previousindexnext   
  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey June 6, 2013


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

A party of five volunteers completed this week's survey under hot and partly sunny conditions. The ants crawling on the butterfly caterpillar shown below are not attacking it. The opposite is actually the case: the ants will protect the larva from predators and parasitoids because they are enjoying the honeydew that it excretes as it feeds.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Agraulis vanillae (gulf fritillary, just eclosed)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (marine or ceraunus blue larva with ants)
photo by Val Bugh


Metria amella (live oak metria larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (inchworm)
photo by Val Bugh


Helicoverpa zea (corn earworm moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Eumarozia malachitana (sculptured moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Eubaphe unicolor (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Pyrausta inornatalis (inornate pyrausta moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (flesh fly eating what looks like squirrel scat)
photo by Val Bugh


Micromus sp. (brown lacewing)
photo by Val Bugh


Melanoplus differentialis (differential grasshopper nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Hippodamia convergens & Harmonia axyridis
(comparison of convergent ladybird & multi-colored Asian ladybird larvae)
photo by Val Bugh


Homoeolabus analis (oak leaf roller)
photo by Val Bugh


Banasa euchlora (stink bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Draeculacephala sp. (leafhopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Sphex lucae (digger wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Polygyra sp. (land snail)
photo by Val Bugh


Argiope aurantia (black and yellow garden spider, just molted)
photo by Val Bugh


Hamataliwa grisea (gray lynx)
photo by Val Bugh


Anasaitis canosa (jumping spider)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)
    Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

  • Mammals:
    Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
    Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

  • Misc.:
    Garden Snail (Otala lactea)
    Land Snail (Polygyra sp.)
    Pillbug (Armadillidium vulgare)
    Polydesmid Millipede (Unknown sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Danaus plexippus  Monarch
        Junonia coenia  Common Buckeye
        Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (adult & larva)
        Euptoieta claudia  Variegated Fritillary (larva)
      pieridae  Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
        Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
        Unknown sp.  Blue (larva)
      papilionidae  Papilio cresphontes  Giant Swallowtail
        Papilio polyxenes  Black Swallowtail (larva)
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
        Erynnis horatius  Horace's Duskywing (larva)
      noctuidae  Ponometia candefacta  Olive-shaded Bird Dropping Moth
        Ponometia phecolisca  Bird Dropping Moth
        Tarache quadriplaga  Bird Dropping Moth
        Melipotis indomita  Moth
        Melipotis cellaris  Moth
        Metria amella  Live Oak Metria (larva)
        Anicla infecta  Green Cutworm Moth
        Helicoverpa zea  Corn Earworm Moth
        Sigela penumbrata  Stippled Sigela Moth
      saturniidae  Hyalophora cecropia  Cecropia Moth (larva)
      geometridae  Glena quinquelinearia  Five-lined Glena
        Tornos scolopacinaria  Moth
        Lobocleta peralbata  White Wave
        Lobocleta ossularia  Drab Brown Wave
        Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria  Blackberry Looper Moth
        Eubaphe unicolor  Moth
        Unknown sp.  Inchworm (larva)
      crambidae  Pyrausta inornatalis  Inornate Pyrausta Moth
        Glaphyria sequistrialis  White-roped Glaphyria
        Lipocosma polingi  Moth
        Fissicrambus profanellus  Grass-veneer Moth
      pyralidae  Parachma ochracealis  Moth
        Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
      tortricidae  Eucosma consobrinana  Leafroller Moth
        Cudonigera houstonana  Juniper Budworm Moth
        Aethes seriatana  Seriated Aethes Moth
        Eumarozia malachitana  Sculptured Moth
      oecophoridae  Inga obscuromaculella  Moth
      gelechiidae  Polyhymno luteostrigella  Moth
        Isophrictis similiella  Moth
      xyloryctidae  Scythris trivinctella  Moth
      psychidae  Unknown sp.  Bagworm Moth
      zygaenidae  Acoloithus novaricus  False Skeletonizer (larva)
        Harrisina coracina  Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth
      acrolophidae  Acrolophus texanella  Tubeworm Moth
        Acrolophus griseus  Tubeworm Moth

