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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey November 18, 2021


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

A team of sixteen, with additional input from a gardening volunteer, completed this week's survey under cold, windy and mostly cloudy weather. There are many examples of various unrelated animal species living in association with each other. The narrowmouth toad shown below was found under the same rock as the tarantula, where it feeds on ants that might infest the burrow. Two arthropods that live with ants are also shown: the silverfish and the millipede.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Sciurus niger (eastern fox squirrel)
photo by Bill Boyd


Eleodes goryi (desert stink beetle)
photo by Dwayne Mann


Eurema lisa (little yellow)
photo by Val Bugh


Neoconocephalus triops (broad-tipped conehead)
photo by Val Bugh


Pisaurina mira (nursery web spider)
photo by Dwayne Mann


Euagrus chisoseus (funnelweb spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Aphonopelma sp. (tarantula)
photo by Dwayne Mann


Gastrophryne olivacea (Great Plains narrowmouth toad)
photo by Dwayne Mann


Bufo nebulifer (gulf coast toad)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Salvadora grahamiae lineata (Texas patchnose snake)
photo by Dwayne Mann


Eupithecia miserulata (common eupithecia larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Cobubatha lixiva (moth larva)
photo by Dwayne Mann


Glyphyalinia umbilicata (Texas glyph)
photo by Val Bugh


Battigrassiella wheeleri (silverfish)
photo by Val Bugh


Myrmecodesmus sp. (polydesmid millipede)
photo by Val Bugh


Camponotus festinatus (carpenter ant: major & minor workers)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Xylocopa virginica (eastern carpenter bee)
photo by Val Bugh


Bombus pensylvanicus (American bumble bee)
photo by Val Bugh


Polistes fuscatus (northern paper wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Rasahus sp. (assassin bug nymph)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
    Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Meadowlark (Sturnella sp.)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata)
    Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
    Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

  • Mammals:
    Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
    White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

  • Reptiles & Amphibians:
    Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)
    Texas Patchnose Snake (Salvadora grahamiae lineata)
    Gulf Coast Toad (Bufo nebulifer)
    Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad (Gastrophryne olivacea)

  • Misc.:
    Earthworm (Unknown sp.)
    Texas Glyph (Glyphyalinia umbilicata)
    Halloween Harvestman (Dalquestia formosa)
    Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.)
    Striped Bark Scorpion (Centruroides vittatus)
    Mite (Leptus sp.), on scorpion
    Polydesmid Millipede (Myrmecodesmus sp.)
    Julid Millipede (Aniulus sp.)
    Crested Millipede (Abacion texense)
    Stone Centipede (Unknown sp.)
    Pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare)
    Sowbug (Porcellionides sp.)
    Scud (Hyalella sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (larva)
        Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
      pieridae  Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
        Eurema lisa  Little Yellow
        Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
        Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur (adult & pupa)
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
      hesperiidae  Chioides albofasciatus  White-striped Longtail
        Lerema accius  Clouded Skipper
      noctuidae  Cobubatha lixiva  Moth (larva)
        Spragueia guttata  Spotted Spragueia Moth
      erebidae  Hypena scabra  Green Cloverworm Moth
      arctiidae  Estigmene acrea  Saltmarsh Caterpillar (larva)
        Cisthene tenuifascia  Thin-banded Lichen Moth
      saturniidae  Eacles imperialis  Imperial Moth (larva)
      geometridae  Digrammia pallidata  Moth
        Glenoides texanaria  Texas Gray Moth
        Eupithecia miserulata  Common Eupithecia (larva)
      carposinidae  Carposina ottawana  Peach Fruitworm Moth
      crambidae  Nomophila nearctica  Lucerne Moth
        Fissicrambus sp.  Grass-veneer Moth
      pyralidae  Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
      tortricidae  Bactra verutana  Javelin Moth
      gelechiidae  Deltophora glandiferella  Moth
        Dichomeris ligulella  Palmerworm Moth
        Stegasta bosqueella  Red-necked Peanutworm Moth
        Neodactylota liguritrix  Moth
      blastobasidae  Pigritia sp.  Moth
      plutellidae  Plutella xylostella  Diamondback Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Phyllotreta sp.  Flea Beetle
      coccinellidae  Harmonia axyridis  Multi-colored Asian Lady Beetle
        Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Lady Beetle
        Cycloneda sanguinea  Red Lady Beetle
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Desert Stink Beetle
      carabidae  Galerita sp.  False Bombardier Beetle
      bostrichidae  Xylobiops sextuberculatus  Powder-post Beetle
      curculionidae  Listroderes difficilis  Vegetable Weevil

