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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey November 7, 2024


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

A team of fourteen conducted this week's survey under mostly warm and overcast conditions. The wrestling pair of female paper wasps shown below were possibly engaged in a dispute over dominance within their colony. When a struggle over hierarchy escalates to where both individuals are on the ground it is called a "falling fight."

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Horama panthalon (Texas wasp moth)
photo by Joe Fernandes


Atteva aurea (ailanthus webworm moth)
photo by Mika Geiger


Melanchroia chephise (white-tipped black)
photo by Katherine Daniels


Hymenia perspectalis & Spoladea recurvalis
(spotted beet webworm moth & Hawaiian beet webworm moth)
photo by Val Bugh & Katherine Daniels


Rachiplusia ou (gray looper moth)
photo by Linda Crabtree


Mestra amymone (common mestra)
photo by Barbara Ribble


Schistocerca americana (American bird grasshopper)
photo by Michael Knox


Schistocerca nitens (gray bird grasshopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Schistocerca lineata (spotted bird grasshopper)
photo by Mika Geiger


Schistocerca obscura (obscure bird grasshopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer)
photo by Bill Boyd


Helophilus fasciatus (flower fly)
photo by Mika Geiger


Polistes rubiginosus (red wasps fighting)
photo by Katherine Daniels


Compsocryptus texensis (ichneumon)
photo by Mika Geiger


Hemipepsis sp. (spider wasp)
photo by Michael Knox


Nezara viridula (green stink bug nymph)
photo by Cyd Wehner


Polymerus basalis & Taylorilygus apicalis (plant bugs)
photo by Mika Geiger


Eleodes goryi (desert stink beetle)
photo by George Ward


Scaptolenus sp. (rain click beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Curculio sp. (nut weevil)
photo by Mika Geiger

  • Birds:
    American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
    American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
    American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Common Raven (Corvus corax)
    Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
    Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
    Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)
    Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)
    Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)

  • Mammals:
    White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
    Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
    Bat (Unknown sp.)
    Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), fresh digging

  • Reptiles:
    Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus)
    Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)
    Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)

