A warm, cloudy morning turned hot and sunny as a team of thirteen conducted this week's survey. Several species of land snails thrive in our area despite the hot, dry weather that often restricts their activity. To survive unfavorable conditions, snails estivate, secreting a mucus membrane called an epiphragm that creates a waterproof seal over their shell aperature, as shown below. Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings: Passerina ciris (painted bunting) photo by Beth Kirkhart Empidonax traillii (willow flycatcher) photo by George Ward Chondestes grammacus (lark sparrow with speargrass seed) photo by George Ward Archilochus alexandri (black-chinned hummingbird) photo by Bill Boyd Polistes exclamans (paper wasp) photo by Katherine Daniels Pseudodynerus quadrisectus (mason wasp) photo by Michael Knox Dictyna sp. & Apis mellifera (meshweb weaver eating honey bee) photo by Katherine Daniels Phidippus texanus (Texas jumper) photo by Julie Shaw Phidippus audax & Plagiognathus politus (immature bold jumper eating plant bug) photo by Michael Knox Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer) photo by Bill Boyd Arilus cristatus (wheel bug nymph) photo by Julie Shaw Arilus cristatus (wheel bug) photo by Michael Knox Trigonorhinus limbatus (fungus weevils mating) photo by Linda Crabtree Eleodes fusiformis & Eleodes goryi (desert stink beetles) photo by Joe Fernandes & Michael Knox Strigoderma arbicola (flower scarab) photo by Julie Shaw Euphoria kernii (flower scarab) photo by Joe Fernandes Kuschelina gibbitarsa (flea beetle) photo by Julie Shaw Disonycha discoidea (passionflower flea beetle) photo by Val Bugh Rabdotus sp. (land snail estivating) photo by Beth Kirkhart Hylephila phyleus (fiery skippers mating) photo by Katherine Daniels Birds: American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis) American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Black-bellied Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) 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) Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) Common Raven (Corvus corax) Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Dickcissel (Spiza americana) Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Eastern Wood-pewee (Contopus virens) European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) Great Egret (Ardea alba) Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Hutton's Vireo (Vireo huttoni) Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris) Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla) Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) Purple Martin (Progne subis) Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Western Cattle-egret (Bubulcus ibis) Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) Mammals: Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor), fresh scat Common Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), fresh scat Coyote (Canis latrans), fresh scat Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), fresh digging Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish: Redstripe Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus) Western Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum testaceus) Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis gularis gularis) Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus) Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Lithobates berlandieri) Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) Misc.: Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.) Harvestman (Eumesosoma roeweri) Mite (Leptus sp.) Julid Millipede (Aniulus sp.) Pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare) Land Snail (Rabdotus sp.) Insects & Spiders: order family genus/species common name lepidoptera   nymphalidae   Danaus gilippus   Queen       Danaus plexippus   Monarch       Euptoieta claudia   Variegated Fritillary       Junonia coenia   Common Buckeye       Vanessa atalanta   Red Admiral       Vanessa virginiensis   American Lady       Chlosyne lacinia   Bordered