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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey October 24, 2013


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

The sunny and cool weather was perfect as seven volunteers conducted this week's survey. Although land planarians (a kind of flatworm) are not native to the U.S., several species have been introduced and now thrive. The specimen we found, shown below, was about six inches long! The slimy creatures are predators, feeding on earthworms, slugs and snails.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Palpita gracialis (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Sympistis occata (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Rindgea cyda (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Emmelina monodactyla (morning glory plume moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Eupackardia calleta (calleta silkmoth, larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Condica albigera (moth, larva)
photo by Nancy Goor


Schinia nundina (goldenrod flower moth, larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Papilio cresphontes (giant swallowtail, larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Atalopedes campestris (sachem)
photo by Val Bugh


Aphis nerii (oleander aphids)
photo by Val Bugh


Hyalymenus tarsatus (Texas bow-legged bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Oebalus pugnax (rice stink bug, nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Euschistus sp. (stink bug, nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Chrysomya sp. (blow fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Trichopoda pennipes (feather-legged fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (jumping bristletail)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (small minnow mayfly, subimago)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (harvestman with mite larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Thanatus sp. (running crab spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Bipalium kewense (hammerhead planarian)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

  • Mammals:
    Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)

  • Reptiles:
    Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
    Texas Brown Snake (Storeria dekayi texana)

  • Misc.:
    Millipede (Unknown sp.), order Julida
    Mite (Leptus sp.), on harvestman
    Chigger (Unknown sp.), larva
    Harvestman (Unknown sp.)
    Hammerhead Planarian (Bipalium kewense)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (adult & larva)
        Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Danaus plexippus  Monarch
        Danaus eresimus  Soldier
        Libytheana carinenta  American Snout
        Mestra amymone  Common Mestra
        Vanessa cardui  Painted Lady
      pieridae  Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
        Eurema lisa  Little Yellow
        Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
        Zerene cesonia  Southern Dogface
      papilionidae  Papilio cresphontes  Giant Swallowtail (larva)
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
        Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak
      hesperiidae  Lerema accius  Clouded Skipper
        Hylephila phyleus  Fiery Skipper
        Atalopedes campestris  Sachem
        Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
      noctuidae  Ogdoconta tacna  Moth
        Ponometia candefacta  Olive-shaded Bird Dropping Moth
        Sympistis occata  Moth
        Caenurgina erechtea  Forage Looper Moth
        Condica albigera  Moth (larva)
        Bagisara nr. rectifascia  Moth (larva)
        Heliothis virescens  Tobacco Budworm (larva)
        Schinia nundina  Goldenrod Flower Moth (larva)
      arctiidae  Estigmene acrea  Saltmarsh Moth (larva)
      sphingidae  Hemaris diffinis  Snowberry Clearwing (larva)
      saturniidae  Eupackardia calleta  Calleta Silkmoth (larva)
      geometridae  Digrammia atrofasciata  Moth
        Digrammia pallidata  Moth
        Rindgea cyda  Moth
        Holochroa dissociarius  Moth
        Pleuroprucha insulsaria  Common Tan Wave
        Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria  Blackberry Looper Moth
      crambidae  Palpita gracialis  Moth
        Pyrausta volupialis  Moth
        Euchromius ocelleus  Grass-veneer Moth
        Agriphila vulgivagella  Vagabond Crambus Moth
        Microcrambus croesus  Grass-veneer Moth
        Crambus sp.  Grass-veneer Moth
        Udea rubigalis  Celery Leaftier Moth
        Diastictis fracturalis  Moth
      pyralidae  Amyelois transitella  Moth
        Alberada parabates  Cactus Borer Moth
        Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
      tortricidae  Decodes basiplagana  Leafroller Moth
      carposinidae  Carposina sasakii  Peach Fruitworm Moth
      plutellidae  Plutella xylostella  Diamondback Moth
      zygaenidae  Acoloithus novaricus  False Skeletonizer (larva)
      pterophoridae  Emmelina monodactyla  Morning Glory Plume Moth
      gelechiidae  Isophrictis similiella  Moth
      ypsolophidae  Ypsolopha unicipunctella  Agarita Slug Moth
      coleophoridae  Coleophora sp.  Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Asphaera lustrans  Flea Beetle
      coccinellidae  Harmonia axyridis  Multi-colored Asian Ladybird
        Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Ladybird
      cerambycidae  Ataxia crypta  Longhorn Beetle
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Darkling Beetle
      carabidae  Pasimachus californicus  Ground Beetle
      curculionidae  Curculio sp.  Nut Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Leptoglossus zonatus  Leaf-footed Bug (adult & nymph)
        Leptoglossus phyllopus  Eastern Leaf-footed Bug (adult & nymph)
        Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug
        Narnia femorata  Cactus Bug (nymph)
        Chelinidea tabulata  Opuntia Bug (nymph)
        Chelinidea vittiger  Opuntia Bug
        Hypselonotus punctiventris  Coreid Bug
      alydidae  Hyalymenus tarsatus  Texas Bow-legged Bug (adult & nymph)
      lygaeidae  Ochrimnus mimulus  Seed Bug
        Oncopeltus fasciatus  Large Milkweed Bug
      rhopalidae  Niesthrea louisianica  Scentless Plant Bug (nymph)
      miridae  Hesperolabops gelastops  Cactus Plant Bug
        Dichrooscytus sp.  Plant Bug
      pentatomidae  Chinavia hilare  Green Stink Bug (nymph)
        Euschistus sp.  Stink Bug (nymph)
        Euschistus servus  Brown Stink Bug
        Oebalus pugnax  Rice Stink Bug
        Chlorochroa ligata  Conchuela (adult & nymph)
        Menecles insertus  Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Gyponana sp.  Leafhopper
        Cuerna costalis  Leafhopper (nymph)
        Draeculacephala sp.  Leafhopper
        Idiocerus sp.  Leafhopper (nymph)
      aphididae  Aphis nerii  Oleander Aphid

