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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey February 2, 2012


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

Seven volunteers participated in this first survey of the new year. With the temperature pushing above 60°F and humid, cloudy conditions, it felt like spring was already here, whether the groundhog (a species not found in TX) saw his shadow or not. Recent rains and a mild winter so far have been a boon to plants and wildlife. While we found many moths at the lights, they were being eaten by titmice faster than we could photograph them.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Zonotrichia querula (Harris's sparrow)
photo by Harriett Wolf


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


Chortophaga viridifasciata (northern green-striped grasshopper, nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Notiophilus sp. (ground beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (root maggot fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Stomoxys calcitrans (stable fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Bactra verutana (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Caripeta triangulata (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Digrammia californiaria (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Orthonama obstipata (the gem)
photo by Val Bugh


Glena quinquelinearia (five-lined glena)
photo by Val Bugh


Megalographa biloba (bilobed looper moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Euptoieta claudia (variegated fritillary, larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Reticulitermes sp. (subterranean termite, worker)
photo by Val Bugh


Pseudosermyle strigata (walkingstick)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown spp. (globular and slender springtails)
photo by Val Bugh


Porcellionides pruinosus (sowbug)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (wolf spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Trachemys scripta elegans (red-eared sliders)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
    Bewick's Wren (Thryothorus bewickii)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
    Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata)
    Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
    White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

  • Mammals:
    Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
    White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), tracks

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

  • Misc.:
    Globular Springtail (Unknown sp.), order Symphypleona
    Slender Springtail (Unknown sp.), order Entomobryomorpha
    Sowbug (Porcellionides pruinosus)
    Pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare)
    Stone Centipede (Unknown sp.), family Lithobiidae
    Cylindrical Millipede (Unknown sp.), order Julida
    Earthworm (Unknown sp.), family Lubricidae

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Euptoieta claudia  Variegated Fritillary (larva)
      noctuidae  Aon noctuiformis  Moth
        Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Caenurgina erechtea  Forage Looper Moth
        Hypena scabra  Green Cloverworm Moth
        Apamea cariosa  Moth
        Mythimna unipuncta  Armyworm Moth
        Spodoptera exigua  Moth
        Anagrapha falcifera  Celery Looper Moth
        Megalographa biloba  Bilobed Looper Moth
      geometridae  Glena quinquelinearia  Five-lined Glena
        Digrammia atrofasciata  Moth
        Digrammia californiaria  Moth
        Caripeta triangulata  Moth
        Phigalia strigataria  Small Phigalia
        Orthonama obstipata  The Gem
      crambidae  Nomophila nearctica  Lucerne Moth
        Uresiphita reversalis  Genista Caterpillar Moth
        Udea rubigalis  Celery Leaftier Moth
      pyralidae  Honora mellinella  Moth
      tortricidae  Bactra verutana  Leafroller Moth
      plutellidae  Plutella xylostella  Diamondback Moth
      copromorphidae  Ellabella melanoclista  Tropical Fruitworm Moth
      lacturidae  Lactura sp.  Moth
      elachistidae  Ethmia semilugens  Ethmia Moth

    coleoptera  carabidae  Notiophilus sp.  Ground Beetle
        Harpalus sp.  Ground Beetle

    hemiptera  rhyparochromidae  Drymus crassus  Seed Bug
      veliidae  Microvelia sp.  Small Water Strider

    homoptera  kermesidae  Unknown sp.  Gall-like Scale
      aphididae  Unknown sp.  Aphid

    hymenoptera  cynipidae  Unknown sp.  Gall Wasp (larva)
      formicidae  Solenopsis invicta  Imported Fire Ant (male)
        Solenopsis sp.  Fire Ant

    diptera  syrphidae  Allograpta obliqua  Flower Fly
      anthomyiidae  Unknown sp.  Root Maggot Fly
      muscidae  Stomoxys calcitrans  Stable Fly

    orthoptera  acrididae  Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing (nymph)
        Arphia simplex  Plains Yellow-winged Grasshopper (nymph)
        Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (nymph)
        Encoptolophus subgracilis  Southwestern Dusky Grasshopper
        Eritettix abortivus  Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper
      gryllidae  Gryllus sp.  Field Cricket (nymph)
        Unknown sp.  Ground Cricket (nymph)
      tettigoniidae  Arethaea ambulator  Walking Thread-legged Katydid (nymph)

    isoptera  rhinotermitidae  Reticulitermes sp.  Subterranean Termite

    phasmatodea  diapheromeridae  Pseudosermyle strigata  Walkingstick

    mantodea  mantidae  Stagmomantis carolina  Carolina Mantis (egg case)

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Chrysoperla sp.  Green Lacewing

    araneae  thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
      gnaphosidae  Unknown sp.  Ground Spider
      lycosidae  Unknown sp.  Wolf Spider
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Long-jawed Orbweaver

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