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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey May 13, 2010


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

A group of six enjoyed pleasantly cool and cloudy weather, with a hint of sunshine as the morning progressed. With no avid birders in the group, insects and spiders were the focus this time, but a brief encounter with a Texas spiny lizard was certainly a highlight. Flower longhorns (beetles that often mimic wasps) were especially noticeable and are some of the more unusual pollinators. Saltmarsh caterpillar numbers are at an all-time high.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Alydus pilosulus (broad-headed bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Anelosimus studiosus (social cobweb weaver)
photo by Val Bugh


Cryptocephalus notatus (leaf beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Nemoria bifilata (white-barred emerald)
photo by Val Bugh


Megalopyge opercularis (southern flannel moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Euptoieta claudia (variegated fritillary larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Peucetia viridans (green lynx spider)
photo by Joe Lapp


Hypsosinga sp. (orbweaver)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (ichneumon wasp, subfamily xoridinae)
photo by Val Bugh


Tinobregmus vittatus (leafhopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Sceloporus olivaceus (Texas spiny lizard)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (mantisfly, family Mantispidae)
photo by Val Bugh


Mozena lunata (mesquite bug nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Estigmene acrea (saltmarsh caterpillar)
photo by Val Bugh


Strigoderma arbicola (flower scarab)
photo by Val Bugh


Strangalia virilis (flower longhorn, male)
photo by Val Bugh


Copestylum mexicana (black flower fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (tachinid fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Anthonomus fulvus (weevil)
photo by Val Bugh


Zygogramma heterothecae (leaf beetle)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)

  • Reptiles:
    Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Euptoieta claudia  Variegated Fritillary (larva)
        Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
        Asterocampa clyton  Tawny Emperor
        Phyciodes phaon  Phaon Crescent
        Phyciodes vesta  Vesta Crescent
      pieridae  Colias eurytheme  Orange Sulphur
        Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
        Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
        Pontia protodice  Checkered White
      lycaenidae  Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak (larva)
        Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
      papilionidae  Papilio cresphontes  Giant Swallowtail
        Papilio multicaudata  Two-tailed Swallowtail (larva)
      hesperiidae  Erynnis horatius  Horace's Duskywing
        Pyrgus communis/albescens  Checkered-skipper
      noctuidae  Alypia octomaculata  Eight-spotted Forester (larva)
        Unknown sp.  Moth (larva)
        Spodoptera ornithogalli  Yellow-striped Armyworm
        Tarache aprica  Exposed Bird Dropping Moth
        Cucullia sp.  Moth (larva)
        Heliothis virescens  Tobacco Budworm
      notodontidae  Lochmaeus bilineata  Double-lined Prominent (larva)
      arctiidae  Estigmene acrea  Saltmarsh Caterpillar
        Hypoprepia miniata  Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth
      geometridae  Nemoria bifilata  White-barred Emerald
        Euacidalia sericearia  Moth
        Iridopsis gemella  Moth
        Orthonama obstipata  The Gem
        Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria  Blackberry Looper
      xyloryctidae  Scythris trivinctella  Moth
      coleophoridae  Blastobasis sp.  Moth
      sphingidae  Hemaris diffinis  Snowberry Clearwing (larva)
      crambidae  Urola lacteella  Milky Urola
      megalopygidae  Megalopyge opercularis  Southern Flannel Moth

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Enallagma civile  Familiar Bluet
        Argia plana  Springwater Dancer
        Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer
      libellulidae  Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer

    neuroptera  mantispidae  Unknown sp.  Mantisfly

    diptera  syrphidae  Copestylum marginatum  Flower Fly
        Copestylum avidum  Flower Fly
        Copestylum mexicanus  Black Flower Fly
        Allograpta obliqua  Flower Fly
      tachinidae  Unknown sp.  Tachinid Fly
      tipulidae  Nephrotoma sp.  Tiger Crane Fly
      tephritidae  Neotephritis finalis  Fruit Fly
      asilidae  Atomosia sp.  Robber Fly

