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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey July 28, 2022


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

A team of eleven completed this week's survey on a hot, sunny morning. Cellar spiders and harvestmen, as shown below, are superficially similar, often occur in the same habitat and are both sometimes called "Daddy Long-legs." Besides being only distantly related arachnids, the former is a predator that lives in a web while the latter scavenger lacks venom glands and cannot produce silk.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer)
photo by Annelia Williams


Masticophis flagellum testaceus (western coachwhip)
photo by Harriett Wolf


Perithemis tenera (eastern amberwing: resting & obelisking)
photo by Beth Kirkhart


Euphyes vestris (dun skipper: with hind wings closed & open)
photo by Dan Hardy & Katherine Daniels


Danaus gilippus (queen)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Melanoplus differentialis (differrential grasshoppers mating)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Argiope trifasciata & Melanoplus femurrubrum
(banded garden spider wrapping red-legged grasshopper)
photo by Sam Fruehling


Argiope aurantia & Sphex ichneumoneus
(black and yellow garden spider wrapping
great golden digger wasp)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Mecaphesa sp. & Geron sp. (crab spider eating bee fly)
photo by Katherine Daniels


Pardosa sp. (wolf spider)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Peucetia viridans (green lynx)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Crossopriza lyoni (cellar spider carrying eggs)
photo by Val Bugh


Crossopriza lyoni (cellar spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Leiobunum sp. (harvestman)
photo by Val Bugh


Entypus unifasciatus (Cresson's spider wasp)
photo by Katherine Daniels


Bicyrtes quadrifasciata (sand wasp)
photo by Katherine Daniels


Palpada pusilla (flower fly)
photo by Katherine Daniels


Exoprosopa iota, Villa sp. & Metacosmus mancipennis (bee flies)
photo by Beth Kirkhart, Katherine Daniels & Val Bugh


Stictomyia longicornis (picture-winged fly)
photo by Beth Kirkhart


Trichopepla semivittata (stink bug)
photo by Joe Fernandes

  • Birds:
    American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
    American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
    Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
    Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)
    Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
    Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
    Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
    Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
    Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)
    Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
    Purple Martin (Progne subis)
    Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
    Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
    Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)
    Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)
    Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)
    Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

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

  • Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish:
    Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis gularis gularis)
    Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)
    Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)
    Western Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum testaceus)
    Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus)
    Redstripe Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus)
    Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
    Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Rana berlandieri)
    Gulf Coast Toad (Bufo nebulifer), tadpoles
    Rio Grande Cichlid (Herichthys cyanoguttatus)
    Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis)
    Sailfin Molly (Poecilia latipinna)

