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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey August 25, 2011


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

It was hot, but cloudy skies helped keep our six participants relatively comfortable this time. Although our main focus is on animals during these surveys, we can't help but notice unusual phenomenon in other kingdoms as well. This time a fungus caught our attention. Cedar-apple Rust has two alternating hosts: Eastern Red Cedar and Apple trees. Currently, the phase on Crabapple is quite evident. The fungus can only survive if both of its hosts are in proximity.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae (cedar-apple rust)
photo by Val Bugh


Strymon melinus (gray hairstreak)
photo by Val Bugh


Microtheoris ophionalis (yellow-veined moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Blastobasis sp. (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Alpheioides parvulalis (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Sceloporus olivaceus (Texas spiny lizard)
photo by Val Bugh


Altica sp. (flea beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Apiomerus spissipes (bee assassin)
photo by Val Bugh


Trypanalebra maculata (leafhopper, about 2.5 mm long)
photo by Val Bugh


Schistocerca obscura (obscure bird grasshopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Arphia simplex (plains yellow-winged grasshopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Stagmomantis carolina (Carolina mantis, nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Enallagma civile (familiar bluet)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (braconid wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (ichneumon)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (green sweat bee)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black-bellied Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)
    Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Dickcissel (Spiza americana)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)
    Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)
    Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia)

  • Mammals:
    Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
    Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
    White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), tracks
    Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor), tracks

  • Reptiles:
    Redstripe Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus)
    Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
    Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)

  • Misc.:
    Globular Drop (Helicina orbiculata)
    Millipede (Unknown sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (larva)
      pieridae  Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
      lycaenidae  Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus philetas  Desert Checkered-skipper
      noctuidae  Phyprosopus callitrichoides  Curve-lined Owlet
      crambidae  Microtheoris ophionalis  Yellow-veined Moth
        Uresiphita reversalis  Genista Caterpillar Moth
      pyralidae  Alpheioides parvulalis  Moth
        Peoria tetradella  Grass-veneer Moth
        Elasmopalpus lignosellus  Lesser Cornstalk Borer Moth
        Tampa dimediatella  Tampa Moth
        Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
      coleophoridae  Blastobasis sp.  Moth
        Holcocera sp.  Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Altica sp.  Flea Beetle
        Donacia sp.  Aquatic Leaf Beetle
        Brachycoryna pumila  Leaf Beetle
      coccinellidae  Scymnus sp.  Ladybird Beetle
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Darkling Beetle
      elateridae  Unknown sp.  Click Beetle
      curculionidae  Gerstaeckeria sp.  Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Narnia femorata  Cactus Bug (adult & nymph)
        Chelinidea vittiger  Opuntia Bug (adult & nymph)
        Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)
        Chariesterus antennator  Euphorbia Bug
      reduviidae  Apiomerus spissipes  Bee Assassin
      rhopalidae  Jadera haematoloma  Red-shouldered Bug
      lygaeidae  Oncopeltus fasciatus  Large Milkweed Bug
      rhyparochromidae  Ozophora picturata  Seed Bug
      tingidae  Corythucha sp.  Lace Bug (adult & nymph)
      berytidae  Jalysus sp.  Stilt Bug (adult & nymph)
      pentatomidae  Chinavia hilare  Green Stink Bug
        Euschistus obscurus  Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Hymetta sp.  Leafhopper
        Illinigina illinoiensis  Leafhopper
        Cuerna costalis  Leafhopper
        Trypanalebra maculata  Leafhopper
      cicadidae  Tibicen texanus  Cicada

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Bombus pensylvanicus  American Bumble Bee
        Xylocopa micans  Southern Carpenter Bee
        Xylocopa tabaniformis  Large Carpenter Bee
      halictidae  Unknown sp.  Green Sweat Bee
        Lasioglossum sp.  Sweat Bee
      vespidae  Polistes carolina  Red Wasp
        Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
      sphecidae  Sceliphron caementarium  Yellow-and-black Mud Dauber
        Sphex pennsylvanica  Great Black Wasp
        Sphex ichneumoneus  Great Golden Digger Wasp
        Prionyx sp.  Thread-waisted Wasp
      crabronidae  Bicyrtes sp.  Sand Wasp
      pompilidae  Tachypompilus unicolor  Spider Wasp
      chalcididae  Conura sp.  Chalcid Wasp
      ichneumonidae  Unknown sp.  Ichneumon
      braconidae  Unknown sp.  Braconid Wasp
      formicidae  Camponotus sp.  Carpenter Ant
        Solenopsis invicta  Imported Fire Ant

    diptera  dolichopodidae  Unknown sp.  Long-legged Fly
      bombyliidae  Aphoebantus sp.  Bee Fly
      asilidae  Efferia tuberculata  Robber Fly
      syrphidae  Copestylum marginatum  Flower Fly

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Ischnura ramburii  Rambur's Forktail
        Argia fumipennis  Variable Dancer
        Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer
        Enallagma civile  Familiar Bluet
      libellulidae  Tramea onusta  Red Saddlebags
        Erythemis simplicicollis  Eastern Pondhawk
        Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer
        Pachydiplax longipennis  Blue Dasher
        Orthemis ferruginea  Roseate Skimmer
        Pantala flavescens  Wandering Glider

    orthoptera  acrididae  Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing
        Arphia simplex  Plains Yellow-winged Grasshopper
        Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper
        Melanoplus plebejus  Plebeian Grasshopper (nymph)
        Schistocerca obscura  Obscure Bird Grasshopper
        Mermiria sp.  Slant-faced Grasshopper (nymph)
        Eritettix abortivus  Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper (nymph)
        Syrbula admirabilis  Handsome Grasshopper
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)
      gryllidae  Gryllus sp.  Field Cricket

    mantodea  mantidae  Stagmomantis carolina  Carolina Mantis (nymph)

    neuroptera  myrmeleontidae  Myrmeleon sp.  Antlion (larva)

    araneae  salticidae  Phidippus audax  Bold Jumper
      dictynidae  Dictyna sp.  Meshweb Weaver

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