    Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), shell only
    Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Rana berlandieri), tadpole

  • Misc.:
    Julid Millipede (Aniulus sp.)
    Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.)
    Halloween Harvestman (Dalquestia formosa)
    Striped Bark Scorpion (Centruroides vittatus)
    Elongate-bodied Springtail (Isotoma delta)
    Marsh Slug (Deroceras laeve)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary
        Euptoieta claudia  Variegated Fritillary (larva)
        Libytheana carinenta  American Snout
        Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
        Polygonia interrogationis  Question Mark
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
      pieridae  Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
        Eurema lisa  Little Yellow
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
        Pyrgus philetas  Desert Checkered-skipper
      noctuidae  Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Mythimna unipuncta  Armyworm Moth
        Spodoptera ornithogalli  Yellow-striped Armyworm (larva)
        Spodoptera frugiperda  Fall Armyworm Moth
        Amyna stricta  Eight-spot Moth
      arctiidae  Pareuchaetes insulata  Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes
      megalopygidae  Megalopyge opercularis  Southern Flannel Moth (pupa)
      geometridae  Digrammia sp.  Moth
        Iridopsis defectaria  Brown-shaded Gray Moth
        Eubaphe unicolor  Moth
        Nemoria zygotaria  Emerald
        Eumacrodes yponomeutaria  Moth
      crambidae  Urola nivalis  Snowy Urola
        Palpita quadristigmalis  Four-spotted Palpita
        Samea ecclesialis  Moth
        Uresiphita reversalis  Genista Caterpillar (larva)
        Spoladea recurvalis  Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth
      pyralidae  Unknown sp.  Moth
      tortricidae  Eumarozia malachitana  Sculptured Moth
      xyloryctidae  Scythris trivinctella  Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Asphaera lustrans  Flea Beetle
        Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
      coccinellidae  Harmonia axyridis  Multi-colored Asian Lady Beetle
        Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Lady Beetle
      meloidae  Epicauta pennsylvanica  Blister Beetle
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Darkling Beetle

    hemiptera  coreidae  Hypselonotus punctiventris  Coreid Bug
        Leptoglossus phyllopus  Eastern Leaf-footed Bug
        Leptoglossus clypealis  Leaf-footed Bug
        Chelinidea vittiger  Opuntia Bug
      alydidae  Alydus pilosulus  Broad-headed Bug
      lygaeidae  Oncopeltus fasciatus  Large Milkweed Bug (nymph)
      reduviidae  Zelus luridus  Assassin Bug (nymph)
        Zelus renardii  Assassin Bug
      miridae  Phytocoris sp.  Plant Bug
      scutelleridae  Sphyrocoris obliquus  Shield Bug
      pentatomidae  Chinavia hilaris  Green Stink Bug
        Euschistus servus  Brown Stink Bug

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
      halictidae  Lasioglossum sp.  Sweat Bee
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
      crabronidae  Liris sp.  Cricket Wasp
      formicidae  Solenopsis invicta  Imported Fire Ant
        Leptogenys elongata  Ant (male)

    diptera  syrphidae  Toxomerus marginatus  Flower Fly
      sarcophagidae  Unknown sp.  Flesh Fly
      dolichopodidae  Condylostylus sp.  Long-legged Fly
      tephritidae  Euaresta sp.  Fruit Fly
      limoniidae  Limonia sp.  Crane Fly

    odonata  lestidae  Lestes forficula  Rainpool Spreadwing

    orthoptera  acrididae  Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing
        Encoptolophus subgracilis  Southwestern Dusky Grasshopper
        Melanoplus plebejus  Plebeian Grasshopper
        Syrbula admirabilis  Handsome Grasshopper
        Schistocerca nitens  Gray Bird Grasshopper (adult & nymph)
      tetrigidae  Paratettix mexicanus  Pygmy Grasshopper
      gryllidae  Oecanthus sp.  Tree Cricket
        Gryllus sp.  Field Cricket
        Miogryllus saussurei  Eastern Striped Cricket (nymph)
      rhaphidophoridae  Ceuthophilus sp.  Camel Cricket (adult & nymph)
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid
        Conocephalus strictus  Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid

    mantodea  mantidae  Stagmomantis carolina  Carolina Mantis (eggs)

    phasmatodea  diapheromeridae  Pseudosermyle strigata  Walking Stick

    blattodea  blaberidae  Pycnoscelus surinamensis  Surinam Roach

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Chrysoperla sp.  Green Lacewing
      myrmeleontidae  Myrmeleon sp.  Antlion (larva)

    mecoptera  panorpidae  Panorpa nuptialis  Scorpionfly

    psocoptera  psocidae  Loensia moesta  Barklouse
      parapsocidae  Parapsocus sp.  Barklouse

    araneae  salticidae  Phidippus audax  Bold Jumper
        Phidippus arizonensis  Arizona Jumper
        Habronattus cognatus  Jumping Spider
      araneidae  Meteperia sp.  Orbweaver
        Mangora gibberosa  Orbweaver
        Argiope aurantia  Black and Yellow Garden Spider (adult & egg sac)
        Argiope trifasciata  Banded Garden Spider
        Neoscona crucifera  Orbweaver
        Neoscona domiciliorum  Spotted Orbweaver
      oxyopidae  Peucetia viridans  Green Lynx (adult & egg sac)
      philodromidae  Apollophanes sp.  Running Crab Spider
      theridiidae  Argyrodes elevatus  Silver Dewdrop Spider
      lycosidae  Schizocosa sp.  Wolf Spider

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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey December 13, 2018