    hemiptera  miridae  Polymerus basalis  Plant Bug
        Halticotoma valida  Yucca Plant Bug
        Phytocoris sp.  Plant Bug
        Neurocolpus sp.  Plant Bug
        Dichrooscytus sp.  Plant Bug
      notodectidae  Notonecta sp.  Backswimmer
      reduviidae  Rasahus sp.  Assassin Bug (nymph)
      pentatomidae  Brochymena sp.  Rough Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Stragania robusta  Leafhopper
        Eratoneura sp.  Leafhopper
      cixiidae  Melanoliarus sp.  Planthopper
      delphacidae  Megamelus sp.  Planthopper (adult & nymph)
      cercopidae  Lepyronia quadrangularis  Spittlebug

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Bombus pensylvanicus  American Bumble Bee
        Xylocopa virginica  Eastern Carpenter Bee
      megachilidae  Megachile sp.  Leafcutter Bee
      vespidae  Polistes dorsalis  Paper Wasp
        Polistes fuscatus  Northern Paper Wasp
        Vespula maculifrons  Eastern Yellowjacket
      formicidae  Solenopsis invicta  Imported Fire Ant
        Camponotus texanus  Carpenter Ant
        Camponotus festinatus  Carpenter Ant

    diptera  syrphidae  Copestylum avidum  Flower Fly
        Copestylum mexicanum  Black Flower Fly
        Eristalis stipator  Flower Fly
        Toxomerus marginatus  Flower Fly
      calliphoridae  Cochliomyia macellaria  Secondary Screwworm
      culicidae  Unknown sp.  Mosquito
      cecidomyiidae  Unknown sp.  Gall Midge
      ceratopogonidae  Forcipomyia sp.  Biting Midge
      chironomidae  Unknown sp.  Midge
      limoniidae  Limonia sp.  Crane Fly

    odonata  libellulidae  Sympetrum corruptum  Variegated Meadowhawk

    orthoptera  acrididae  Melanoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper
        Melanoplus ponderosus  Ponderous Grasshopper
        Melanoplus femurrubrum  Red-legged Grasshopper
        Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing
        Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (nymph)
      tettigoniidae  Orchelimum silvaticum  Long-spurred Meadow Katydid
        Conocephalus strictus  Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid
        Neoconodephalus triops  Broad-tipped Conehead
      gryllidae  Oecanthus sp.  Tree Cricket

    dermaptera  anisolabididae  Euborellia annulipes  Ring-legged Earwig

    mantodea  mantidae  Stagmomantis carolina  Carolina Mantis (eggs)

    isoptera  termitidae  Tenuirostritermes sp.  Nasutiform Termite (worker & soldier)

    blattodea  ectobiidae  Parcoblatta sp.  Wood Roach (nymph)

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Chrysoperla externa  Green Lacewing

    zygentoma  nicoletiidae  Battigrassiella wheeleri  Silverfish

    trichoptera  hydropsychidae  Cheumatopsyche sp.  Net-spinning Caddisfly

    araneae  salticidae  Phidippus audax  Bold Jumper
        Eris militaris  Bronze Jumper
      araneidae  Argiope aurantia  Black and Yellow Garden Spider (egg sac)
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
        Xysticus sp.  Crab Spider
      pisauridae  Pisaurina mira  Nursery Web Spider
      dictynidae  Dictyna sp.  Meshweb Weaver
      theridiidae  Steatoda triangulosa  Checkered Cobweb Weaver
      lycosidae  Schizocosa sp.  Wolf Spider
      dipluridae  Euagrus chisoseus  Funnelweb Spider
      theraphosidae  Aphonopelma sp.  Tarantula

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