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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey March 29, 2012


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

After the fog and mist dissipated, our three participants conducted this week's survey under cloudy, warm conditions. The number of caterpillars is increasing at an incredible rate. The odd-looking Green Anole shown below was such a dark brown because it was cool and attempting to warm up. It had lost its tail (probably due to a predator attack) but a new one has started to grow. The replacement will not grow as long as the original and has no bones.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Colias eurytheme (orange sulphur)
photo by Val Bugh


Lobocleta peralbata (white wave)
photo by Val Bugh


Cucullia sp. (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Pyrausta volupialis (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Mimoschinia rufofascialis (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Phigalia titea (the halfwing larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Hypena scabra (green cloverworm)
photo by Val Bugh


Ethmia sp. (ethmia moth larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Anavitrinella atristrigaria (gulf coast gray larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (common sawfly larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (black scavenger fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (tachinid fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Efferia sp. (robber fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Euderces reichei (long-horned beetle - an
excellent ant mimic)
photo by Val Bugh


Chrysomela texana (leaf beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Poecilocapsus lineatus (four-lined plant bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Cyrtolobus sp. (treehopper nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Mecaphesa dubia (crab spider eating dance fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Otala lactea (immature garden snail with pollen on shell -
perhaps the slowest pollinator in the world!)
photo by Val Bugh


Anolis carolinensis (green anole with damaged tail)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus), on nest
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

  • Reptiles:
    Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)

  • Misc.:
    Globular Drop (Helicina orbiculata)
    Decollate Snail (Rumina decollata)
    Garden Snail (Otala lactea)
    Marsh Slug (Deroceras laeve)
    Pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
        Vanessa cardui  Painted Lady (larva)
        Vanessa virginiensis  American Lady
        Euptoieta claudia  Variegated Fritillary
        Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (larva)
        Danaus plexippus  Monarch
      pieridae  Pontia protodice  Checkered White
        Colias eurytheme  Orange Sulphur
        Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange (adult & larva)
        Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
      lycaenidae  Callophrys henrici  Henry's Elfin (larva)
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common Checkered-skipper
      noctuidae  Peridroma saucia  Variegated Cutworm (adult & larva)
        Hypena scabra  Green Cloverworm Moth (adult & larva)
        Charadra dispulsa  Moth
        Mythimna unipuncta  Armyworm Moth
        Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Caenurgina erechtea  Forage Looper Moth (adult & larva)
        Aon noctuiformis  Moth
        Cerathosia tricolor  Moth
        Psychomorpha epimenis  Grapevine Epimenis (larva)
        Elaphria alapallida  Pale-winged Midget
        Megalographa biloba  Bilobed Looper Moth (adult & larva)
        Lacinipolia erecta  Moth
        Rachiplusia ou  Gray Looper Moth
        Chrysodeixis includens  Soybean Looper (larva)
        Spodoptera ornithogalli  Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth (adult & larva)
        Cucullia sp.  Moth
      notodontidae  Schizura errucata  Prominent
      geometridae  Digrammia californiaria  California Granite
        Digrammia atrofasciata  Moth
        Digrammia pallidata  Moth
        Digrammia delectata  Moth
        Glena quinquelinearia  Five-lined Glena
        Phigalia titea  Halfwing (larva)
        Phigalia strigataria  Small Phigalia (larva)
        Holochroa dissociarius  Moth
        Unknown spp.  Moth (larva)
        Costaconvexa centrostrigaria  Bent-line Carpet
        Orthonama obstipata  The Gem
        Iridopsis defectaria  Brown-shaded Gray Moth
        Iridopsis gemella  Moth
        Anavitrinella atristrigaria  Gulf Coast Gray (larva)
        Lobocleta peralbata  White Wave
        Lobocleta ossularia  Drab Brown Wave
        Cyclophora nanaria  Dwarf Tawny Wave
        Pero meskaria  Moth
      saturniidae  Hyalophora cecropia  Cecropia Moth (adult, egg & larva)
      crambidae  Fissicrambus sp.  Grass-veneer Moth
        Nomophila nearctica  Lucerne Moth
        Mimoschinia rufofascialis  Moth
        Pyrausta volupialis  Moth
        Uresiphita reversalis  Genista Caterpillar Moth (adult & larva)
      pyralidae  Honora mellinella  Moth
      elachistidae  Ethmia zelleriella  Zeller's Ethmia
        Ethmia sp.  Ethmia Moth (larva)
      lacturidae  Lactura sp.  Moth (adult & larva)
      xyloryctidae  Scythris fuscicomella  Moth
      ypsolophidae  Ypsolopha unicipunctella  Agarita Slug Moth
      plutellidae  Plutella xylostella  Diamondback Moth

