After the prudent 14-month pause in our surveys, our team of fifteen enjoyed warm, mostly cloudy weather for our return. A number of common paper wasps in the genus Polistes are found in central Texas, including two large, reddish species that are difficult to tell apart. The image below shows the coarse ridging on the propodeum that distinguishes P. rubiginosus from P. carolina, which has very fine, or absent, ridges and appears smooth. Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings: Cathartes aura (turkey vulture) photo by Bill Boyd Acanthoscelides sp. (bean weevil) photo by Val Bugh Anthonomus fulvus (weevil) photo by Dan Hardy Pachyschelus laevigatus (metallic woodborer & feeding damage) photo by Val Bugh Acanalonia conica & Acanalonia laticosta (planthoppers) photo by Val Bugh Acanalonia conica (planthopper nymphs) photo by Val Bugh Metcalfa pruinosa (citrus planthopper nymph) photo by Erin Cannon Copestylum avidum & Unknown sp. (flower fly & flesh fly) photo by Erin Cannon & Dan Hardy Nemotelus sp. (soldier fly) photo by Val Bugh Leptotes marina (marine blue) photo by Harriett Wolf Calycopis isobeon (dusky-blue groundstreak: 2 views of tails) photo by Val Bugh Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri (Texas rat snake) photo by Erik Loza Aspidoscelis gularis gularis (Texas spotted whiptails) photo by Harriett Wolf Sceloporus olivaceus (Texas spiny lizard eating saltmarsh caterpillar) photo by Dan Zinn Gastrophryne olivacea (Great Plains narrowmouth toad) photo by Erik Loza Libellula croceipennis (neon skimmer) photo by Bill Boyd Mecaphesa sp. (male & female crab spiders eating flies) photo by Val Bugh Polistes rubiginosus (red wasp) photo by Julie Shaw Petrophila jaliscalis (moth) photo by Val Bugh Cerma cerintha (tufted bird dropping moth) photo by Val Bugh Birds: Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) Black-bellied Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) Eastern Screech-owl (Megascops asio), pile of feathers Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), single down feather House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) Mammals: Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish: Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus) Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis gularis gularis) Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri) Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Rana berlandieri) Great Plains Narrowmouth Toad (Gastrophryne olivacea) Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) Rio Grande Cichlid (Herichthys cyanoguttatus) Misc.: Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.) Slender Springtail (Entomobrya atrocincta) Black-velvet Leatherleaf Slug (Belocaulus angustipes) Insects & Spiders: order family genus/species common name lepidoptera   nymphalidae   Agraulis vanillae   Gulf Fritillary       Euptoieta claudia   Variegated Fritillary       Vanessa atalanta   Red Admiral       Danaus gilippus   Queen       Phyciodes tharos   Pearl Crescent    lycaenidae   Satyrium favonius   Oak Hairstreak       Calycopis isobeon   Dusky-blue Groundstreak       Callophrys gryneus   Juniper Hairstreak       Leptotes marina   Marine Blue    papilionidae   Battus philenor   Pipevine Swallowtail    pieridae   Eurema nicippe   Sleepy Orange       Nathalis iole   Dainty Sulphur    hesperiidae   Pyrgus communis/albescens   Common/White Checkered-skipper       Erynnis horatius   Horace's Duskywing       Erynnis funeralis   Funereal Duskywing       Euphyes vestris   Dun Skipper    noctuidae   Spodoptera ornithogalli   Yellow-striped Armyworm (larva)       Acronicta lobeliae   Greater Oak Dagger       Cerma cerintha   Tufted Bird Dropping Moth       Cosmia calami   American Dun-bar Moth       Cobubatha lixiva   Moth    erebidae   Aon noctuiformis   Moth       Catocala similis   Similar Underwing    arctiidae   Estigmene acrea   Saltmarsh Caterpillar (larva)       Hypoprepia miniata   Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth       Virbia aurantiaca   Orange Holomelina Moth    notodontidae   Elasmia sp.   