The weather was hot and sunny as a group of seventeen conducted this week's survey. Mexican Honey Wasps create honey similar to that of Honey Bees. However, being wasps, they also hunt insects, as shown below, providing both pollination and pest control services. Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings: Cathartes aura (turkey vulture) photo by George Ward Dryobates pubescens (downy woodpecker) photo by Bill Boyd Tyrannus verticalis (western king bird) photo by Annelia Williams Sialia sialis (eastern bluebird, juvenile) photo by Bill Boyd Euptoieta claudia (variegated fritillary) photo by Katherine Daniels Vanessa virginiensis (American lady) photo by Julie Shaw Mecaphesa sp. (crab spider) photo by Katherine Daniels Colonus sylvanus (jumping spider, immature) photo by Michael Knox Phidippus audax & Allograpta obliqua (immature bold jumper eating flower fly) photo by Katherine Daniels Acmaeodera mixta (metallic woodborer) photo by Mika Geiger Anolis carolinensis (green anole) photo by George Ward Aspidoscelis gularis gularis (Texas spotted whiptails) photo by Sam Fruehling Chariesterus antennator (euphorbia bugs mating) photo by Val Bugh Chariesterus antennator (euphorbia bug nymph) photo by Joe Fernandes Paranthrene tabaniformis (European poplar clearwing moth) photo by Linda Crabtree Prionyx sp. (thread-waisted wasp) photo by Harriett Wolf Brachygastra mellifica (Mexican honey wasp) photo by Mika Geiger Heriades sp. (resin bee) photo by Linda Crabtree Xylocopa micans (southern carpenter bee) photo by Katherine Daniels Efferia sp. (robber fly ovipositing) photo by Joe Fernandes Birds: American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) Black Vulture (Coragyps atratu) 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) Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens) Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Eastern Wood-pewee (Contopus virens) Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris) Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) Purple Martin (Progne subis) Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) Mammals: White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) Common Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), fresh scat Coyote (Canis latrans), fresh scat Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor), fresh scat Reptiles, Amphibians & Fish: Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus) Redstripe Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus) Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis gularis gularis) Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus) Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) Gulf Coast Toad (Incilius nebulifer), adult & tadpoles Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) Rio Grande Cichlid (Herichthys cyanoguttatus) Misc.: Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.) Greenhouse Millipede (Oxidus gracilis) Asian Trampsnail (Bradybaena similaris) Globular Drop (Helicina orbiculata) Black-velvet Leatherleaf Slug (Belocaulus angustipes) Insects & Spiders: order family genus/species common name lepidoptera   nymphalidae   Danaus gilippus   Queen       Agraulis vanillae   Gulf Fritillary       Euptoieta claudia   Variegated Fritillary       Junonia coenia   Common Buckeye       Vanessa virginiensis   American Lady       Chlosyne lacinia   Bordered Patch       Phyciodes tharos   Pearl Crescent       Phyciodes graphica   Vesta Crescent       Libytheana carinenta   American Snout    pieridae   Eurema nicippe   Sleepy Orange       Eurema lisa   Little Yellow       Phoebis sennae   Cloudless Sulphur    papilionidae   Papilio cresphontes   Giant Swallowtail       Papilio multicaudata   Two-tailed Swallowtail    lycaenidae   Hemiargus isola   Reakirt's Blue       Hemiargus ceraunus   Ceraunus Blue       Strymon melinus   Gray Hairstreak       Callophrys gryneus   Juniper Hairstreak    hesperiidae   Burnsius communis/albescens   Common/White Checkered-skipper       Burnsius philetas   Desert Checkered-skipper       Erynnis horatius   Horace's Duskywing       Chioides albofasciatus   White-striped Longtail       Lerodea eufala   Eufala Skipper       Lerema accius   Clouded Skipper       Euphyes vestris   Dun Skipper       Atalopedes huron   Huron Sachem       Hylephila phyleus   Fiery Skipper       Copaeodes aurantiaca   Orange Skipperling       Amblyscirtes celia   Celia's Roadside-skipper    noctuidae   Tarache aprica   Exposed Bird Dropping Moth       Tarache quadriplaga   Bird Dropping Moth       Tripudia balteata   Moth       Spodoptera frugiperda   Fall Armyworm Moth    erebidae   Melipotis indomita   Moth       Aon noctuiformis   Owlet Moth       Isogona tenuis   