  • Misc.:
    Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.)
    Halloween Harvestman (Dalquestia formosa)
    Striped Bark Scorpion (Centruroides vittatus)
    Millipede (Aniulus sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary
        Euptoieta claudia  Variegated Fritillary
        Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Danaus plexippus  Monarch
        Junonia coenia  Common Buckeye
        Vanessa virginiensis  American Lady
        Vanessa cardui  Painted Lady
        Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
        Chlosyne lacinia  Bordered Patch
        Phyciodes phaon  Phaon Crescent
        Phyciodes tharos  Pearl Crescent
        Mestra amymone  Common Mestra
        Libytheana carinenta  American Snout
      pieridae  Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
        Eurema lisa  Little Yellow
        Zerene cesonia  Southern Dogface
        Colias eurytheme  Orange Sulphur
        Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
        Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
        Pontia protodice  Checkered White
      papilionidae  Papilio cresphontes  Giant Swallowtail
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus ceraunus  Ceraunus Blue
        Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
        Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak
        Strymon istapa  Mallow Scrub-hairstreak (adult & larva)
        Calycopis isobeon  Dusky-blue Groundstreak
        Atlides halesus  Great Purple Hairstreak
      hesperiidae  Lerema accius  Clouded Skipper
        Lerodea eufala  Eufala Skipper
        Atalopedes huron  Sachem
        Panoquina ocola  Ocola Skipper
        Burnsius philetas  Desert Checkered-skipper
        Burnsius communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
        Urbanus dorantes  Dorantes Longtail
        Chioides albofasciatus  White-striped Longtail
      noctuidae  Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Micrathetis triplex  Triplex Cutworm Moth
        Tripudia quadrifera  Moth
        Cobubatha orthozona  Moth
        Rachiplusia ou  Gray Looper Moth
        Spodoptera exigua  Beet Armyworm Moth
        Megalographa biloba  Bilobed Looper Moth
        Mythimna unipuncta  Armyworm Moth
      erebidae  Mocis latipes  Small Mocis
        Eublemma recta  Moth
      arctiidae  Cisthene tenuifascia  Thin-banded Lichen Moth
        Horama panthalon  Texas Wasp Moth
        Estigmene acrea  Salt Marsh Moth (larva)
        Cisseps fulvicollis  Yellow-collared Scape Moth
      geometridae  Digrammia pallidata  Moth
        Iridopsis defectaria  Brown-shaded Gray Moth
        Pleuroprucha insulsaria  Common Tan Wave
        Lobocleta ossularia  Drab Brown Wave
        Costaconvexa centrostrigaria  Bent-line Carpet
        Synchlora frondaria  Southern Emerald (adult & larva)
        Melanchroia chephise  White-tipped Black
        Scopula umbilicata  Swag-lined Wave
        Eupithecia longidens  Moth
        Eupithecia miserulata  Common Eupithecia (larva)
      crambidae  Achyra rantalis  Garden Webworm Moth
        Pyrausta laticlavia  Southern Purple Mint Moth
        Diastictis fracturalis  Fractured Western Snout Moth
        Glaphyria sesquistrialis  White-roped Glaphyria
        Hellula rogatalis  Cabbage Webworm Moth
        Lineodes interrupta  Moth
        Samea castellalis  Stained-glass Moth
        Palpita quadristigmalis  Four-spotted Palpita
        Nomophila nearctica  Lucerne Moth
        Agriphila vulgivagella  Vagabond Crambus
        Hymenia perspectalis  Spotted Beet Webworm Moth
        Spoladea recurvalis  Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth
        Microcrambus croesus  Grass-veneer Moth
        Euchromius ocelleus  Grass-veneer Moth
      pyralidae  Homoeosoma deceptorium  Moth
        Peoria bipartitella  Grass-veneer Moth
        Maricopa lativittella  Moth
        Unknown sp.  Moth
      tortricidae  Cydia latiferreana  Filbertworm Moth
        Pelochrista canana  Leafroller Moth
        Decodes basiplagana  Leafroller Moth
        Bactra verutana  Javelin Moth
        Crocidosema plebejana  Cotton Tipworm Moth
      gelechiidae  Anacampsis fullonella  Moth
        Stegasta bosqueella  Red-necked Peanutworm Moth
        Aristotelia rubidella  Moth
        Keiferia glochinella  Eggplant Leafminer Moth
        Gnorimoschema saphirinella  Moth
        Symmestrischema pallidochrella  Moth
        Aproaerema palpilineella  Moth
      scythrididae  Scythris trivinctella  Moth
        Neoscythris fissirostris  Moth
      carposinidae  Carposina ottawana  Peach Fruitworm Moth
      blastobasidae  Pigritia sp.  Moth
      ypsolophidae  Ypsolopha ochrella  Agarita Slug Moth
        Ypsolopha unicipunctella  Agarita Slug Moth
      plutellidae  Plutella xylostella  Diamondback Moth
      yponomeutidae  Atteva aurea  Ailanthus Webworm Moth
      cosmopterigidae  Cosmopterix sp.  Moth
      bucculatricidae  Bucculatrix sp.  Ribbed Cocoon-maker Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Asphaera lustrans  Flea Beetle
        Psylliodes convexior  Flea Beetle
        Disonycha leptolineata  Flea Beetle
        Megacerus cubiculus  Bean Weevil
      coccinellidae  Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Lady Beetle
      buprestidae  Acmaeodera flavomarginata  Metallic Woodborer
        Agrilus lacustris  Metallic Woodborer
      cerambycidae  Styloxus fulleri  Longhorn Beetle
      meloidae  Epicauta pennsylvanica  Black Blister Beetle
      elateridae  Scaptolenus sp.  Rain Click Beetle
      heteroceridae  Heterocerus sp.  Variegated Mud-loving Beetle
      dysticidae  Hygrotus nubilus  Predaceous Diving Beetle
        Copelatus chevrolati  Predaceous Diving Beetle
      hydrophilidae  Enochrus sp.  Water Scavenger Beetle
        Berosus sp.  Water Scavenger Beetle
      staphylinidae  Philonthus rufulus  Rove Beetle
      carabidae  Notiobia sp.  Ground Beetle
        Pasimachus californicus  Ground Beetle
        Thalpius dorsalis  Ground Beetle
      bostrichidae  Xylobiops basilaris  Powder-post Beetle
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Desert Stink Beetle
        Eleodes fusiformis  Desert Stink Beetle
        Bothrotes canaliculatus  Darkling Beetle
      phalacridae  Phalacrus sp.  Shining Flower Beetle
      ptinidae  Ptinus sp.  Spider Beetle
      curculionidae  Curculio sp.  Nut Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Leptoglossus phyllopus  Eastern Leaf-footed Bug (adult & nymph)
        Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug
        Hypselonotus punctiventris  Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)
        Narnia femorata  Cactus Bug
      largidae  Largus sp.  Largus Bug (adult & nymph)
      lygaeidae  Nysius sp.  False Chinch Bug
      rhyparochromidae  Heraeus plebejus  Seed Bug
        Pseudopachybrachius basalis  Seed Bug
      rhopalidae  Liorhyssus hyalinus  Hyaline Grass Bug
      berytidae  Metacanthus multispinus  Stilt Bug
      miridae  Phytocoris nigricollis  Plant Bug
        Taylorilygus apicalis  Plant Bug
        Clivinema sp.  Plant Bug
        Dichaetocoris sp.  Plant Bug
        Polymerus basalis  Plant Bug
        Ceratocapsus apicalis  Plant Bug
        Parthenicus juniperi  Plant Bug
      gerridae  Aquarius remigis  Water Strider
      reduviidae  Arilus cristatus  Wheel Bug
      scutelleridae  Sphyrocoris obliquus  Shield Bug (adult & nymph)
      pentatomidae  Banasa euchlora  Stink Bug
        Nezara viridula  Green Stink Bug (nymph)
        Mecidea major  Grass Stink Bug
        Thyanta custator  Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Macrosteles sp.  Leafhopper
        Balclutha sp.  Leafhopper
        Balclutha rubrostriata  Leafhopper
        Menosoma cincta  Leafhopper
        Exitianus exitiosus  Gray Lawn Leafhopper
        Chlorotettix sp.  Leafhopper
        Paraphlepsius sp.  Leafhopper
        Excultanus excultus  Leafhopper
        Graminella sp.  Leafhopper
        Curtara insularis  Leafhopper
        Empoasca sp.  Leafhopper
        Eutettix minutus  Leafhopper
        Eratoneura sp.  Leafhopper
        Erythridula sp.  Leafhopper
        Gyponana sp.  Leafhopper
      delphacidae  Tagosodes sp.  Planthopper
      cixiidae  Pintalia delicata  Planthopper
        Melanoliarus sp.  Planthopper

