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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey May 27, 2010


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

Our typical summer weather pattern was evident today: sunny and hot. Seven people conducted this survey. We noted an interesting phenomenon: a light mist of liquid droplets were falling under a kidneywood tree. Closer examination revealed that the liquid was being expelled by leafhopper nymphs (commonly called Sharpshooters). In the early morning sun, the fine "rain" was quite visible. Highlights also included finding a Giant Water Bug in the main courtyard and a young Texas Rat Snake in a tree.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Heliothis virescens (tobacco budworm)
photo by Val Bugh


Erynnis horatius (Horace's duskywing)
photo by Val Bugh


Telebasis salva (desert firetail)
photo by Val Bugh


Aquarius remigis (water strider eating flat-backed millipede)
photo by Val Bugh


Hentzia palmarum (long-jawed jumper)
photo by Val Bugh


Ophraella americana (leaf beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Draeculacephala sp. (leafhopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Paraidemona sp. (grasshoppers mating)
photo by Val Bugh


Melanoplus differentialis (differential grasshopper nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Libellula croceipennis (neon skimmer, young male)
photo by Val Bugh


Ozarba aeria (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Pepsis sp. (spider wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Perillus bioculatus (two-spotted stink bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Battus philenor (pipevine swallowtail larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Parthenolecanium fletcheri (Fletcher's scale on cypress)
photo by Val Bugh


Elaphe obsoleta (Texas rat snake)
photo by Val Bugh


Prochoerodes lineola (large maple spanworm moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Dioprosopa clavata (flower fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Phyciodes vesta (vesta crescent larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Lethocerus medius (giant water bug)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)
    House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
    Hummingbird (Archilochus sp.)
    Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)
    Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

  • Reptiles & Amphibians:
    Texas Rat Snake (Elaphe obsoleta)
    Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Rana berlandieri)

  • Misc.:
    Flat-backed Millipede (order Polydesmida)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Euptoieta claudia  Variegated Fritillary (larva)
        Danaus plexippus  Monarch (pupa)
        Phyciodes vesta  Vesta Crescent (adult & larva)
        Phyciodes texana  Texan Crescent
      pieridae  Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
        Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
      lycaenidae  Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak (larva)
        Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
      papilionidae  Battus philenor  Pipevine Swallowtail (larva)
        Papilio polyxenes  Black Swallowtail (larva)
        Papilio sp.  Swallowtail (pupa)
      hesperiidae  Erynnis horatius  Horace's Duskywing
        Erynnis funeralis  Funereal Duskywing
      noctuidae  Heliothis virescens  Tobacco Budworm
        Phytometra orgiae  Moth
        Ozarba aeria  Moth
        Ledaea perditalis  Lost Owlet
        Hypena scabra  Green Cloverworm Moth
      arctiidae  Estigmene acrea  Saltmarsh Caterpillar
        Unknown sp.  Tiger Moth (larva)
        Hypoprepia miniata  Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth
      geometridae  Macaria aequiferaria  Woody Angle
        Nemoria zygotaria  Emerald
        Prochoerodes lineola  Large Maple Spanworm Moth
      sphingidae  Hemaris diffinis  Snowberry Clearwing
        Manduca sexta  Carolina Sphinx (larva & egg)
      pyralidae  Omphalocera cariosa  Barberry Webworm (larva)
      crambidae  Lineodes interrupta  Moth
      tortricidae  Unknown sp.  Leafroller Moth (larva)

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer
        Argia plana  Springwater Dancer
        Ischnura ramburii  Rambur's Forktail
        Telebasis salva  Desert Firetail
        Unknown sp.  Damselfly (exuviae)
      libellulidae  Pachydiplax longipennis  Blue Dasher
        Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer

    diptera  syrphidae  Copestylum marginatum  Flower Fly
        Dioprosopa clavata  Flower Fly
      platystomatidae  Rivellia sp.  Platystomatid Fly
      tephritidae  Eutreta sp.  Fruit Fly

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Donacia sp.  Aquatic Leaf Beetle
        Asphaera lustrans  Flea Beetle
        Ophraella americana  Leaf Beetle
        Oulema cornuta  Leaf Beetle
      coccinellidae  Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Ladybird
      meloidae  Nemognatha sp.  Blister Beetle
      cerambycidae  Strangalia virilis  Flower Longhorn
        Typocerus sinuatus  Flower Longhorn
        Obrium maculatum  Long-horned Beetle
      buprestidae  Acmaeodera neglecta  Metallic Woodborer
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Darkling Beetle

    hemiptera  miridae  Lopidea sp.  Plant Bug
        Rhinacloa forticornis  plant bug
      belostomatidae  Lethocerus medius  Giant Water Bug
      gerridae  Aquarius remigis  Water Strider
      coreidae  Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)
      pentatomidae  Acrosternum hilare  Green Stink Bug (nymph)
        Euschistus servus  Brown Stink Bug
        Perillus bioculatus  Two-spotted Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Homalodisca vitripennis  Glassy-winged Sharpshooter
        Homalodisca sp.  Sharpshooter (nymph)
        Draeculacephala sp.  Leafhopper
        Gyponana sp.  Leafhopper (nymph)
      cercopidae  Prosapia bicincta  Two-lined Spittlebug
      membracidae  Spissistilus sp.  Treehopper
      acanaloniidae  Acanalonia conica  Planthopper
      issidae  Thionia acuta  Planthopper
      flatidae  Metcalfa pruinosa  Citrus Planthopper (nymph)
      coccidae  Parthenolecanium fletcheri  Fletcher's Scale

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
      halictidae  Unknown sp.  Green Sweat Bee
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
      braconidae  Unknown sp.  Braconid Wasp (cocoons)
      pompilidae  Pepsis sp.  Spider Wasp

    orthoptera  tettigoniidae  Dichopetala catinata  Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid
        Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)
      acrididae  Paraidemona sp.  Spur-throated Grasshopper
        Melanoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper (nymph)

    trichoptera  philopotamidae  Chimarra sp.  Black Caddisfly

    araneae  araneidae  Argiope aurantia  Black and Yellow Garden Spider
        Araneus pegnia  Orbweaver
        Neoscona arabesca  Arabesque Orbweaver
        Neoscona crucifera  Orbweaver
        Mangora gibberosa  Orbweaver
        Mangora placida  Orbweaver
        Eustala sp.  Orbweaver
      salticidae  Eris militaris  Bronze Jumper
        Hentzia palmarum  Long-jawed Jumper
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Longjawed Orbweaver
      dictynidae  Unknown sp.  Meshweb Weaver
      theriidae  Anelosimus studiosus  Social Cobweb Weaver
      thomisidae  Misumenops sp.  Crab Spider
      uloboridae  Uloborus glomosus  Feather-legged Orbweaver

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