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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey October 27, 2011


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

The expected cold front glided gently in, turning a warm, humid, overcast morning into a pleasant partly cloudy day as seven people conducted this survey. Camouflage can both protect a creature from predators and also hide it from its prey. Admirable examples below include three different crab spiders, a stink bug, the Goldenrod Flower Moth caterpillar and the Seaside Grasshopper.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Mecaphesa sp. (crab spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Mecaphesa sp. (crab spider, with honey bee)
photo by Val Bugh


Xysticus sp. (crab spider, with ground beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (jumping bristletail)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (weevil)
photo by Val Bugh


Thyanta custator (stink bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Schinia nundina (goldenrod flower moth caterpillar, with seed bugs)
photo by Val Bugh


Manduca sexta (Carolina sphinx caterpillar)
photo by Val Bugh


Eucosma consobrinana (leafroller moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Leptotes marina (marine blue)
photo by Val Bugh


Hemiargus isola (Reakirt's blue)
photo by Val Bugh


Enallagma civile (familiar bluet)
photo by Val Bugh


Melanagromyza sp. (leaf-miner flies mating)
photo by Val Bugh


Hoplitimyia mutabilis (soldier fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Copestylum tamaulipanum (flower fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Palpada pusilla (flower fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Trimerotropis maritima (seaside grasshopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Trimerotropis maritima (seaside grasshopper - All modesty aside,
this is how to see some distinguishing features on a band-winged
grasshopper; after this embarrassing portrait was taken, the insect
was released unharmed and flew off.)
photo by Val Bugh


Tiphia sp. (tiphiid wasp, just before burrowing into the soil)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (long-horned bee, male sleeping)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
    Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)

  • Mammals:
    Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
    Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
    American Bison (Bos bison), scat

  • Reptiles:
    Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)
    Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)

  • Misc.:
    Pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary
        Danaus plexippus  Monarch
        Vanessa cardui  Painted Lady
      pieridae  Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
        Leptotes marina  Marine Blue
        Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak
      noctuidae  Lacinipolia erecta  Moth
        Schinia nundina  Goldenrod Flower Moth (larva)
        Schinia sp.  Flower Moth (larva)
      sphingidae  Manduca sexta  Carolina Sphinx (larva)
      saturniidae  Hyalophora cecropia  Cecropia Moth (cocoon)
      crambidae  Achyra rantalis  Garden Webworm Moth
        Unknown sp.  Moth
        Microcrambus croesus  Grass-veneer Moth
        Euchromius ocelleus  Grass-veneer Moth
      pyralidae  Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
        Macrorrhinia aureofasciella  Moth
      tortricidae  Eucosma consobrinana  Leafroller Moth
        Decodes basiplagana  Leafroller Moth
      oecophoridae  Inga cretacea  Chalky Inga
      coleophoridae  Coleophora sp.  Moth
      xyloryctidae  Scythris fuscicomella  Moth
      acrolophidae  Acrolophus sp.  Tubeworm Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Ophraella sp.  Leaf Beetle
      bruchidae  Mimosestes amicus  Seed Beetle
      coccinellidae  Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Ladybird
      buprestidae  Acmaeodera flavomarginata  Metallic Woodborer
      carabidae  Unknown sp.  Ground Beetle
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Darkling Beetle
      curculionidae  Gerstaeckeria sp.  Weevil
        Curculio sp.  Nut Weevil
        Unknown sp.  Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Hypselonotus punctiventris  Coreid Bug
      lygaeidae  Ochrimnus mimulus  Seed Bug
        Nysius sp.  False Chinch Bug
      rhopalidae  Niesthrea louisianica  Scentless Plant Bug
        Arhyssus sp.  Scentless Plant Bug
      reduviidae  Zelus renardii  Assassin Bug
      miridae  Engytatus modestus  Plant Bug
      pentatomidae  Thyanta custator  Stink Bug

    homoptera  aphididae  Unknown sp.  Aphid
      dactylopiidae  Dactylopius sp.  Cochineal Insect

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Unknown sp.  Digger Bee
        Unknown sp.  Long-horned Bee
        Bombus pensylvanicus  American Bumble Bee
      megachilidae  Megachile sp.  Leaf-cutter Bee
        Unknown sp.  Leaf-cutter Bee
      sphecidae  Sphex ichneumoneus  Great Golden Digger Wasp
        Prionyx sp.  Thread-waisted Wasp
      tiphiidae  Tiphia sp.  Tiphiid Wasp
      braconidae  Unknown sp.  Braconid Wasp
      formicidae  Solenopsis invicta  Imported Fire Ant
        Camponotus sp.  Carpenter Ant
        Pseudomyrmex pallidus  Golden Twig Ant

    diptera  dolichopodidae  Unknown sp.  Long-legged Fly
      syrphidae  Copestylum marginatum  Flower Fly
        Copestylum avidum  Flower Fly
        Copestylum tamaulipanum  Flower Fly
        Allograpta obliqua  Flower Fly
        Toxomerus marginatus  Flower Fly
        Eupeodes americanus  Flower Fly
        Palpada pusilla  Flower Fly
      stratiomyidae  Hoplitimyia mutabilis  Soldier Fly
      agromyzidae  Melanagromyza sp.  Leaf-miner Fly
      tephritidae  Trupanea sp.  Fruit Fly
      anthomyiidae  Unknown sp.  Root Maggot Fly
      culicidae  Aedes albopictus  Asian Tiger Mosquito

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Enallagma civile  Familiar Bluet
        Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer
      lestidae  Lestes australis  Southern Spreadwing
      libellulidae  Sympetrum corruptum  Variegated Meadowhawk

    orthoptera  acrididae  Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing
        Trimerotropis maritima  Seaside Grasshopper
        Eritettix abortivus  Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper

    mantodea  mantidae  Stagmomantis carolina  Carolina Mantis

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Unknown sp.  Green Lacewing (egg)
      myrmeleontidae  Myrmeleon sp.  Antlion (larva)

    thysanoptera  aeolothripidae  Aeolothrips sp.  Predatory Thrips

    microcoryphia  unknown  Unknown sp.  Jumping Bristletail

    araneae  salticidae  Phidippus cardinalis  Cardinal Jumper
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
        Xysticus sp.  Crab Spider
      theridiidae  Steatoda triangulosa  Cobweb Weaver
      lycosidae  Unknown sp.  Wolf Spider

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