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Bombus pensylvanicus  American Bumble Bee
        Bombus sonorus  Sonoran Bumble Bee
        Melissodes sp.  Digger Bee
        Melissoptila pinguis  Long-horned Bee
        Xylocopa virginica  Eastern Carpenter Bee
        Nomada texana  Cuckoo Bee
      halictidae  Augochloropsis metallica  Green Sweat Bee
        Agapostemon sp.  Green Sweat Bee
        Augochlorella sp.  Green Sweat Bee
        Lasioglossum sp.  Sweat Bee
      megachilidae  Megachile sp.  Leaf-cutter Bee
        Coelioxys sp.  Parasitic Leaf-cutter Bee
      vespidae  Polistes rubiginosus  Red Wasp
        Polistes dorsalis  Paper Wasp
        Euodynerus hidalgo  Mason Wasp
        Eumenes fraternus  Potter Wasp
        Brachygastra mellifica  Mexican Honey Wasp
        Vespula squamosa  Southern Yellowjacket
      sphecidae  Ammophila sp.  thread-waisted Wasp
      pompilidae  Hemipepsis sp.  Spider Wasp
        Unknown sp.  Spider Wasp
      formicidae  Solenopsis invicta  Imported Fire Ant
        Unknown sp.  Ant
      ichneumonidae  Compsocryptus texensis  Ichneumon
        Unknown sp.  Ichneumon