Thin-lined Owlet    arctiidae   Cisthene tenuifascia   Thin-banded Lichen Moth       Lycomorpha pholus   Black-and-yellow Lichen Moth    notodontidae   Litodonta hydromeli   Prominent    geometridae   Glenoides texanaria   Texas Gray Moth       Lobocleta ossularia   Drab Brown Wave       Lobocleta peralbata   White Wave       Glena quinquelinearia   Five-lined Glena       Tornos scolopacinaria   Dimorphic Gray       Synchlora frondaria   Camouflaged Looper (larva)       Pimaphera sparsaria   Moth    sesiidae   Paranthrene tabaniformis   European Poplar Clearwing    crambidae   Ostrinia penitalis   American Lotus Borer Moth       Aethiophysa invisalis   Moth       Uresiphita reversalis   Genista Caterpillar (adult & larva)       Achyra rantalis   Garden Webworm Moth       Pyrausta laticlavia   Southern Purple Mint Moth       Elophila obliteralis   Waterlily Leafcutter Moth       Eoreuma densella   Wainscot Grass-veneer Moth       Microtheoris vibicalis   Whip-marked Snout Moth    pyralidae   Peoria tetradella   Grass-veneer Moth       Anderida peorinella   Grass-veneer Moth       Homoeosoma electella   Moth    gelechiidae   Isophrictis similiella   Moth       Theisoa constrictella   Moth       Scrobipalpopsis petrella   Moth    elachistidae   Haplochrois bipunctella   Moth    ypsolophidae   Ypsolopha unicipunctella   Agarita Slug Moth    yponomeutidae   Atteva aurea   Ailanthus Webworm Moth coleoptera   chrysomelidae   Asphaera lustrans   Flea Beetle       Systena hudsonias   Flea Beetle       Pachybrachis turbidus   Leaf Beetle    coccinellidae   Coccinella septempunctata   Seven-spotted Lady Beetle    buprestidae   Acmaeodera mixta   Metallic Woodborer    cerambycidae   Plinthocoelium suaveolens   Bumelia Borer    tenebrionidae   Eleodes goryi   Desert Stink Beetle    staphylinidae   Carpelimus sp.   Rove Beetle       Sunius sp.   Rove Beetle    carabidae   Selenophorus sp.   Ground Beetle       Pasimachus californicus   Ground Beetle    scarabaeidae   Phanaeus texensis   Dung Beetle       Ataenius platensis   Aphodiine Dung Beetle    mordellidae   Mordella atrata   Tumbling Flower Beetle    heteroceridae   Tropicus pusillus   Variegated Mud-loving Beetle    hydrophilidae   Berosus sp.   Water Scavenger Beetle    dytiscidae   Neobidessus pullus   Predaceous Diving Beetle       Laccophilus proximus   Predaceous Diving Beetle    anthicidae   Sapintus hispidulus   Antlike Flower Beetle hemiptera   coreidae   Acanthocephala terminalis   Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)       Mozena lunata   Mesquite Bug       Chelinidea vittiger   Opuntia Bug (adult & nymph)       Chariesterus antennator   Euphorbia Bug (adult & nymph)    largidae   Largus sp.   Largus Bug (nymph)    alydidae   Alydus pilosulus   Broad-headed Bug       Hyalymenus tarsatus   Texas Bow-legged Bug    lygaeidae   Oncopeltus fasciatus   Large Milkweed Bug    berytidae   Jalysus sp.   Stilt Bug (adult & nymph)    tingidae   Corythucha sp.   Lace Bug (adult & nymph)    gerridae   Aquarius remigis   Water Strider    reduviidae   Zelus tetracanthus   Four-spined Assassin Bug       Triatoma gerstaeckeri   Kissing Bug    cydnidae   Pangaeus bilineatus   Burrowing Bug    scutelleridae   Sphyrocoris obliquus   Shield Bug    pentatomidae   Euschistus tristigmus   Stink Bug       Euschistus servus   Brown Stink Bug       Thyanta custator   Stink Bug (nymph) homoptera   cicadellidae   Cuerna costalis   Leafhopper       Paraphlepsius sp.   Leafhopper       Curtara insularis   Leafhopper       Excultanus excultus   Leafhopper       Chlorotettix sp.   Leafhopper       Scaphoideus sp.   Leafhopper       Xerophloea viridis   Leafhopper       Graphocephala hieroglyphica   Leafhopper       Graminella nigrifrons   Leafhopper       Erythridula sp.   Leafhopper       Homalodisca vitripennis   Glassy-winged Sharpshooter       Polana quadrinotata   Leafhopper       Agalliopsis cervina   Leafhopper       Balclutha sp.   Leafhopper       Illinigina illinoiensis   Leafhopper    delphacidae   Megamelus davisi   Common Waterlily Planthopper (adult & nymph)    membracidae   Tortistilus abnorma   Treehopper    cicadidae   Hadoa texana   Cicada    aphididae   Aphis nerii   Oleander Aphid hymenoptera   apidae   Apis mellifera   Honey Bee       Bombus sonorus   Sonoran Bumble Bee       Bombus pensylvanicus   American Bumble Bee       Centris atripes   Digger Bee       Anthophora capistrata   Digger Bee       Xylocopa micans   Southern Carpenter Bee    halictidae   Augochloropsis metallica   Green Sweat Bee       Augochlora pura   Green Sweat Bee       Augochlorella sp.   Green Sweat Bee       Lasioglossum sp.   Sweat Bee    megachilidae   Megachile fortis   Leaf-cutter Bee       Megachile sp.   