Patch    pieridae   Eurema nicippe   Sleepy Orange (adult & larva)       Colias eurytheme   Orange Sulphur       Zerene cesonia   Southern Dogface    papilionidae   Battus philenor   Pipevine Swallowtail       Papilio polyxenes   Black Swallowtail    lycaenidae   Strymon melinus   Gray Hairstreak (adult & larva)       Satyrium favonius   Oak Hairstreak       Hemiargus isola   Reakirt's Blue    hesperiidae   Erynnis horatius   Horace's Duskywing       Erynnis funeralis   Funeral Duskywing       Burnsius philetas   Desert Checkered-skipper       Euphyes vestris   Dun Skipper       Hylephila phyleus   Fiery Skipper       Atalopedes huron   Huron Sachem    noctuidae   Emarginea percara   Beloved Emarginea       Tarache quadriplaga   Bird Dropping Moth       Ponometia phecolisca   Bird Dropping Moth       Cosmia calami   American Dun-bar Moth       Hemieuxoa rudens   Moth       Anicla infecta   Green Cutworm Moth       Catabenoides terminellus   Moth       Diastema tigris   Lantana Moth    erebidae   Caenurgina erechtea   Forage Looper Moth       Eubolina impartialis   Moth    arctiidae   Hypoprepia fucosa   Painted Lichen Moth       Estigmene acrea   Salt Marsh Moth (larva)    saturniidae   Hyalophora cecropia   Cecropia Moth (larva)    sphingidae   Hemaris diffinis   Snowberry Clearwing (larva)    geometridae   Digrammia pallidata   Moth       Digrammia atrofasciata   Moth       Psamatodes abydata   Dot-lined Angle       Iridopsis defectaria   Brown-shaded Gray Moth       Glena quinquelinearia   Five-lined Glena       Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria   Blackberry Looper Moth (larva)       Synchlora frondaria   Camouflaged Looper (larva)       Pimaphera sparsaria   Moth       Prochoerodes lineola   Large Maple Spanworm Moth       Unknown sp.   Moth (larva)    crambidae   Achyra rantalis   Garden Webworm Moth       Diastictis fracturalis   Fractured Western Snout Moth       Pyrausta volupialis   Pyrausta Moth       Hileithia magualis   Moth       Glaphyria sesquistrialis   White-roped Glaphyria       Lipocosma polingi   Moth       Microtheoris ophionalis   Yellow-veined Moth       Microcrambus croesus   Grass-veneer Moth    pyralidae   Adelphia petrella   Moth       Anderida peorinella   Grass-veneer Moth       Peoria tetradella   Grass-veneer Moth       Pococera euphemella   Mesquite Leaftier Moth       Cacotherapia flexilinealis   Moth       Chararica hystriculella   Moth       Eurythmia angulella   Moth    tortricidae   Cydia membrosa   Leafroller Moth       Pelochrista salaciana   Leafroller Moth       Ancylis comptana   Strawberry Leafroller Moth       Sparganothis demissana   Moth       Archips semiferanus   Oak Leafroller Moth       Platphalonidia magdalenae   Moth       Rudenia leguminana   Black-tipped Rudenia    gelechiidae   Isophrictis similiella   Moth       Battaristis concinnusella   Moth       Aristotelia sp.   Moth    blastobasidae   Hypatopa punctiferella   Moth       Unknown sp.   Moth    oecophoridae   Inga obscuromaculella   Moth    coleophoridae   Coleophora sp.   Moth    plutellidae   Plutella xylostella   Diamondback Moth    scythrididae   Scythris trivinctella   Moth    elachistidae   Haplochrois bipunctella   Moth    glyphipterigidae   Diploschizia impigritella   Yellow Nutsedge Moth    nepticulidae   Zimmermannia bosquella   Pygmy Moth    cosmopterigidae   Periploca sp.   Moth    acrolophidae   Acrolophus griseus   Tubeworm Moth       Acrolophus mortipennella   Tubeworm Moth       Acrolophus piger   Tubeworm Moth coleoptera   chrysomelidae   Asphaera lustrans   Flea Beetle (adult & larva)       Brachypnoea sp.   Leaf Beetle       Metrioidea varicornis   Leaf Beetle       Diabrotica undecimpunctata   Spotted Cucumber Beetle       Disonycha discoidea   Passionflower Flea Beetle       Kuschelina gibbitarsa   Flea Beetle       Unknown sp.   Tortoise Beetle (pupa)       Acanthoscelides sp.   