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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey April 7, 2011


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

Our party of three enjoyed a cool and very overcast morning this time, which kept butterfly numbers down but didn't deter other insects, such as leaf beetles and plant bugs. The male Neon Skimmer pictured below had just eclosed (molted its nymph skin, which is just to its right). It will turn brilliant red in a few days. Speaking of bright colors, the very pink Gray Hairstreak caterpillar was feeding on False Indigo. These larvae often develop colors that help them blend with, or at least complement, the flower they are eating.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Apiomerus spissipes (bee assassin)
photo by Val Bugh


Metriorrhynchomiris dislocatus (plant bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Taedia sp. (plant bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Cryptocephalus mucoreus (leaf beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Neacreotrichus sp. (bee fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (dance fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Chrysopilus sp. (snipe fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (long-legged fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (tachinid fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Episemasia cervinaria (inchworm, family Geometridae)
photo by Val Bugh


Hyles lineata (white-lined sphinx, larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Deidamia inscripta (lettered sphinx, larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Strymon melinus (gray hairstreak, larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Papilio multicaudata (two-tailed swallowtail, larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Pseudogalleria inimicella (inimical borer moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Iridopsis defectaria (brown-shaded gray moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Harrisina coracina (grapeleaf skeletonizer moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Eutelia pulcherrimus (beautiful eutelia)
photo by Val Bugh


Libellula croceipennis (neon skimmer)
photo by Val Bugh


Neivamyrmex sp. (legionary ant, male - also called "sausage fly")
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

  • Mammals:
    Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)

  • Reptiles:
    Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Danaus plexippus  Monarch
      lycaenidae  Callophrys henrici  Henry's Elfin (larva)
        Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak (larva)
      papilionidae  Papilio multicaudata  Two-tailed Swallowtail (larva)
      pieridae  Colias eurytheme  Orange Sulphur
        Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
      noctuidae  Lacinipolia laudabilis  Laudable Arches Moth
        Lacinipolia erecta  Moth
        Phosphila miselioides  Spotted Phosphila
        Eutelia pulcherrimus  Beautiful Eutelia
        Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Acronicta americana  American Dagger
        Hypena scabra  Green Cloverworm Moth
        Alypia octomaculata  Eight-spotted Forester (larva)
        Peridroma saucia  Variegated Cutworm (larva)
        Heliothis virescens  Tobacco Budworm (larva)
        Unknown sp.  Moth (larva)
      arctiidae  Estigmene acrea  Saltmarsh Caterpillar
        Virbia costata  Moth
        Cisthene barnesii  Lichen Moth
      notodontidae  Hippia packardii  Prominent (larva)
      sphingidae  Dolba hyloeus  Pawpaw Sphinx
        Hyles lineata  White-lined Sphinx (larva)
        Deidamia inscripta  Lettered Sphinx (larva)
      geometridae  Iridopsis defectaria  Brown-shaded Gray Moth
        Lobocleta peralbata  White Wave
        Pero meskaria  Moth
        Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria  Blackberry Looper Moth
        Chlorochlamys phyllinaria  Emerald
        Glenoides texanaria  Texas Gray Moth
        Phigalia titea  Halfwing (larva)
        Episemasia cervinaria  Inchworm (larva)
      crambidae  Desmia subdivisalis  Moth
        Loxostege allectalis  Moth
      pyralidae  Parachma ochracealis  Moth
        Adelphia petrella  Moth
      tortricidae  Platynota flavedana  Black-shaded Platynota Moth
        Pseudogalleria inimicella  Inimical Borer Moth
      pterophoridae  Unknown sp.  Plume Moth
      ypsolophidae  Ypsolopha unicipunctella  Agarita Slug (larva)
      zygaenidae  Harrisina coracina  Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth
        Acoloithus novaricus  False Skeletonizer Moth
      gelechiidae  Anacampsis levipedella  Moth
      acrolophidae  Acrolophus mortipennella  Tubeworm Moth
      xyloryctidae  Scythris fuscicomella  Moth
      elachistidae  Ethmia semilugens  Ethmia Moth

    coleoptera  coccinellidae  Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Ladybird
        Cycloneda sanguinea  Red Ladybird (adult & larva)
      chrysomelidae  Longitarsus sp.  Flea Beetle
        Systena hudsonias  Flea Beetle
        Phaedon sp.  Leaf Beetle
        Cryptocephalus notatus  Leaf Beetle
        Cryptocephalus mucoreus  Leaf Beetle
        Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
      languriidae  Languria sp.  Lizard Beetle
      mordellidae  Mordellistena cervicalis  Tumbling Flower Beetle
      scarabaeidae  Phyllophaga rubiginosa  June Beetle
      oedemeridae  Heliocis repanda  False Blister Beetle
      meloidae  Nemognatha sp.  Blister Beetle

    hemiptera  coreidae  Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug
        Acanthocephala sp.  Coreid Bug (egg)
      thyreocoridae  Galgupha sp.  Ebony Bug
      lygaeidae  Oncopeltus fasciatus  Large Milkweed Bug
      reduviidae  Apiomerus spissipes  Bee Assassin
        Zelus renardii  Assassin Bug
      miridae  Halticotoma valida  Yucca Plant Bug (adult & nymph)
        Poecilocapsus lineatus  Four-lined Plant Bug (adult & nymph)
        Lopidea major  Plant Bug
        Taedia sp.  Plant Bug (adult & nymph)
        Prepops sp.  Plant Bug
        Taylorilygus apicalis  Plant Bug
        Ilnacora sp.  Plant Bug
        Polymerus basalis  Plant Bug
        Metriorrhynchomiris dislocatus  Plant Bug
      pentatomidae  Euschistus servus  Brown Stink Bug
        Euschistus quadrator  Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Cuerna costalis  Leafhopper
        Homalodisca insolita  Sharpshooter
      membracidae  Cyrtolobus sp.  Treehopper
      cercopidae  Unknown sp.  Spittlebug (nymph)
      coccidae  Parthenolecanium sp.  Scale
      aphididae  Aphis nerii  Oleander Aphid

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
      colletidae  Hylaeus sp.  Yellow-faced Bee
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
      formicidae  Neivamyrmex sp.  Legionary Ant (male)

    diptera  dolichopodidae  Unknown sp.  Long-legged fly
      empididae  Unknown sp.  Dance Fly
      platystomatidae  Rivellia sp.  Platystomatid Fly
      sepsidae  Sepsis sp.  Black Scavenger Fly
      stratiomyidae  Nemotelus sp.  Soldier Fly
      rhagionidae  Chrysopilus sp.  Snipe Fly
      therevidae  Ozodiceromyia sp.  Stiletto Fly
      bombyliidae  Geron sp.  Bee Fly
        Neacreotrichus sp.  Bee Fly
      tachinidae  Unknown sp.  Tachinid Fly

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Ischnura ramburii  Rambur's Forktail
      libellulidae  Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer

    orthoptera  acrididae  Melanoplus sp.  Spur-throated Grasshopper (nymph)
        Mermiria sp.  Slant-faced Grasshopper (nymph)
      tettigoniidae  Arethaea ambulator  Walking Thread-legged Katydid (nymph)
        Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)
        Dichopetala catinata  Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (nymph)
        Conocephalus sp.  Meadow Katydid (nymph)

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Unknown sp.  Green Lacewing

    araneae  salticidae  Phidippus audax  Bold Jumper
        Eris militaris  Bronze Jumper
      araneidae  Neoscona arabesca  Arabesque Orbweaver
      oxyopidae  Oxyopes salticus  Striped Lynx
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Longjawed Orbweaver

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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey April 7, 2011