Leaf-cutter Bee       Megachile exilis   Slender Resin Bee       Heriades sp.   Resin Bee       Dianthidium sp.   Resin Bee       Coelioxys sp.   Parasitic Leaf-cutter Bee    vespidae   Polistes rubiginosus   Red Wasp       Polistes metricus   Paper Wasp       Polistes exclamans   Paper Wasp       Polistes dorsalis   Paper Wasp       Monobia quadridens   Mason Wasp       Brachygastra mellifica   Mexican Honey Wasp    crabronidae   Sphecius speciosus   Cicada Killer       Bicyrtes quadrifasciata   Sand Wasp    sphecidae   Chalybion californicum   Blue Mud Dauber       Sceliphron caementarium   Yellow-and-black Mud Dauber       Prionyx sp.   Thread-waisted Wasp    mutillidae   Timulla oajaca   Velvet Ant       Dasymutilla ursus   Velvet Ant    pompilidae   Pepsis sp.   Tarantula-hawk Wasp       Tachypompilus ferrugineus   Rusty Spider Wasp       Auplopus mellipes   Spider Wasp    formicidae   Brachymyrmex patagonicus   Rover Ant       Brachymyrmex depilis   Rover Ant       Pheidole sp.   Big-headed Ant       Solenopsis invicta   Imported Fire Ant       Leptogenys elongata   Ant       Camponotus festinatus   Carpenter Ant       Unknown sp.   Ant    chrysididae   Unknown sp.   Cuckoo Wasp    diapriidae   Trichopria sp.   Wasp    braconidae   Unknown sp.   Braconid Wasp diptera   syrphidae   Allograpta obliqua   Flower Fly       Hypocritanus fascipennis   Flower Fly    bombyliidae   Geron sp.   Bee Fly    asilidae   Promachus hinei   Robber Fly       Efferia sp.   Robber Fly       Lampria bicolor   Robber Fly    sarcophagidae   Unknown sp.   Flesh Fly    calliphoridae   Chrysomya rufifacies   Hairy Maggot Blow Fly    dolichopodidae   Condylostylus sp.   Long-legged Fly    chloropidae   Unknown sp.   Frit Fly    cecidomyiidae   Unknown sp.   Gall Midge    chironomidae   Unknown sp.   Midge    culicidae   Aedes albopictus   Asian Tiger Mosquito       Unknown sp.   Mosquito (larva)    sciaridae   Unknown sp.   Dark-winged Fungus Gnat odonata   coenagrionidae   Argia funebris   Springwater Dancer       Argia immunda   Kiowa Dancer       Ischnura ramburii   Rambur's Forktail       Ischnura posita   Fragile Forktail       Telebasis salva   Desert Firetail       Enallagma civile   Familiar Bluet    libellulidae   Pachydiplax longipennis   Blue Dasher       Libellula croceipennis   Neon Skimmer       Libellula luctuosa   Widow Skimmer       Erythemis simplicicollis   Eastern Pondhawk       Tramea lacerata   Black Saddlebags       Tramea onusta   Red Saddlebags       Pantala flavescens   Wandering Glider    aeshnidae   Anax junius   Common Green Darner orthoptera   acrididae   Melanoplus differentialis   Differential Grasshopper (adult & nymph)       Melanoplus ponderosus   Ponderous Grasshopper (adult & nymph)       Melanoplus femurrubrum   Red-legged Grasshopper       Melanoplus sanguinipes   Migratory Grasshopper       Melanoplus discolor   Contrasting Spurthroat Grasshopper       Melanoplus plebejus   Plebeian Grasshopper (adult & nymph)       Melanoplus bispinosus   Two-spined Spur-throated Grasshopper       Melanoplus flabellatus   Dallas Short-winged Grasshopper       Hesperotettix speciosus   Showy Grasshopper       Schistocerca lineata   Spotted Bird Grasshopper       Schistocerca obscura   Obscure Bird Grasshopper       Schistocerca nitens   Gray Bird Grasshopper (nymph)       Mermiria bivittata   Two-striped Mermiria       Syrbula admirabilis   Handsome Grasshopper (nymph)       Boopedon gracile   Graceful Range Grasshopper       Arphia simplex   Plains Yellow-winged Grasshopper       Lactista azteca   Aztec Bandwing       Chortophaga viridifasciata   Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (adult & nymph)       Hippiscus ocelote   Wrinkled Grasshopper       Hadrotettix trifasciatus   Three-banded Range Grasshopper    tettigoniidae   Scudderia furcata   Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (adult & nymph)       Amblycorypha huasteca   Texas False Katydid       Conocephalus strictus   Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid    gryllidae   Gryllus sp.   Field Cricket    tetrigidae   Paratettix mexicanus   Pygmy Grasshopper mantodea   mantidae   Stagmomantis carolina   Carolina Mantis (nymph) trichoptera   leptoceridae   Oecetis inconspicua   Long-horned Caddisfly    philopotamidae   Chimarra obscura   Fingernet Caddisfly araneae   salticidae   Phidippus audax   Bold Jumper       Colonus sylvanus   Jumping Spider    araneidae   Argiope aurantia   Black and Yellow Garden Spider    oxyopidae   Peucetia viridans   Green Lynx    thomisidae   Mecaphesa sp.   Crab Spider    pisauridae   Dolomedes triton   Fishing Spider    tetragnathidae   Tetragnatha sp.   Longjawed Orbweaver    pholcidae   Holocnemus pluchei   Marbled Cellar Spider