Bean Weevil    coccinellidae   Coccinella septempunctata   Seven-spotted Lady Beetle    buprestidae   Acmaeodera mixta   Metallic Woodborer    cerambycidae   Strangalia sexnotata   Flower Longhorn       Mecas cineracea   Longhorn Beetle    tenebrionidae   Eleodes goryi   Desert Stink Beetle       Eleodes fusiformis   Desert Stink Beetle    elateridae   Melanotus sp.   Click Beetle       Aeolus subornatus   Click Beetle    carabidae   Notiobia sp.   Ground Beetle    dytiscidae   Coptotomus venustus   Predaceous Diving Beetle    melyridae   Attalus nigripes   Soft-winged Flower Beetle    staphylinidae   Philonthus rufulus   Rove Beetle       Ephelinus sp.   Rove Beetle    meloidae   Nemognatha sp.   Blister Beetle    nitidulidae   Stelidota coenosa   Sap Beetle    hybosoridae   Hybosorus illigeri   Scavenger Scarab    scarabaeidae   Euphoria kernii   Flower Scarab       Trichiotinus texanus   Texas Flower Scarab       Strigoderma arbicola   Flower Scarab       Phyllophaga torta   June Beetle       Diplotaxis sp.   Scarab    bostrichidae   Amphicerus bicaudatus   Apple Twig Borer       Xylobiops sp.   Powder-post Beetle    anthicidae   Vacusus vicinus   Antlike Flower Beetle    mordellidae   Mordella atrata   Tumbling Flower Beetle       Mordellistena cervicalis   Tumbling Flower Beetle    scraptiidae   Allopoda sp.   False Flower Beetle       Diclidia laetula   False Flower Beetle    erotylidae   Pseudischyrus extricatus   Pleasing Fungus Beetle    anthribidae   Trigonorhinus limbatus   Fungus Weevil    curculionidae   Anthonomus fulvus   Weevil       Baris sp.   Weevil hemiptera   coreidae   Acanthocephala terminalis   Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)       Leptoglossus phyllopus   Eastern Leaf-footed Bug (adult & nymph)       Leptoglossus clypealis   Leaf-footed Bug       Narnia femorata   Cactus Bug (nymph)       Chelinidea vittiger   Opuntia Bug (nymph)       Hypselonotus punctiventris   Coreid Bug    lygaeidae   Lygaeus kalmii   Small Milkweed Bug    largidae   Largus sp.   Largus Bug    miridae   Polymerus basalis   Plant Bug       Pseudatomoscelis seriatus   Cotton Flea Hopper       Oncerometopus nigriclavus   Plant Bug       Neurocolpus sp.   Plant Bug       Plagiognathus politus   Plant Bug       Keltonia tuckeri   Plant Bug       Parthenicus juniperi   Plant Bug       Halticotoma nicholi   Nolina Plant Bug       Phytocoris brevisculus   Plant Bug       Phytocoris sp.   Plant Bug    gerridae   Aquarius remigis   Water Strider    reduviidae   Apiomerus spissipes   Bee Assassin       Arilus cristatus   Wheel Bug (adult & nymph)       Oncocephalus geniculatus   Assassin Bug    cydnidae   Pangaeus bilineatus   Burrowing Bug       Sehirus cinctus   Burrowing Bug    scutelleridae   Sphyrocoris obliquus   Shield Bug (adult & nymph)    pentatomidae   Thyanta custator   Stink Bug       Banasa euchlora   Stink Bug homoptera   cicadellidae   Excultanus excultus   Leafhopper       Cantura jucunda   Leafhopper       Cuerna costalis   Leafhopper       Empoasca sp.   Leafhopper       Paraphlepsius sp.   Leafhopper       Scaphoideus sp.   Leafhopper       Menosoma cincta   Leafhopper       Graphocephala hieroglyphica   Leafhopper       Graphocephala versuta   Leafhopper       Homalodisca vitripennis   Glassy-winged Sharpshooter (adult & nymph)       Oncometopia orbona   Leafhopper       Texananus sp.   Leafhopper       Cetexa sp.   Leafhopper       Eutettix sp.   Leafhopper       Draeculacephala sp.   Leafhopper    achilidae   Catonia texana   Planthopper    issidae   Fowlerium acuta   Planthopper    delphacidae   Liburniella ornata   Planthopper    acanaloniidae   Acanalonia laticosta   Planthopper    derbidae   Cedusa sp.   Planthopper    membracidae   Tortistilus abnorma   Treehopper       Tortistilus inermis   Treehopper       Heliria cristata   Treehopper    cercopidae   Prosapia bicincta   Two-lined Spittlebug    aphrophoridae   Lepyronia quadrangularis   Spittlebug    cixiidae   Melanoliarus sp.   Planthopper    aleyrodidae   Unknown sp.   Whitefly    aphididae   Tinocallis sp.   Aphid hymenoptera   apidae   Apis mellifera   Honey Bee       Bombus pensylvanicus   American Bumble Bee       Centris atripes   Digger Bee       Anthophora californica   Digger Bee       Melissodes sp.   