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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey September 20, 2012


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

Four volunteers completed this week's survey under hot and sunny conditions. While we expect to find butterflies feeding on flowers, it is also not unusual to see them sipping wet spots on mud or gravel (see the Painted Lady photo below). The insects are obtaining essential minerals lacking in their nectar diet.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Diabrotica undecimpunctata (spotted cucumber beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Asphaera lustrans (flea beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Systasea pulverulenta (Texas powdered-skipper)
photo by Val Bugh


Vanessa cardui (painted lady, drinking water or "puddling")
photo by Val Bugh


Grotella septempunctata (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Harrisina coracina (grapeleaf skeletonizer moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Antaeotricha lindseyi (bird dropping moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Schinia rivulosa (ragweed flower moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Antheraea polyphemus (Polyphemus moth, unusual red color form)
photo by Val Bugh


Spodoptera ornithogalli (yellow-striped armyworm, larva)
photo by Val Bugh


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


Melanoplus plebejus (plebeian grasshopper, nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Xysticus sp. (crab spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Pachydiplax longipennis & Euschistus servus
(blue dasher and brown stink bug sharing a perch)
photo by Val Bugh


Ululodes macleayanus (owlfly)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (argid sawfly)
photo by Val Bugh


Polistes exclamans (paper wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Euodynerus crypticus (mason wasp digging nest)
photo by Val Bugh


Vespula squamosa (southern yellowjacket gathering wood to build nest)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Hummingbird (Archilochus sp.)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

  • Mammals:
    Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)

  • Reptiles:
    Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)

  • Misc.:
    Globular Drop (Helicina orbiculata)
    Garden Snail (Otala lactea)
    Harvestman (Unknown sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Vanessa cardui  Painted Lady
        Asterocampa celtis  Hackberry Emperor
        Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary
      pieridae  Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
      lycaenidae  Callophrys gryneus  Juniper Hairstreak
        Hemiargus ceraunus  Ceraunus Blue
        Strymon istapa  Mallow Scrub-hairstreak
      hesperiidae  Erynnis horatius  Horace's Duskywing
        Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common Checkered-skipper
        Systasea pulverulenta  Texas Powdered-skipper
        Chioides albofasciatus  White-striped Longtail
        Hylephila phyleus  Fiery Skipper
        Lerema accius  Clouded Skipper
      noctuidae  Acontia cretata  Bird Dropping Moth
        Ponometia candefacta  Olive-shaded Bird Dropping Moth
        Ponometia virginalis  Bird Dropping Moth
        Ponometia phecolisca  Bird Dropping Moth
        Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Micrathetis triplex  Moth
        Aon noctuiformis  Moth
        Lacinipolia erecta  Moth
        Ogdoconta cinereola  Common Pinkband
        Schinia chrysellus  Broomweed Flower Moth
        Schinia thoreaui  Thoreau's Flower Moth
        Schinia rivulosa  Ragweed Flower Moth
        Grotella septempunctata  Moth
        Xerociris wilsonii  Wilson's Wood-nymph
        Phosphila miselioides  Spotted Phosphila
        Spodoptera ornithogalli  Yellow-striped Armyworm
      arctiidae  Pareuchaetes insulata  Yellow-winged Pareuchaetes
      notodontidae  Schizura errucata  Prominent
      saturniidae  Antheraea polyphemus  Polyphemus Moth (adult & eggs)
      sphingidae  Erinnyis lassauxii  Lassaux's Sphinx
      geometridae  Glena quinquelinearia  Five-lined Glena
        Synchlora frondaria  Southern Emerald
        Pero meskaria  Moth
        Scopula umbilicata  Moth
      crambidae  Lipocosma polingi  Moth
        Lineodes integra  Eggplant Leafroller Moth
        Ommatospila narcaeusalis  Moth
        Fissicrambus quadrinotellus  Grass-veneer Moth
        Euchromius ocelleus  Grass-veneer Moth
      pyralidae  Parachma ochracealis  Moth
        Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
      tortricidae  Cudonigera houstonana  Juniper Bud Moth
        Pseudexentera knudsoni  Leafroller Moth
        Platynota rostrana  Omnivorous Platynota Moth
      zygaenidae  Harrisina coracina  Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth
      yponomeutidae  Atteva aurea  Ailanthus Webworm Moth
      coleophoridae  Coleophora sp.  Moth
      elachistidae  Elachista sp.  Moth
        Antaeotricha lindseyi  Bird Dropping Moth
      gelechiidae  Battaristis sp.  Moth

    coleoptera  coccinellidae  Harmonia axyridis  Multi-colored Asian Ladybird
        Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Ladybird
      chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Asphaera lustrans  Flea Beetle
        Unknown sp.  Tortoise Beetle (larva)
      cerambycidae  Ataxia hubbardi  Long-horned Beetle
        Sphaenothecus bivittata  Long-horned Beetle
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Darkling Beetle
      zopheridae  Hyporhagus sp.  Opossum Beetle
      curculionidae  Curculio sp.  Nut Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Narnia femorata  Cactus Bug
        Leptoglossus zonatus  Leaf-footed Bug
      reduviidae  Zelus renardii  Assassin Bug (adult & nymph)
        Zelus sp.  Assassin Bug (eggs)
      tingidae  Teleonemia sp.  Lace Bug
      pentatomidae  Thyanta custator  Stink Bug
        Euschistus servus  Brown Stink Bug
        Euschistus obscurus  Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Homalodisca vitripennis  Glassy-winged Sharpshooter
        Penthimia americana  Leafhopper
        Unknown sp.  Leafhopper
      cercopidae  Clastoptera sp.  Spittlebug
      acanaloniidae  Acanalonia parva  Planthopper
      aphididae  Unknown sp.  Aphid

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Bombus pensylvanicus  American Bumble Bee
        Xylocopa virginica  Eastern Carpenter Bee
        Centris atripes  Digger Bee
      halictidae  Unknown sp.  Green Sweat Bee
        Augochloropsis metallica  Green Sweat Bee
        Lasioglossum sp.  Sweat Bee
      megachilidae  Megachile sp.  Leaf-cutter Bee
        Anthidiellum notatum  Bee
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
        Euodynerus hidalgo  Mason Wasp
        Euodynerus crypticus  Mason Wasp
        Vespula squamosa  Southern Yellowjacket
      sphecidae  Sceliphron caementarium  Yellow-and-black Mud Dauber
      formicidae  Forelius sp.  Ant
      argidae  Unknown sp.  Sawfly

    diptera  culicidae  Aedes albopictus  Asian Tiger Mosquito
      dolichopodidae  Unknown sp.  Long-legged Fly
      muscidae  Coenosia sp.  Tiger Fly

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Ischnura ramburii  Rambur's Forktail
        Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer
      libellulidae  Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer
        Pachydiplax longipennis  Blue Dasher
      aeshnidae  Anax junius  Common Green Darner

    orthoptera  acrididae  Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (nymph)
        Schistocerca lineata  Spotted Bird Grasshopper
        Melanoplus plebejus  Plebeian Grasshopper (nymph)
        Melanoplus ponderosus  Ponderous Grasshopper
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (adult & nymph)

    dermaptera  anisolabididae  Euborellia annulipes  Ring-legged Earwig

    neuroptera  berothidae  Lomamyia sp.  Beaded Lacewing
      ascalaphidae  Ululodes macleayanus  Owlfly

    araneae  salticidae  Pelegrina galathea  Peppered Jumper
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
        Xysticus sp.  Crab Spider
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha sp.  Long-jawed Orbweaver

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