  • Misc.:
    Scud (Hyalella sp.)
    Striped Bark Scorpion (Centruroides vittatus)
    Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.)
    Chigger (Unknown sp.)
    Mite (Unknown sp.)
    Leech (Erpobdella sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary
        Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Libytheana carinenta  American Snout
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
        Callophrys gryneus  Juniper Hairstreak
        Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak
        Strymon istapa  Mallow Scrub-hairstreak
      pieridae  Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
        Eurema lisa  Little Yellow
        Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
      hesperiidae  Euphyes vestris  Dun Skipper
        Amblyscirtes celia  Celia's Roadside-skipper
        Chioides albofasciatus  White-striped Longtail
        Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
        Pyrgus philetas  Desert Checkered-skipper
        Erynnis horatius  Horace's Duskywing
        Systasea pulverulenta  Texas Powdered-skipper
      erebidae  Anticarsia gemmatalis  Velvetbean Caterpillar Moth
        Plusiodonta compressipalpis  Moonseed Moth
      sphingidae  Hemaris diffinis  Snowberry Clearwing (larva)
        Sphinx vanbuskirki  Sphinx Moth
        Manduca sexta  Carolina Sphinx (larva)
      geometridae  Digrammia pallidata  Moth
        Iridopsis defectaria  Brown-shaded Gray Moth
        Pimaphera sparsaria  Moth
      crambidae  Uresiphita reversalis  Genista Caterpillar (larva)
        Diastictis fracturalis  Fractured Western Snout Moth
        Desmia subdivisalis  Moth
        Petrophila jaliscalis  Moth
        Glaphyria sesquistrialis  White-roped Glaphyria
        Microtheoris ophionalis  Yellow-veined Moth
        Eoreuma densella  Wainscot Grass-veneer Moth
        Euchromius ocelleus  Grass-veneer Moth
        Fissicrambus sp.  Grass-veneer Moth
      pyralidae  Peoria tetradella  Grass-veneer Moth
        Peoria opacella  Grass-veneer Moth
        Anderida peorinella  Grass-veneer Moth
        Elasmopalpus lignosellus  Lesser Cornstalk Borer Moth
        Eurythmia angulella  Moth
        Adelphia petrella  Moth
        Macalla zelleri  Zeller's Macalla
      tortricidae  Cydia membrosa  Leafroller Moth
        Cydia latiferreana  Filbertworm Moth
        Unknown sp.  Moth
      gelechiidae  Aristotelia sp.  Moth
        Aristotelia new sp.  Moth
        Hypatima sp.  Moth
        Deltophora glandiferella  Moth
        Unknown sp.  Moth
      scythrididae  Scythris trivinctella  Moth
        Neoscythris fissirostris  Moth
      oecophoridae  Inga cretacea  Chalky Inga
      depressariidae  Durrantia piperatella  Moth
      blastobasidae  Pigritia sp.  Moth
        Unknown sp.  Moth
      coleophoridae  Coleophora sp.  Moth
      gracillariide  Phyllonorycter sp.  Moth
      tineidae  Xystrologa new sp.  Moth
        Monopis crocicapitella  Bird Nest Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Pachybrachis texanus  Leaf Beetle
        Cryptocephalus fulguratus  Leaf Beetle
      coccinellidae  Diomus terminatus  Lady Beetle
      cerambycidae  Knulliana cincta  Banded Hickory Borer
        Ataxia crypta  Longhorn Beetle
      scarabaeidae  Phyllophaga sp.  June Beetle
      bostrichidae  Xylobiops sp.  Powder-post Beetle
      ptinidae  Tricorynus sp.  Beetle
        Caenocara sp.  Puffball Beetle
        Ptinus sp.  Spider Beetle
      curculionidae  Rhodobaenus tredecimpunctatus  Cocklebur Weevil
        Unknown sp.  Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug
        Narnia femorata  Cactus Bug (nymph)
        Chelinidea vittiger  Opuntia Bug
        Catorhintha texana  Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)
      miridae  Unknown sp.  Plant Bug
      reduviidae  Zelus renardii  Assassin Bug
      pentatomidae  Banasa euchlora  Stink Bug
        Trichopepla semivittata  Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Homalodisca vitripennis  Glassy-winged Sharpshooter
        Oncometopia hamiltoni  Leafhopper
        Eutettix sp.  Leafhopper
        Texananus sp.  Leafhopper
        Excultanus excultus  Leafhopper
        Scaphoideus sp.  Leafhopper
        Cantura jucunda  Leafhopper
        Illinigina illinoiensis  Leafhopper
        Draeculacephala sp.  Leafhopper
        Paraphlepsius irroratus  Leafhopper
        Penthimia americana  Leafhopper
        Acinopterus sp.  Leafhopper
      cixiidae  Oecleus sp.  Planthopper
      acanaloniidae  Acanalonia conica  Planthopper
      flatidae  Metcalfa pruinosa  Citrus Planthopper
      membracidae  Stictocephala sp.  Treehopper
      dactylopiidae  Datylopius sp.  Cochineal Insect
      aphididae  Aphis nerii  Oleander Aphid
      cicadidae  Hadoa texana  Cicada
        Neotibicen superbus  Superb Cicada

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Bombus pensylvanicus  American Bumble Bee
        Svastra obliqua  Digger Bee
        Xylocopa micans  Southern Carpenter Bee
      halictidae  Augochloropsis metallica  Green Sweat Bee
      megachilidae  Megachile sp.  Leaf-cutter Bee
        Megachile exilis  Slender Resin Bee
        Dianthidium sp.  Resin Bee
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
        Polistes rubiginosus  Red Wasp
        Polistes dorsalis  Paper Wasp
        Polistes metricus  Paper Wasp
        Unknown sp.  Mason Wasp
      crabronidae  Bicyrtes quadrifasciata  Sand Wasp
      sphecidae  Chalybion sp.  Blue Mud Dauber
        Sceliphron caementarium  Yellow-and-black Mud Dauber
        Prionyx sp.  Thread-waisted Wasp
        Ammophila sp.  Thread-waisted Wasp
        Sphex ichneumoneus  Great Golden Digger Wasp
        Sphex lucae  Digger Wasp
        Sphex texanus  Digger Wasp
      pompilidae  Pepsis sp.  Tarantula-hawk Wasp
        Tachypompilus ferrugineus  Spider Wasp
        Episyron sp.  Spider Wasp
        Entypus unifasciatus  Cresson's Spider Wasp
        Unknown sp.  Spider Wasp
      mutillidae  Sphaeropthalma sp.  Velvet Ant
      formicidae  Camponotus decipiens  Carpenter Ant
        Camponotus texanus  Carpenter Ant

