previousindexnext   
  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey April 3, 2014


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

A team of seven volunteers participated in this week's survey under warm, cloudy and windy conditions. The caterpillars of many moths and butterflies have a limited diet and may eat only one kind of plant. Examples shown below include the Grapevine Epimenis, Sycamore Tussock Moth, Schinia cupes (Indian paintbrush), and Black Swallowtail ovipositing on Prairie Parsley.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Harmostes reflexulus (scentless plant bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Conura amoena (chalcid wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Pseudomyrmex pallidus (golden twig ant with aphid)
photo by Val Bugh


Knulliana cincta (banded hickory borer)
photo by Val Bugh


Molorchus bimaculatus (longhorn beetles mating)
photo by Val Bugh


Scymnus sp. (lady beetle larva eating aphid)
photo by Val Bugh


Anthonomus fulvus (weevil)
photo by Val Bugh


Callophrys henrici (Henry's elfin larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Psychomorpha epimenis (grapevine epimenis larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Alypia octomaculata (eight-spotted forester)
photo by Val Bugh


Halysidota harrisii (sycamore tussock moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Virbia sp. (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Urola nivalis (snowy urola)
photo by Val Bugh


Hileithia magualis (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Calliprora sexstrigella (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Schinia cupes (flower moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Papilio polyxenes (black swallowtail ovipositing)
photo by Harriett Wolf


Nathalis iole (dainty sulphur)
photo by Val Bugh


Eris militaris (bronze jumper eating wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Centruroides vittatus & Hemidactylus turcicus
(striped bark scorpion & Mediterranean gecko)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

  • Mammals:
    Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)

  • Reptiles:
    Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)
    Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)

