Although it was sunny, the cold wind made this week's survey a challenge for our three participants. One of the largest animal families is the Ichneumonidae, in the order Hymenoptera. Ichneumons, three examples of which are shown below, look like wasps, but do not have stingers (a visible "tail" is always an ovipositor, or egg-laying organ). Many species are distinctively colorful but hard to identify because of the sheer number of possibilities; there is no comprehensive field guide for this group! Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings: Anthophora capistrata (digger bee) photo by Val Bugh Protandrena sp. (bees, mating pair & interloper) photo by Val Bugh Unknown sp. (braconid wasp) photo by Val Bugh Unknown sp. (ichneumon) photo by Val Bugh Unknown sp. (ichneumon) photo by Val Bugh Unknown sp. (ichneumon) photo by Val Bugh Limax flavus (slug) photo by Val Bugh Brachypnoea tristis (leaf beetle) photo by Val Bugh Cyrtolobus fenestratus (treehoppers) photo by Val Bugh Smilia camelus (treehopper) photo by Val Bugh Leptoglossus brevirostris (leaf-footed bug) photo by Val Bugh Sphyrocoris obliquus (shield bug) photo by Val Bugh Taedia sp. (plant bug) photo by Val Bugh Peleteria sp. (tachinid fly) photo by Val Bugh Thaumatomyia sp. (frit fly) photo by Val Bugh Allograpta obliqua (flower fly) photo by Val Bugh Pediodectes haldemani (Haldeman's shieldback, nymph) photo by Val Bugh Phigalia strigataria (small phigalia, larva) photo by Val Bugh Nematocampa resistaria (horned spanworm, larva) photo by Val Bugh Chlosyne lacinia (bordered patch) photo by Val Bugh Birds: Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) Hummingbird (Archilochus sp.) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica) White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) Mammals: Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) Reptiles: Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) Texas Patchnose Snake (Salvadora grahamiae lineata) Misc.: Slug (Limax flavus) Insects & Spiders: order family genus/species common name lepidoptera   nymphalidae   Chlosyne lacinia   Bordered Patch       Vanessa atalanta   Red Admiral       Junonia coenia   Common Buckeye (adult & larva)    papilionidae   Papilio cresphontes   Giant Swallowtail (larva)    pieridae   Eurema nicippe   Sleepy Orange       Zerene cesonia   Southern Dogface       Anthocharis midea   Falcate Orangetip    lycaenidae   Callophrys henrici   Henry's Elfin (larva)       Strymon melinus   Gray Hairstreak       Hemiargus isola   Reakirt's Blue    hesperiidae   Lerema accius   Clouded Skipper       Atalopedes campestris   Sachem    noctuidae   Alypia octomaculata   Eight-spotted Forester       Ponometia phecolisca   Bird Dropping Moth       Galgula partita   The Wedgling       Acronicta lepetita   Dagger Moth (larva)       Psychomorpha epimenis   Grapevine Epimenis (larva)    arctiidae   Estigmene acrea   Saltmarsh Moth (larva)    geometridae   Lobocleta ossularia   Drab Brown Wave       Nematocampa resistaria   Horned Spanworm (larva)       Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria   Blackberry Looper (larva)       Phigalia strigataria   Small Phigalia (larva)    pyralidae   Homoeosoma electella   Sunflower Moth    gelechiidae   Battaristis sp.   Moth    lacturidae   Lactura sp.   Moth    elachistidae   Ethmia semilugens   Ethmia Moth    xyloryctidae   Scythris fuscicomella   Moth    acrolophidae   Acrolophus mortipennella   Tubeworm Moth coleoptera   coccinellidae   Coccinella septempunctata   Seven-spotted Ladybird (adult & larva)       Hippodamia convergens   Convergent Ladybird       Cycloneda sanguinea   Red Ladybird    chrysomelidae   Asphaera lustrans   Flea Beetle       Systena hudsonias   Flea Beetle       Diabrotica undecimpunctata   Spotted Cucumber Beetle       Brachypnoea tristis   Leaf Beetle       Pachybrachis turbidus   Leaf Beetle       Smaragdina militaris   Leaf Beetle       Lema trabeata   Leaf Beetle    buprestidae   Ptosima laeta   Redbud Borer    mordellidae   Mordellistena cervicalis   Tumbling Flower Beetle hemiptera   coreidae   Leptoglossus phyllopus   Eastern Leaf-footed Bug       Leptoglossus brevirostris   Leaf-footed Bug       Leptoglossus zonatus   Leaf-footed Bug    miridae   Lopidea major   Plant Bug       Prepops sp.   Plant Bug       Polymerus basalis   Plant Bug       Taedia sp.   Plant Bug       Poecilocapsus lineatus   Four-lined Plant Bug       Pseudoxenetus regalis   Plant Bug       Tropidosteptes quercicola   Plant Bug    lygaeidae   Nysius sp.   False Chinch Bug    reduviidae   Zelus renardii   Assassin Bug    scutelleridae   Homaemus proteus   Shield Bug       Sphyrocoris obliquus   Shield Bug    pentatomidae   Euschistus servus   Brown Stink Bug       Chlorochroa ligata   Conchuela       Chinavia hilare   Green Stink Bug       Thyanta custator   Stink Bug homoptera   membracidae   Cyrtolobus fenestratus   Treehopper       Ophiderma sp.   Treehopper       Smilia camelus   Treehopper (adult & nymph)    psyllidae   Pachypsylla venusta   Hackberry Petiole Gall Psyllid (nymph) hymenoptera   apidae   Apis mellifera   Honey Bee       Anthophora capistrata   Digger Bee    megachilidae   Megachile sp.   Leaf-cutter Bee    andrenidae   Protandrena sp.   Bee    vespidae   Polistes exclamans   Paper Wasp       Ancistrocerus unifasciatus   Mason Wasp    gasteruptiidae   Gasteruption sp.   Carrot Wasp    braconidae   Unknown sp.   Braconid Wasp    ichneumonidae   Unknown spp.   Ichneumon diptera   syrphidae   Copestylum avidum   Flower Fly       Allograpta obliqua   Flower Fly    tachinidae   Peleteria sp.   Tachinid Fly    therevidae   Ozodiceromyia sp.   Stiletto Fly    anthomyiidae   Unknown sp.   Root Maggot Fly    dolichopodidae   Unknown sp.   Long-legged Fly    sarcophagidae   Unknown sp.   Flesh Fly    chloropidae   Thaumatomyia sp.   Frit Fly    stratiomyidae   Nemotelus sp.   Soldier Fly odonata   libellulidae   Sympetrum corruptum   Variegated Meadowhawk orthoptera   acrididae   Chortophaga viridifasciata   Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (adult & nymph)       Unknown sp.   Spur-throated Grasshopper (nymph)       Melanoplus sp.   Spur-throated Grasshopper (nymph)    tettigoniidae   Scudderia furcata   Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)       Dichopetala catinata   Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (nymph)       Pediodectes nigromarginatus   Black-margined Shieldback (nymph)       Pediodectes haldemani   Haldeman's Shieldback (nymph) mantodea   mantidae   Stagmomantis carolina   Carolina Mantis (eggs) neuroptera   chrysopidae   Chrysopa quadripunctata   Green Lacewing trichoptera   leptoceridae   Oecetis sp.   Long-horned Caddisfly araneae   thomisidae   Mecaphesa sp.   Crab Spider    mimetidae   Mimetus sp.   Pirate Spider