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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey November 10, 2011


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

Very cold morning temperatures greeted our survey team of seven, but the sun quickly warmed things up to one of those perfect Austin autumn days. There are two species of Opuntia Bugs in our area, and we happened to find adults of both feeding on the same Prickly Pear Cactus. Syrphid flies (also called hover flies or flower flies) are often mistaken for the bees that they mimic. Four examples are shown below.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Agraulis vanillae (gulf fritillary)
photo by Harriett Wolf


Danaus gilippus (queen)
photo by Harriett Wolf


Vanessa cardui (painted lady)
photo by Harriett Wolf


Strymon melinus (gray hairstreak)
photo by Val Bugh


Pyrgus communis/albescens (common/white checkered-skipper)
photo by Harriett Wolf


Nathalis iole (dainty sulphur)
photo by Val Bugh


Digrammia atrofasciata (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Blastobasis sp. (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Battaristis concinusella (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (caterpillar)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (geometrid caterpillar)
photo by Val Bugh


Enallagma civile (familiar bluet)
photo by Val Bugh


Schistocerca sp. (bird grasshopper, nymph in defensive position)
photo by Val Bugh


Chelinidea tabulata (opuntia bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Chelinidea vittiger (opuntia bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Palpada vinetorum (flower fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Eristalis sp. (flower fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Eupeodes americanus (flower fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Helophilus sp. (flower fly)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
    Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
    Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
    Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
    Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata)
    Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
    Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
    Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)
    Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)
    White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

  • Mammals:
    Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  lycaenidae  Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
        Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak
      nymphalidae  Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Vanessa cardui  Painted Lady
        Vanessa virginiensis  American Lady
        Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
        Agrauilis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (adult & larva)
      pieridae  Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
        Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
      geometridae  Digrammia pallidata  Moth
        Digrammia atrofasciata  Moth
        Unknown sp.  Moth (larva)
      crambidae  Uresiphita reversalis  Genista Caterpillar
        Agriphila vulgivagella  Vagabond Crambus Moth
      tortricidae  Decodes basiplagana  Leafroller Moth
      coleophoridae  Blastobasis sp.  Moth
      gelechiidae  Battaristis concinusella  Moth
      xyloryctidae  Scythris fuscicomella  Moth
      unknown family  Unknown sp.  Moth (larva)

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
      bruchidae  Mimosestes amicus  Seed Beetle
      buprestidae  Acmaeodera flavomarginata  Metallic Woodborer

    hemiptera  coreidae  Chelinidea vittiger  Opuntia Bug
        Chelinidea tabulata  Opuntia Bug
      lygaeidae  Craspeduchus uhleri  Seed Bug
        Nysius sp.  False Chinch Bug
      miridae  Engytatus modestus  Plant Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Neokolla dolobrata  Leafhopper
        Trypanalebra maculata  Leafhopper (adult & nymph)

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Unknown sp.  Digger Bee
      pteromalidae  Unknown sp.  Pteromalid Wasp

    diptera  syrphidae  Copestylum marginatum  Flower Fly
        Copestylum avidum  Flower Fly
        Allograpta obliqua  Flower Fly
        Eristalis sp.  Flower Fly
        Palpada vinetorum  Flower Fly
        Eupeodes americanus  Flower Fly
        Helophilus sp.  Flower Fly
      bombyliidae  Hemipenthes scylla  Bee Fly
      calliphoridae  Cynomya cadaverina  Bluebottle Fly
      sarcophagidae  Unknown sp.  Flesh Fly
      anthomyiidae  Unknown sp.  Root Maggot Fly

    odonata  libellulidae  Sympetrum corruptum  Variegated Meadowhawk
      coenagrionidae  Enallagma civile  Familiar Bluet

    orthoptera  acrididae  Schistocerca obscura  Obscure Bird Grasshopper
        Schistocerca sp.  Bird Grasshopper (nymph)
        Eritettix abortivus  Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper

    araneae  salticidae  Phidippus audax  Bold Jumper

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