Prominent (larva)    saturniidae   Hyalophora cecropia   Cecropia Moth (larva)    geometridae   Digrammia atrofasciata   Moth       Digrammia pallidata   Moth       Glena quinquelinearia   Five-lined Glena       Glenoides texanaria   Texas Gray Moth       Nemoria zygotaria   Emerald       Eupithecia miserulata   Common Eupithecia (larva)       Eulithis diversilineata   Lesser Grapevine Looper Moth    crambidae   Desmia sp.   Moth (larva)       Diastictis fracturalis   Moth       Petrophila jaliscalis   Moth       Aethiophysa invisalis   Moth       Glaphyria sesquistrialis   White-roped Glaphyria       Lipocosma polingi   Moth       Microcrambus croesus   Grass-veneer Moth    pyralidae   Chararica hystriculella   Moth       Adelphia petrella   Moth       Arta epicoenalis   Arta Moth       Peoria opacella   Grass-veneer Moth    tortricidae   Eumarozia malachitana   Sculptured Moth       Cydia membrosa   Bare-patched Leafroller Moth       Platynota flavedana   Black-shaded Platynota Moth       Ancylis comptana   Strawberry Leafroller       Archips argyrospila   Fruit Tree Leafroller    gelechiidae   Isophrictis similiella   Moth       Sophronia roseicrinella   Moth       Compsolechia crescentifasciella   Moth       Dichomeris costarufoella   Moth       Gnorimoschema saphirinella   Moth    blastobasidae   Blastobasis glandulella   Acorn Moth    glyphipterigidae   Glyphipterix circumscriptella   Sedge Moth    pterophoridae   Pselnophorus belfragei   Plume Moth    elachistidae   Ethmia sp.   Ethmia Moth (larva)    acrolophidae   Acrolophus cressoni   Tubeworm Moth       Acrolophus texanella   Texas Tubeworm Moth       Acrolophus griseus   Tubeworm Moth coleoptera   chrysomelidae   Derospidea brevicollis   Leaf Beetle       Acanthoscelides bottimeri   Bean Weevil    coccinellidae   Hippodamia convergens   Convergent Lady Beetle       Cycloneda sanguinea   Red Lady Beetle       Scymnus sp.   Lady Beetle    hydrophilidae   Tropoisternus lateralis   Water Scavenger Beetle    buprestidae   Acmaeodera ornatoides   Metallic Woodborer       Pachyschelus laevigatus   Metallic Woodborer    cerambycidae   Hemierana marginata   Longhorn Beetle    scarabaeidae   Phyllophaga crinita   June Beetle       Phyllophaga sp.   June Beetle       Euphoria kerni   Flower Scarab       Trichiotinus texanus   Texas Flower Scarab    dermestidae   Cryptorhopalum sp.   Dermestid Beetle    scraptiidae   Allopoda sp.   False Flower Beetle    mordellidae   Mordellistena cervicalis   Tumbling Flower Beetle    tenebrionidae   Eleodes goryi   Darkling Beetle    curculionidae   Anthonomus fulvus   Weevil hemiptera   coreidae   Acanthocephala terminalis   Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)    alydidae   Alydus pilosulus   Broad-headed Bug    lygaeidae   Oncopeltus fasciatus   Large Milkweed Bug       Lygaeus kalmii   Small Milkweed Bug    miridae   Poecilocapsus lineatus   Four-lined Plant Bug       Prepops sp.   Plant Bug       Oncerometopus sp.   Plant Bug       Taedia sp.   Plant Bug    reduviidae   Arilus cristatus   Wheel Bug (nymph)       Apiomerus spissipes   Bee Assassin    pentatomidae   Euschistus sp.   