    coleoptera  scarabaeidae  Phyllophaga rubiginosa  June Beetle
      chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Phyllobrotica limbata  Leaf Beetle
        Unknown sp.  Leaf Beetle (larva)
        Systena hudsonias  Flea Beetle
        Chrysomela texana  Leaf Beetle
      dermestidae  Anthrenus verbasci  Carpet Beetle
      coccinellidae  Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Ladybird
      cerambycidae  Euderces reichei  Long-horned Beetle
      oedemeridae  Heliocis repanda  False Blister Beetle
      meloidae  Pyrota insulata  Blister Beetle

    hemiptera  miridae  Lopidea major  Plant Bug
        Taedia sp.  Plant Bug (adult & nymph)
        Halticotoma valida  Yucca Plant Bug (adult & nymph)
        Unknown sp.  Plant Bug
        Poecilocapsus lineatus  Four-lined Plant Bug
        Pseudoxenetus regalis  Plant Bug
        Hamatophylus guttulosus  Plant Bug
        Tropidosteptes quercicola  Plant Bug
      lygaeidae  Lygaeus kalmii  Small Milkweed Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Draeculacephala sp.  Leafhopper (nymph)
      membracidae  Cyrtolobus sp.  Treehopper (nymph)
      kermesidae  Unknown sp.  Gall-like Scale

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
      colletidae  Hylaeus sp.  Yellow-faced Bee
      tenthredinidae  Unknown sp.  Common Sawfly (larva)
      cynipidae  Unknown sp.  Gall Wasp

    diptera  empididae  Unknown sp.  Dance Fly
      anthomyiidae  Unknown sp.  Root Maggot Fly
      tipulidae  Tipula sp.  Crane Fly
      chironomidae  Unknown sp.  Midge
      syrphidae  Allograpta obliqua  Flower Fly
        Copestylum avidum  Flower Fly
        Toxomerus marginatus  Flower Fly
      sarcophagidae  Unknown sp.  Flesh Fly
      muscidae  Coenosia sp.  Tiger Fly
      stratiomyidae  Nemotelus sp.  Soldier Fly
      calliphoridae  Cochliomyia macellaria  Secondary Screwworm
      asilidae  Efferia sp.  Robber Fly
      dolichopodidae  Unknown sp.  Long-legged Fly
      sepsidae  Unknown sp.  Black Scavenger Fly
      tachinidae  Archytas sp.  Tachinid Fly
        Unknown sp.  Tachinid Fly
        Peleteria sp.  Tachinid Fly

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Enallagma civile  Familiar Bluet

    orthoptera  acrididae  Unknown sp.  Spur-throated Grasshopper (nymph)
      tetrigidae  Paratettix mexicanus  Pygmy Grasshopper
      tettigoniidae  Arethaea ambulator  Walking Thread-legged Katydid (nymph)
        Pediodectes nigromarginatus  Black-margined Shieldback (nymph)
        Dichopetala catinata  Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (nymph)

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Chrysoperla sp.  Green Lacewing

    raphidioptera  raphidiidae  Agulla bicolor  Snakefly

    psocoptera  psocidae  Unknown sp.  Barklouse

    araneae  tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Long-jawed Orbweaver
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa dubia  Crab Spider
        Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider

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