    diptera  syrphidae  Palpada pusilla  Flower Fly
      bombyliidae  Geron sp.  Bee Fly
        Villa sp.  Bee Fly
        Exoprosopa iota  Bee Fly
        Metacosmus mancipennis  Bee Fly
      stratiomyidae  Hoplitimyia mutabilis  Soldier Fly
        Hermetia reinhardi  Soldier Fly
      asilidae  Promachus hinei  Robber Fly
        Saropogon sp.  Robber Fly
      dolichopodidae  Condylostylus sp.  Long-legged Fly
        Tachytrechus sp.  Long-legged Fly
      calliphoridae  Lucilia sp.  Blow Fly
      muscidae  Synthesiomyia nudiseta  Fly
      ulidiidae  Stictomyia longicornis  Picture-winged Fly
      phoridae  Unknown sp.  Scuttle Fly
      milichiidae  Unknown sp.  Freeloader Fly
      cecidomyiidae  Ampelomyia vitispomum  Gall Midge (galls)
        Unknown sp.  Gall Midge
      chironomidae  Unknown sp.  Midge

    odonata  libellulidae  Pachydiplax longipennis  Blue Dasher
        Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer
        Erythemis simplicicollis  Eastern Pondhawk
        Perithemis tenera  Eastern Amberwing
        Plathemis lydia  Common Whitetail
        Tramea onusta  Red Saddlebags
      coenagrionidae  Ischnura ramburii  Rambur's Forktail
        Argia plana  Springwater Dancer
        Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer

    orthoptera  acrididae  Melanoplus ponderosus  Ponderous Grasshopper
        Melanoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper
        Melanoplus femurrubrum  Red-legged Grasshopper
        Paraidemona sp.  Spur-throated Grasshopper
        Syrbula admirabilis  Handsome Grasshopper (nymph)
        Mermiria bivittata  Two-striped Mermiria
        Boopedon gracile  Graceful Range Grasshopper
        Schistocerca nitens  Gray Bird Grasshopper
        Schistocerca lineata  Spotted Bird Grasshopper
        Schistocerca obscura  Obscure Bird Grasshopper
        Schistocerca americana  American Bird Grasshopper
        Trimerotropis maritima  Seaside Grasshopper
        Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing
        Arphia simplex  Plains Yellow-winged Grasshopper
        Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper
      tetrigidae  Paratettix mexicanus  Pygmy Grasshopper
      gryllidae  Gryllus sp.  Field Cricket
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (adult & nymph)
        Obolopteryx catinata  Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid
        Orchelimum silvaticum  Long-spurred Meadow Katydid
        Pediodectes bruneri  Bruner Shieldback
        Pediodectes nigromarginatus  Black-margined Shieldback

    mantodea  mantidae  Stagmomantis carolina  Carolina Mantis (nymph)

    blattodea  ectobiidae  Parcoblatta fulvescens  Fulvous Wood Roach

    neuroptera  myrmeleontidae  Myrmeleon sp.  Antlion (larva)
        Peruveleon dorsalis  Antlion
      ascalaphidae  Ululodes macleayanus  Owlfly
      mantispidae  Dicromantispa sayi  Mantisfly
        Leptomantispa pulchella  Mantisfly
      chrysopidae  Yumachrysa sp.  Green Lacewing

    trichoptera  hydroptilidae  Unknown sp.  Microcaddisfly

    psocoptera  lepidopsocidae  Echmepteryx hageni  Scaly-winged Barklouse

    strepsiptera  stylopidae  Unknown sp.  Twisted-wing Parasite

    araneae  salticidae  Phidippus audax  Bold Jumper
        Platycryptus undatus  Jumping Spider
        Anasaitis canosa  Jumping Spider
      araneidae  Argiope aurantia  Black and Yellow Garden Spider
        Argiope trifasciata  Banded Garden Spider
        Neoscona oaxacensis  Orbweaver
      oxyopidae  Peucetia viridans  Green Lynx
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
      pisauridae  Dolomedes triton  Fishing Spider
      lycosidae  Pardosa sp.  Wolf Spider
        Rabidosa rabida  Rabid Wolf Spider
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha sp.  Longjawed Orbweaver
      theridiidae  Argyrodes sp.  Silver Dewdrop Spider
        Steatoda triangulosa  Checkered Cobweb Weaver
      pholcidae  Crossopriza lyoni  Cellar Spider
        Pholcus phalangioides  Long-bodied Cellar Spider
        Holocnemus pluchei  Marbled Cellar Spider

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