Stink Bug (nymph)       Chinavia hilaris   Green Stink Bug (nymph)       Podisus maculiventris   Predatory Stink Bug homoptera   cicadellidae   Graphocephala hieroglyphica   Leafhopper       Graphocephala versuta   Leafhopper       Oncometopia orbona   Leafhopper       Homalodisca vitripennis   Glassy-winged Sharpshooter       Draeculacephala sp.   Leafhopper       Jikradia olitoria   Leafhopper (adult & nymph)       Agalliopsis cervina   Leafhopper    cercopidae   Prosapia bicincta   Two-lined Spittlebug    membracidae   Stictocephala sp.   Treehopper    flatidae   Metcalfa pruinosa   Citrus Planthopper (nymph)    acanaloniidae   Acanalonia conica   Planthopper (adult & nymph)       Acanalonia laticosta   Planthopper (adult & nymph)    tropiduchidae   Dictyonissus griphus   Planthopper (nymph)    issidae   Fowlerium acuta   Planthopper       Thionia elliptica   Planthopper    aphididae   Unknown sp.   Aphid hymenoptera   apidae   Apis mellifera   Honey Bee       Bombus pensylvanicus   American Bumble Bee       Xylocopa virginica   Eastern Carpenter Bee    megachilidae   Megachile sp.   Leaf-cutter Bee    halictidae   Lasioglossum sp.   Sweat Bee       Augochloropsis metallica   Green Sweat Bee       Augochlorella sp.   Green Sweat Bee    crabronidae   Hoplisoides sp.   Wasp    vespidae   Vespula squamosa   Southern Yellowjacket       Parazumia tolteca   Mason Wasp       Polistes rubiginosus   Red Wasp       Brachygastra mellifica   Mexican Honey Wasp    formicidae   Crematogaster laeviuscula   Acrobat Ant       Camponotus festinatus   Carpenter Ant    torymidae   Unknown sp.   Torymid Wasp    ichneumonidae   Ophion sp.   Ichneumon    braconidae   Phanerotoma sp.   Braconid Wasp diptera   syrphidae   Copestylum avidum   Flower Fly       Copestylum tamaulipanum   Flower Fly       Copestylum marginatum   Flower Fly       Hypocritanus fascipennis   Flower Fly    dolichopodidae   Condylostylus sp.   Long-legged Fly    sarcophagidae   Unknown sp.   Flesh Fly    stratiomyidae   Nemotelus sp.   Soldier Fly    lauxaniidae   Neodeceia sp.   Lauxaniid Fly    tachinidae   Zelia sp.   Tachinid Fly       Crocinosoma cornuale   Tachinid Fly    ulidiidae   Delphinia picta   Picture-winged Fly    chironomidae   Chironomus sp.   Midge    chaoboridae   Chaoborus punctipennis   Phantom Midge odonata   libellulidae   Libellula croceipennis   Neon Skimmer       Pachydiplax longipennis   Blue Dasher    coenagrionidae   Argia translata   Dusky Dancer       Telebasis salva   Desert Firetail orthoptera   acrididae   Melanoplus differentialis   Differential Grasshopper (nymph)       Melanoplus ponderosus   Ponderous Grasshopper (nymph)       Melanoplus flabellatus   Dallas Short-winged Grasshopper       Schistocerca nitens   Gray Bird Grasshopper (nymph)    tettigoniidae   Obolopteryx catinata   Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (adult & nymph)    gryllidae   Gryllus sp.   Field Cricket neuroptera   chrysopidae   Chrysoperla rufilabris   Green Lacewing (larva) psocoptera   psocidae   Blaste posticata   Barklouse trichoptera   hydropsychidae   Hydropsyche sp.   Netspinning Caddisfly araneae   salticidae   Anasaitis canosa   Jumping Spider    thomisidae   Mecaphesa sp.   Crab Spider    tetragnathidae   Tetragnatha laboriosa   Silver Long-jawed Orbweaver       Tetragnatha sp.   Long-jawed Orbweaver    araneidae   Argiope aurantia   Black and Yellow Garden Spider       Neoscona crucifera   Orbweaver       Neoscona arabesca   Arabesque Orbweaver       Araneus sp.   Orbweaver       Mangora gibberosa   Orbweaver    pisauridae   Dolomedes triton   Fishing Spider    dictynidae   Dictyna sp.   Meshweb Weaver    pholcidae   Psilochorus sp.   Cellar Spider