    diptera  syrphidae  Palpada vinetorum  Flower Fly
        Palpada pusilla  Flower Fly
        Toxomerus marginatus  Flower Fly
        Hypocritanus fascipennis  Flower Fly
        Helophilus fasciatus  Flower Fly
        Eristalis stipator  Flower Fly
        Eristalis dimidiata  Flower Fly
      bombyliidae  Toxophora virgata  Bee Fly
      muscidae  Graphomya sp.  Fly
        Limnophora sp.  Fly
        Coenosia sp.  Tiger Fly
      calliphoridae  Cochliomyia macellaria  Secondary Screwworm
        Chrysomya rufifacies  Hairy Maggot Blow Fly
      tachinidae  Archytas sp.  Tachinid Fly
        Trichopoda lanipes  Feather-legged Fly
      ceratopogonidae  Forcipomyia bipunctata  Biting Midge
      chaoboridae  Chaoborus punctipennis  Phantom Midge
      limoniidae  Limonia communis  Crane Fly
        Gonomyia sp.  Crane Fly
      chironomidae  Tanytarsus sp.  Green Midge
        Ablabesmyia sp.  Midge
        Unknown sp.  Midge

    odonata  libellulidae  Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer
      coenagrionidae  Argia funebris  Springwater Dancer
        Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer

    orthoptera  acrididae  Melanoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper
        Melanoplus ponderosus  Ponderous Grasshopper
        Melanoplus plebejus  Plebeian Grasshopper
        Melanoplus bispinosus  Two-spined Spur-throated Grasshopper
        Melanoplus femurrubrum  Red-legged Grasshopper
        Melanoplus gladstoni  Gladston's Spurthroat Grasshopper
        Phaedrotettix dumicola  Spur-throated Grasshopper
        Schistocerca americana  American Bird Grasshopper
        Schistocerca lineata  Spotted Bird Grasshopper
        Schistocerca nitens  Gray Bird Grasshopper (adult & nymph)
        Schistocerca obscura  Obscure Bird Grasshopper
        Eritettix abortivus  Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper
        Syrbula admirabilis  Handsome Grasshopper
        Encoptolophus costalis  Dusky Grasshopper
        Arphia simplex  Plains Yellow-winged Grasshopper
        Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper
        Hippiscus ocelote  Wrinkled Grasshopper
        Trimerotropis pallidipennis  Pallid-winged Grasshopper
      gryllidae  Gryllus sp.  Field Cricket
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid
      tetrigidae  Paratettix mexicanus  Pygmy Grasshopper

    mantodea  mantidae  Stagmomantis carolina  Carolina Mantis (eggs)
        Litaneutria minor  Ground Mantis

    neuroptera  mantispidae  Dicromantispa interrupta  Mantisfly
      chrysopidae  Chrysoperla rufilabris  Green Lacewing
      berothidae  Lomamyia squamosa  Beaded Lacewing

    mecoptera  panorpidae  Panorpa nuptialis  Scorpionfly

    trichoptera  leptoceridae  Oecetis inconspicua  Long-horned Caddisfly
        Triaenodes sp.  Long-horned Caddisfly
      philopotamidae  Chimarra sp.  Black Caddisfly

    araneae  araneidae  Argiope aurantia  Black and Yellow Garden Spider
        Neoscona sp.  Orbweaver
      salticidae  Phidippus cardinalis  Cardinal Jumper
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
      oxyopidae  Peucetia viridans  Green Lynx

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