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Cryptocephalus notatus  Leaf Beetle
        Longitarsus sp.  Flea Beetle
        Phydanis bicolor  Flea Beetle
        Systena sp.  Flea Beetle
        Zygogramma heterothecae  Leaf Beetle
        Unknown sp.  Leaf Beetle (larva)
      coccinellidae  Cycloneda munda  Ladybird Beetle
        Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Ladybird
        Hippodamia convergens  Convergent Ladybird
      scarabaeidae  Strigoderma arbicola  Flower Scarab
      cerambycidae  Typocerus sinuatus  Flower Longhorn
        Strangalia virilis  Flower Longhorn
        Ataxia crypta  Long-horned Beetle
        Anelaphus debilis  Long-horned Beetle
      carabidae  Pasimachus depressus  Ground Beetle
      melyridae  Attalus rufiventris  Soft-winged Flower Beetle
      curculionidae  Epicaerus sp.  Broad-nosed Weevil
        Anthonomus fulvus  Weevil

    hemiptera  miridae  Halticotoma valida  Plant Bug
        Calocoris barberi  Plant Bug (nymph)
        Lopidea major  Plant Bug
        Tupiocoris sp.  Plant Bug
      pentatomidae  Brochymena sp.  Rough Stink Bug
        Tylospilus acutissimus  Predatory Stink Bug (nymph)
        Oebalus pugnax  Rice Stink Bug
      coreidae  Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug
        Mozena lunata  Mesquite Bug (nymph)
      reduviidae  Arilus cristatus  Wheel Bug (nymph)
      alydidae  Alydus pilosulus  Broad-headed Bug (adult & nymph)
      lygaeidae  Oncopeltus fasciatus  Large Milkweed Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Cuerna costalis  Leafhopper (nymph)
        Eutettix sp.  Leafhopper
        Exitianus exitiosus  Leafhopper
        Graphocephala versuta  Leafhopper
        Neokolla dolobrata  Leafhopper
        Tinobregmus vittatus  Leafhopper
        Unknown sp.  Leafhopper
      cercopidae  Lepyronia quadrangularis  Spittlebug
        Prosapia bicincta  Two-lined Spittlebug
      issidae  Thionia acuta  Planthopper
        Dictyonissus griphus  Planthopper (nymph)
      pseudococcidae  Unknown sp.  Mealybug
      aphididae  Unknown sp.  Aphid

    hymenoptera  halictidae  Unknown sp.  Green Sweat Bee
      formicidae  Crematogaster sp.  Acrobat Ant
        Camponotus sp.  Carpenter Ant
      cynipidae  Amphibolips confluenta  Oak Apple Gall
      ichneumonidae  Unknown sp.  Ichneumon

    orthoptera  tettigoniidae  Dichopetala catinata  Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (nymph)
        Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)
      acrididae  Melaoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper (nymph)
      gryllidae  Oecanthus sp.  Tree Cricket (nymph)

    araneae  araneidae  Araneus pegnia  Orbweaver
        Argiope aurantia  Black and Yellow Garden Spider
        Hypsosinga sp.  Orbweaver
        Mangora gibberosa  Orbweaver
        Mangora placida  Orbweaver
        Neoscona crucifera  Orbweaver
        Neoscona arabesca  Arabesque Orbweaver
      dictynidae  Dictyna sp.  Meshweb Weaver
      oxyopidae  Peucetia viridans  Green Lynx
      salticidae  Anasaitis canosa  Jumping Spider
        Habronattus fallax  Jumping Spider
        Hentzia palmarum  Long-jawed Jumper
        Platycryptus undatus  Jumping Spider
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Longjawed Orbweaver
      theriidae  Anelosimus studiosus  Social Cobweb Weaver
      thomisidae  Misumenops sp.  Crab Spider
        Ozyptila sp.  Crab Spider
      uloboridae  Uloborus glomosus  Feather-legged Orbweaver

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