    coleoptera  coccinellidae  Hippodamia convergens  Convergent Ladybird (adult & larva)
        Cycloneda sanguinea  Red Ladybird (larva)
        Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Ladybird (adult & larva)
        Harmonia axyridis  Multi-colored Asian Ladybird (adult & larva)
        Scymnus sp.  Ladybird Beetle (larva)
      chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Chrysomela texana  Leaf Beetle (exuviae)
        Asphaera lustrans  Flea Beetle
      cerambycidae  Lepturges angulatus  Long-horned Beetle
        Leptostylus transversus  Long-horned Beetle
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Darkling Beetle
      elateridae  Unknown sp.  Click Beetle
      carabidae  Unknown sp.  Ground Beetle
      buprestidae  Acmaeodera ornatoides  Metallic Woodborer
      bostrichidae  Lichenophanes bicornis  Horned Powder-post Beetle
      anthicidae  Notoxus monodon  Antlike Flower Beetle
      attelabidae  Homoeolabus analis  Oak Leaf Roller
      curculionidae  Epicaerus imbricatus  Broad-nosed Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Mozena lunata  Mesquite Bug (adult & egg)
        Chelinidea vittiger  Opuntia Bug (adult & nymph)
        Chelinidea sp.  Opuntia Bug (egg)
        Hypselonotus punctiventris  Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)
        Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)
      rhyparochromidae  Neopamera bilobata  Seed Bug
      pachygronthidae  Phlegyas annulicrus  Seed Bug
      miridae  Calocoris barberi  Plant Bug
      reduviidae  Zelus renardii  Assassin Bug (adult & nymph)
        Zelus tetracanthus  Four-spined Assassin Bug
      scutelleridae  Homaemus proteus  Shield Bug
        Sphyrocoris obliquus  Shield Bug
      pentatomidae  Euschistus servus  Brown Stink Bug
        Chlorochroa ligata  Conchuela (nymph)
        Thyanta custator  Stink Bug (adult & nymph)
        Mecidea major  Grass Stink Bug
        Banasa euchlora  Stink Bug
        Trichopepla semivittata  Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Neokolla dolobrata  Leafhopper
        Cuerna costalis  Leafhopper
        Homalodisca vitripennis  Glassy-winged Sharpshooter
        Draeculacephala sp.  Leafhopper
      cercopidae  Clastoptera sp.  Spittlebug (adult & nymph)
      membracidae  Ceresa sp.  Treehopper
      aphididae  Unknown sp.  Aphid

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Centris atripes  Digger Bee
        Anthophora sp.  Digger Bee
        Xylocopa parkinsoniae  Large Carpenter Bee
      halictidae  Lasioglossum sp.  Sweat Bee
      megachilidae  Megachile sp.  Leafcutter Bee
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
        Polistes bellicosus  Paper Wasp
        Monobia quadridens  Mason Wasp
        Vespula squamosa  Southern Yellowjacket (queen)
      sphecidae  Sphex ichneumoneus  Great Golden Digger Wasp
        Sphex habenus  Digger Wasp
        Sphex lucae  Digger Wasp
      formicidae  Crematogaster sp.  Acrobat Ant

    diptera  syrphidae  Allograpta obliqua  Flower Fly
      tachinidae  Microphthalma sp.  Tachinid Fly
      sarcophagidae  Unknown sp.  Flesh Fly
      asilidae  Polacantha sp.  Robber Fly
      platystomatidae  Rivellia sp.  Signal Fly
      dolichopodidae  Condylostylus sp.  Long-legged Fly
      tipulidae  Nephrotoma sp.  Tiger Crane Fly

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Ischnura ramburii  Rambur's Forktail
        Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer
        Argia fumipennis  Variable Dancer
      libellulidae  Pachydiplax longipennis  Blue Dasher (adult & exuviae)
        Erythemis simplicicollis  Eastern Pondhawk
        Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer

    orthoptera  acrididae  Schistocerca lineata  Spotted Bird Grasshopper (nymph)
        Schistocerca sp.  Bird Grasshopper (nymph)
        Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing
        Melanoplus ponderosus  Ponderous Grasshopper (nymph)
        Melanoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper (nymph)
      tridactylidae  Tridactylus apicalis  Larger Sand Cricket
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (adult & nymph)
        Dichopetala catinata  Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (adult & nymph)
        Arethaea ambulator  Walking Thread-legged Katydid
        Conocephalus strictus  Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid (nymph)
        Pediodectes bruneri  Bruner's Shieldback
      gryllidae  Oecanthus latipennis  Broad-winged Tree Cricket (nymph)

    blattodea  blattelidae  Pseudomops septentrionalis  Pale-bordered Field Cockroach

    neuroptera  hemerobiidae  Micromus sp.  Brown Lacewing
      chrysopidae  Unknown sp.  Green Lacewing (egg)

    trichoptera  hydropsychidae  Hydropsyche sp.  Netspinning Caddisfly

    araneae  thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
      oxyopidae  Peucetia viridans  Green Lynx
        Hamataliwa grisea  Gray Lynx
      theridiidae  Parasteatoda tepidariorum  Common House Spider
      salticidae  Pelegrina galathea  Peppered Jumper
        Phidippus audax  Bold Jumper
        Anasaitis canosa  Jumping Spider
      gnaphosidae  Sergiolus sp.  Ground Spider
      araneidae  Argiope aurantia  Black and Yellow Garden Spider

previousindexnext   
  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey June 6, 2013