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Bombus pensylvanicus  American Bumble Bee
        Xylocopa parkinsoniae  Large Carpenter Bee
        Ceratina sp.  Small Carpenter Bee
      vespidae  Polistes dorsalis  Paper Wasp
        Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
        Polistes carolina  Red Wasp
        Vespula squamosa  Southern Yellowjacket
      sphecidae  Sphex ichneumoneus  Great Golden Digger Wasp
        Sceliphron caementarium  Yellow-and-black Mud Dauber
      mutillidae  Pseudomethoca sp.  Velvet ant
      chrysididae  Unknown sp.  Cuckoo Wasp
      braconidae  Unknown sp.  Braconid Wasp

    diptera  calliphoridae  Lucilia sp.  Blow Fly
        Chrysomya sp.  Blow Fly
        Cochliomyia macellaria  Secondary Screwworm
      syrphidae  Palpada vinetorum  Flower Fly
        Ocyptamus fascipennis  Flower Fly
      tachinidae  Peleteria sp.  Tachinid Fly
        Trichopoda pennipes  Feather-legged Fly
        Trichopoda plumipes  Feather-legged Fly
      stratiomyidae  Hermetia illucens  Black Soldier Fly
      dolichopodidae  Unknown sp.  Long-legged Fly
      tephritidae  Tomoplagia obliqua  Fruit Fly
      sarcophagidae  Unknown sp.  Flesh Fly
      bombyliidae  Hemipenthes scylla  Bee Fly
      culicidae  Psorophora cyanescens  Mosquito
        Ochlerotatus trivittatus  Mosquito
      chironomidae  Unknown sp.  Midge
      limoniidae  Unknown sp.  Crane Fly

    odonata  libellulidae  Sympetrum corruptum  Variegated Meadowhawk
      coenagrionidae  Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer

    orthoptera  acrididae  Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing
        Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (nymph)
        Schistocerca obscura  Obscure Bird Grasshopper
        Schistocerca nitens  Gray Bird Grasshopper
        Melanoplus plebejus  Plebeian Grasshopper
        Melanoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper
        Eritettix abortivus  Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper
        Dichromorpha viridis  Short-winged Green Grasshopper
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)

    ephemeroptera  baetidae  Unknown sp.  Small Minnow Mayfly (subimago)

    microcoryphia  unknown family  Unknown sp.  Jumping Bristletail

    araneae  araneidae  Neoscona crucifera  Orbweaver
        Neoscona arabesca  Arabesque Orbweaver
        Mangora gibberosa  Orbweaver
      oxyopidae  Peucetia viridans  Green Lynx
      philodromidae  Thanatus sp.  Running Crab Spider
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
      salticidae  Phidippus audax  Bold Jumper

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