  • Misc.:
    Polydesmid Millipede (Unknown sp.)
    Julid Millipede (Unknown sp.)
    Striped Bark Scorpion (Centruroides vittatus)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
        Phyciodes tharos  Pearl Crescent
        Danaus plexippus  Monarch
      pieridae  Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
        Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
        Pontia protodice  Checkered White
      lycaenidae  Callophrys gryneus  Juniper Hairstreak
        Callophrys henrici  Henry's Elfin (larva)
      papilionidae  Papilio polyxenes  Black Swallowtail
        Papilio multicaudata  Two-tailed Swallowtail
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
      noctuidae  Megalographa biloba  Bilobed Looper Moth
        Protorthodes orobia  Moth
        Tripudia quadrifera  Moth
        Acontia cretata  Chalky Bird-dropping Moth
        Cucullia sp.  Moth
        Sigela penumbrata  Stippled Sigela Moth
        Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Schinia cupes  Flower Moth
        Alypia octomaculata  Eight-spotted Forester
        Psychomorpha epimenis  Grapevine Epimenis (larva)
      arctiidae  Virbia sp.  Moth
        Halysidota harrisii  Sycamore Tussock Moth
        Lycomorpha pholus  Black-and-yellow Lichen Moth (larva)
      notodontidae  Schizura errucata  Prominent
      sphingidae  Hemaris diffinis  Snowberry Clearwing (larva)
      saturniidae  Hyalophora cecropia  Cecropia Moth (larva)
      geometridae  Lobocleta ossularia  Drab Brown Wave
        Pleuroprucha insulsaria  Common Tan Wave
        Phigalia titea  Halfwing (larva)
        Anavitrinella atristrigaria  Gulf Coast Gray
        Digrammia atrofasciata  Moth
        Rindgea cyda  Mesquite Looper Moth
        Isturgia dislocaria  Pale-veined Isturgia
        Glena quinquelinearia  Five-lined Glena
        Tornos scolopacinaria  Moth
        Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria  Blackberry Looper Moth
      crambidae  Achyra rantalis  Garden Webworm Moth
        Urola nivalis  Snowy Urola
        Diastictis fracturalis  Moth
        Fissicrambus sp.  Grass-veneer Moth
        Hileithia magualis  Moth
        Glaphyria sequistrialis  White-roped Glaphyria
      pyralidae  Homoeosoma electella  Sunflower Moth
        Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
        Galasa nigrinodis  Boxwood Leaftier Moth
      tortricidae  Pseudexentera spoliana  Leafroller Moth
        Pseudexentera knudsoni  Leafroller Moth
        Suleima helianthana  Sunflower Bud Moth
        Platynota rostrana  Omnivorous Platynota Moth
      lacturidae  Lactura sp.  Moth
      elachistidae  Ethmia semilugens  Ethmia Moth
      gelechiidae  Battaristis sp.  Moth
        Calliprora sexstrigella  Moth
      coleophoridae  Blastobasis sp.  Moth
        Coleophora sp.  Moth
      plutellidae  Plutella xylostella  Diamondback Moth
      copromorphidae  Ellabella editha  Tropical Fruitworm Moth
      ypsolophidae  Ypsolopha unicipunctella  Agarita Slug Moth
      xyloryctidae  Scythris fuscicomella  Moth
      pterophoridae  Pselnophorus belfragei  Plume Moth
      zygaenidae  Acoloithus novaricus  Flase Skeletonizer Moth
      bucculatricidae  Bucculatrix sp.  Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Chrysolina auripennis  Leaf Beetle
        Smaragdina militaris  Leaf Beetle
        Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Altica sp.  Flea Beetle
      coccinellidae  Hippodamia convergens  Convergent Lady Beetle (adult & larva)
        Cycloneda munda  Lady Beetle
        Scymnus sp.  Lady Beetle (larva)
      cerambycidae  Knulliana cincta  Banded Hickory Borer
        Anelaphus sp.  Longhorn Beetle
        Molorchus bimaculatus  Longhorn Beetle
        Euderces reichei  Longhorn Beetle
      elateridae  Aeolus scutellatus  Click Beetle
      carabidae  Pasimachus californicus  Ground Beetle
      zopheridae  Hyporhagus sp.  Opossum Beetle
      oedemeridae  Heliocis repanda  False Blister Beetle
      scarabaeidae  Diplotaxis sp.  Scarab
        Phyllophaga rubiginosa  June Beetle
        Phyllophaga sp.  June Beetle
      dermestidae  Anthrenus verbasci  Carpet Beetle
      scraptiidae  Allopoda sp.  False Flower Beetle
      mordellidae  Mordellistena cervicalis  Tumbling Flower Beetle
      erotylidae  Languria laeta  Lizard Beetle
      curculionidae  Listronotus sp.  Weevil
        Anthonomus fulvus  Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug
      lygaeidae  Melacoryphus lateralis  Seed Bug
      miridae  Slaterocoris sp.  Plant Bug
        Taylorilygus apicalis  Plant Bug
        Taedia sp.  Plant Bug
      rhopalidae  Harmostes reflexulus  Scentless Plant Bug
        Arhyssus sp.  Scentless Plant Bug
      pentatomidae  Chinavia hilare  Green Stink Bug
        Thyanta custator  Stink Bug
      berytidae  Jalysus sp.  Stilt Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Cuerna costalis  Leafhopper
        Neokolla dolobrata  Leafhopper
        Neocoelidia tumidifrons  Leafhopper
        Homalodisca insolita  Sharpshooter
        Homalodisca vitripennis  Glassy-winged Sharpshooter
      cercopidae  Unknown sp.  Spittlebug (nymph)
      membracidae  Ceresa sp.  Treehopper (nymph)
      psyllidae  Pachypsylla sp.  Hackberry Psyllid
      aphididae  Unknown sp.  Aphid

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
      halictidae  Lasioglossum sp.  Sweat Bee
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
        Polistes carolina  Red Wasp
      cynipidae  Unknown sp.  Gall Wasp
      chalcididae  Conura amoena  Chalcid Wasp
      formicidae  Pseudomyrmex pallidus  Golden Twig Ant

    diptera  syrphidae  Copestylum avidum  Flower Fly
      tachinidae  Peleteria sp.  Tachinid Fly
        Unknown sp.  Tachinid Fly
      stratiomyidae  Nemotelus sp.  Soldier Fly
        Odontomyia sp.  Soldier Fly
      asilidae  Efferia sp.  Robber Fly
      tephritidae  Neotephritis finalis  Fruit Fly
      tipulidae  Tipula sp.  Crane Fly

    orthoptera  acrididae  Unknown sp.  Spur-throated Grasshopper (nymph)
        Schistocerca sp.  Bird Grasshopper (nymph)
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)
        Arethaea ambulator  Walking Thread-legged Katydid
        Dichopetala catinata  Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (nymph)
        Pediodectes nigromarginatus  Black-margined Shieldback (nymph)

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Chrysoperla sp.  Green Lacewing

    araneae  lycosidae  Schizocosa sp.  Wolf Spider
      araneidae  Eustala sp.  Orbweaver
      oxyopidae  Oxyopes salticus  Striped Lynx
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Longjawed Orbweaver
      salticidae  Thiodina puerpera  Jumping Spider
        Phidippus arizonensis  Arizona Jumper
        Pelegrina galathea  Peppered Jumper
        Eris militaris  Bronze Jumper

previousindexnext   
  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey April 3, 2014