Digger Bee       Epimelissodes sp.   Digger Bee       Xylocopa virginica   Eastern Carpenter Bee       Ceratina sp.   Small Carpenter Bee    halictidae   Lasioglossum sp.   Sweat Bee       Halictus sp.   Furrow Bee       Augochloropsis metallica   Green Sweat Bee    megachilidae   Megachile sp.   Leaf-cutter Bee       Osmia subfasciata   Mason Bee       Heriades sp.   Resin Bee    vespidae   Polistes exclamans   Paper Wasp       Polistes metricus   Paper Wasp       Polistes rubiginosus   Red Wasp       Pseudodynerus quadrisectus   Mason Wasp       Parazumia tolteca   Mason Wasp    crabronidae   Tachytes sp.   Digger Wasp    sphecidae   Sphex ichneumoneus   Great Golden Digger Wasp       Palmodes dimidiatus   Thread-waisted Wasp       Sceliphron caementarium   Yellow-and-black Mud Dauber    pompilidae   Pepsis sp.   Tarantula-hawk Wasp    tiphiidae   Tiphia sp.   Tiphiid Wasp    mutillidae   Dasymutilla ursus   Velvet Ant    formicidae   Solenopsis invicta   Imported Fire Ant       Crematogaster laeviuscula   Acrobat Ant    torymidae   Unknown sp.   Torymid Wasp    ichneumonidae   Anomalon sp.   Ichneumon diptera   syrphidae   Hypocritanus fascipennis   Flower Fly       Allograpta obliqua   Flower Fly    sarcophagidae   Unknown sp.   Flesh Fly    tachinidae   Unknown sp.   Tachinid Fly    calliphoridae   Lucilia cuprina   Bronze Bottle Fly    drosophilidae   Rhinoleucophenga obesa   Vinegar Fly    dolichopodidae   Condylostylus sp.   Long-legged Fly    chironomidae   Unknown sp.   Midge    culicidae   Aedes albopictus   Asian Tiger Mosquito       Unknown sp.   Mosquito odonata   coenagrionidae   Argia funebris   Springwater Dancer       Argia immunda   Kiowa Dancer       Telebasis salva   Desert Firetail    aeshnidae   Anax junius   Common Green Darner    libellulidae   Dythemis velox   Swift Setwing       Pachydiplax longipennis   Blue Dasher       Tramea lacerata   Black Saddlebags       Tramea onusta   Red Saddlebags       Libellula croceipennis   Neon Skimmer       Erythemis simplicicollis   Eastern Pondhawk orthoptera   acrididae   Melanoplus differentialis   Differential Grasshopper (nymph)       Melanoplus ponderosus   Ponderous Grasshopper (nymph)       Melanoplus femurrubrum   Red-legged Grasshopper       Melanoplus sanguinipes   Migratory Grasshopper       Paraidemona sp.   Spur-throated Grasshopper       Hesperotettix speciosus   Showy Grasshopper (nymph)       Schistocerca lineata   Spotted Bird Grasshopper (nymph)       Schistocerca damnifica   Mischievous Bird Grasshopper       Mermiria bivittata   Two-striped Mermiria (nymph)       Chortophaga viridifasciata   Northern Green-striped Grasshopper       Arphia simplex   Plains Yellow-winged Grasshopper    tettigoniidae   Obolopteryx catinata   Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (adult & nymph)       Scudderia furcata   Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)       Arethaea ambulator   Walking Thread-legged Katydid       Conocephalus strictus   Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid (nymph)       Conocephalus sp.   Meadow Katydid (nymph)       Pediodectes haldemanii   Haldeman's Shieldback    gryllidae   Gryllus sp,   Field Cricket    tridactylidae   Neotridactylus apicialis   Larger Sand Cricket isoptera   rhinotermitidae   Reticulitermes sp.   Subterranean Termite neuroptera   chrysopidae   Unknown sp.   Green Lacewing psocoptera   psocidae   Hyalopsocus striatus   Barklouse       Hyalopsocus new sp.   Barklouse thysanoptera   thripidae   Unknown sp.   Thrips araneae   salticidae   Phidippus audax   Bold Jumper       Phidippus texanus   Texas Jumper       Pelegrina galathea   Peppered Jumper       Habronattus fallax   Jumping Spider       Colonus puerperus   Jumping Spider    araneidae   Argiope aurantia   Black and Yellow Garden Spider    oxyopidae   Oxyopes salticus   Striped Lynx    thomisidae   Mecaphesa sp.   Crab Spider    dictynidae   Dictyna sp.   Meshweb Weaver    lycosidae   Rabidosa rabida   Rabid Wolf Spider    sicariidae   Loxosceles reclusa   Brown Recluse