previousindexnext   
  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey February 7, 2013


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

The weather for our first survey of 2013 couldn't have been better: chilly and misty turning mild and sunny. Three volunteers participated. The huge beetle family Chrysomelidae contains the leaf beetles, which are generally small and often brightly colored. One subfamily is characterized by especially thick "thighs" that help the insects jump away from danger, hence the common name "flea beetles." This distinguishing characteristic is especially visible in the underside view shown below.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Osmia ribifloris (mason bee)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (braconid wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Coenosia sp. (tiger fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Nathalis iole (dainty sulphur)
photo by Val Bugh


Strymon melinus (gray hairstreak)
photo by Val Bugh


Plusiodonta compressipalpis (moonseed moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Ponometia candefacta (olive-shaded bird dropping moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Phytometra orgiae (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Aristotelia sp. (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Paleacrita vernata (spring cankerworm moth, male)
photo by Val Bugh


Caripeta triangulata (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Synchlora frondaria (southern emerald)
photo by Val Bugh


Phaeoura quernaria (oak beauty)
photo by Val Bugh


Ypsolopha unicipunctella (agarita slug moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Sitona californius (broad-nosed weevils)
photo by Val Bugh


Asphaera lustrans (flea beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Arethaea ambulator (walking thread-legged katydid, nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Lestes alacer (plateau spreadwing)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (wolf spider)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Common Raven (Corvus corax)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
    Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

  • Misc.:
    Land Snail (Rabdotus sp.)
    Garden Snail (Otala lactea)
    Millipede (Unknown sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary
        Thessalia theona  Theona Checkerspot (larva)
        Libytheana carinenta  American Snout
        Danaus gilippus  Queen
      pieridae  Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
        Eurema lisa  Little Yellow
        Colias eurytheme  Orange Sulphur
        Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus ceraunus  Ceraunus Blue
        Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue (adult & larva)
        Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
      noctuidae  Aon noctuiformis  Moth
        Megalographa biloba  Bilobed Looper Moth
        Peridroma saucia  Variegated Cutworm (larva)
        Ponometia candefacta  Olive-shaded Bird Dropping Moth
        Phytometra orgiae  Moth
        Spodoptera ornithogalli  Yellow-striped Armyworm Moth
        Psychomorpha epimenis  Grapevine Epimenis
        Tripudia quadrifera  Moth
        Lacinipolia erecta  Moth
        Plusiodonta compressipalpis  Moonseed Moth
      arctiidae  Estigmene acrea  Saltmarsh Moth
      geometridae  Iridopsis defectaria  Brown-shaded Gray Moth
        Synchlora frondaria  Southern Emerald
        Nemoria zygotaria  Emerald
        Digrammia californiaria  Moth
        Digrammia atrofasciata  Moth
        Glena quinquelinearia  Five-lined Glena
        Pero meskaria  Moth
        Phaeoura quernaria  Oak Beauty
        Paleacrita vernata  Spring Cankerworm Moth
        Macaria sp.  Angle
        Lobocleta ossularia  Drab Brown Wave
        Pimaphera percata  Moth
        Caripeta triangulata  Moth
        Eupithecia miserulata  Common Pug
        Phigalia titea  The Halfwing
        Holochroa dissociarius  Moth
      crambidae  Lineodes interrupta  Moth
        Uresiphita reversalis  Genista Moth
      pyralidae  Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
        Laetilia coccidivora  Moth
        Amyelois transitella  Moth
        Adelphia petrella  Moth
      lacturidae  Lactura sp.  Moth
      elachistidae  Ethmia hagenella  Ethmia Moth
        Ethmia semilugens  Ethmia Moth
      copromorphidae  Ellabella melanoclista  Tropical Fruitworm Moth
      ypsolophidae  Ypsolopha unicipunctella  Agarita Slug Moth
      coleophoridae  Blastobasis sp.  Moth
      gelechiidae  Aristotelia sp.  Moth
      tortricidae  Platynota rostrana  Omnivorous Platynota Moth
        Unknown sp.  Leaf-roller Moth

    coleoptera  coccinellidae  Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Ladybird
        Hippodamia convergens  Convergent Ladybird
      chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Asphaera lustrans  Flea Beetle
        Phaedon desotonis  Leaf Beetle
      curculionidae  Hypera postica  Weevil
        Sitona californius  Broad-nosed Weevil

    hemiptera  miridae  Taylorilygus apicalis  Plant Bug
      scutelleridae  Sphyrocoris obliquus  Shield Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Graphocephala versuta  Leafhopper
        Unknown sp.  Leafhopper
      membracidae  Spissistilus sp.  Treehopper
      dactylopiidae  Dactylopius sp.  Cochineal Insect

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
      megachilidae  Osmia ribifloris  Mason Bee
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
      braconidae  Unknown sp.  Braconid Wasp

    diptera  syrphidae  Copestylum avidum  Flower Fly
      muscidae  Coenosia sp.  Tiger Fly
      tipulidae  Tipula sp.  Crane Fly

    odonata  lestidae  Lestes alacer  Plateau Spreadwing

    orthoptera  acrididae  Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing (adult & nymph)
        Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (nymph)
        Trimerotropis pallidipennis  Pallid-winged Grasshopper
        Eritettix abortivus  Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper (adult & nymph)
      tettigoniidae  Arethaea ambulator  Walking Thread-legged Katydid (nymph)
      tetrigidae  Paratettix mexicanus  Pygmy Grasshopper

    trichoptera  hydropsychidae  Hydropsyche sp.  Netspinning Caddisfly

    araneae  thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Longjawed Orbweaver
      lycosidae  Unknown sp.  Wolf Spider
      salticidae  Eris militaris  Bronze Jumper

previousindexnext   
  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey February 7, 2013