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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey May 22, 2014


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

This week's survey had six participants; conditions were cool, cloudy and drizzly. Mimicry runs rampant in the arthropod world. Examples shown below include a coreid bug nymph that looks like a spider, a Texas bow-legged bug nymph that looks like an ant, and a moth that looks like a wasp.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Phidippus carolinensis (Carolina jumper)
photo by Val Bugh


Neokolla dolobrata (leafhopper, just molted)
photo by Val Bugh


Acanalonia laticosta (planthopper nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Dictyonissus griphus (planthopper nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Thionia acuta (planthopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Acanthocephala terminalis (coreid bug nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


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


Vitacea polistiformis (grape root borer moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Bagisara praecelsa (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Hyalophora cecropia (cecropia moth larva)
photo by Val Bugh


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


Strymon melinus (gray hairstreak larva, with ants)
photo by Val Bugh


Mermiria sp. (slant-faced grasshopper nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Dichopetala catinata (spoon-tailed short-winged katydid, male)
photo by Val Bugh


Conocephalus strictus (straight-lanced meadow katydid nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Stagmomantis carolina (Carolina mantis nymph)
photo by Val Bugh


Phasia sp. (tachinid fly)
photo by Val Bugh


Ululodes macleayanus (owlfly)
photo by Val Bugh


Libellula croceipennis (neon skimmer, male with exuviae)
photo by Val Bugh


Anolis carolinensis (green anole, male)
photo by Harriett Wolf

  • Birds:
    Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
    Common Raven (Corvus corax)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
    Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx califorianus)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

  • Mammals:
    Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
    Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
    Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)

  • Reptiles & Amphibians:
    Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
    Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Rana berlandieri)
    Gulf Coast Toad (Bufo nebulifer), tadpoles

  • Misc.:
    Garden Snail (Otala lactea)
    Rams-horn Snail (Unknown sp.)
    Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.)
    Spider Mite (Unknown sp.)
    Polydesmid Millipede (Unknown sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Asterocampa clyton  Tawny Emperor
        Vanessa cardui  Painted Lady (pupa)
        Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (larva & pupa)
        Danaus gilippus  Queen
      pieridae  Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
        Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
        Unknown sp.  Blue (larva)
        Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak (larva)
      papilionidae  Papilio cresphontes  Giant Swallowtail (larva)
        Papilio polyxenes  Black Swallowtail (larva & pupa)
      hesperiidae  Systasea pulverulenta  Texas Powdered-skipper (larva)
      noctuidae  Abrostola microvalis  Moth
        Alypia octomaculata  Eight-spotted Forester (larva)
        Ponometia candefacta  Olive-shaded Bird Dropping Moth
        Ponometia fasciatella  Moth
        Ponometia phecolisca  Bird Dropping Moth
        Tarache quadriplaga  Bird Dropping Moth
        Bagisara praecelsa  Moth
      arctiidae  Cisseps fulvicollis  Yellow-collared Scape Moth
        Hypoprepia miniata  Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth
        Hypercompe scribonia  Great Leopard Moth
      notodontidae  Schizura errucata  Prominent
      saturniidae  Hyalophora cecropia  Cecropia Moth (larva)
      geometridae  Glena quinquelinearia  Five-lined Glena
        Tornos scolopacinaria  Moth
        Cyclophora nanaria  Dwarf Tawny Wave
        Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria  Blackberry Looper Moth
        Nemoria zygotaria  Emerald
        Unknown sp.  Inchworm (larva)
        Lobocleta ossularia  Drab Brown Wave
        Euchlaena marginaria  Moth
      crambidae  Uresiphita reversalis  Genista Moth
        Diastictis fracturalis  Moth
        Lipocosma polingi  Moth
        Glaphyria sequistrialis  White-roped Glaphyria
        Mimoschinia rufofascialis  Moth
        Pyrausta volupialis  Pyrausta Moth
      pyralidae  Homoeosoma electella  Sunflower Moth
        Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
        Adelphia petrella  Moth
        Parachma ochracealis  Moth
      tortricidae  Cudonigera houstonana  Juniper Budworm Moth
        Unknown sp.  Leafroller Moth
      sesiidae  Vitacea polistiformis  Grape Root Borer Moth
      zygaenidae  Acoloithus novaricus  False Skeletonizer (larva)
      oecophoridae  Inga cretacea  Chalky Inga
        Inga obscuromaculella  Moth
      gelechiidae  Battaristis sp.  Moth
        Aristotelia sp.  Moth
      xyloryctidae  Neoscythris fissirostris  Moth
      ypsolophidae  Ypsolopha unicipunctella  Agarita Slug Moth
      acrolophidae  Acrolophus mortipennella  Tubeworm Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Asphaera lustrans  Flea Beetle
        Altica sp.  Flea Beetle
        Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Gratiana pallidula  Eggplant Tortoise Beetle
        Fidia cana  Leaf Beetle
      coccinellidae  Hippodamia convergens  Convergent Lady Beetle
        Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Lady Beetle
        Scymnus sp.  Lady Beetle (larva)
        Unknown sp.  Lady Beetle (larva)
      cerambycidae  Mecas cineracea  Longhorn Beetle
      buprestidae  Acmaeodera mixta  Metallic Woodborer
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Darkling Beetle
      dermestidae  Cryptorhopalum reversum  Dermestid Beetle
      scarabaeidae  Phyllophaga sp.  June Beetle
      curculionidae  Anthonomus fulvus  Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug (nymph)
        Leptoglossus phyllopus  Eastern Leaf-footed Bug
      alydidae  Hyalymenus tarsatus  Texas Bow-legged Bug (nymph)
      miridae  Lygus lineolaris  Tarnished Plant Bug
        Calocoris barberi  Plant Bug (nymph)
        Hesperolabops gelastops  Cactus Plant Bug
      lygaeidae  Oncopeltus fasciatus  Large Milkweed Bug
        Nysius sp.  False Chinch Bug
      reduviidae  Zelus renardii  Assassin Bug (nymph)
      berytidae  Jalysus sp.  Stilt Bug (adult & nymph)
      veliidae  Microvelia sp.  Small Water Bug (adult & nymph)
      pentatomidae  Euschistus tristigmus  Stink Bug
        Chlorochroa ligata  Conchuela (nymph)

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Neokolla dolobrata  Leafhopper (adult & nymph)
        Cuerna costalis  Leafhopper
        Tinobregmus viridescens  Leafhopper
        Gyponana sp.  Leafhopper (nymph)
      cercopidae  Unknown sp.  Spittlebug (nymph)
      acanaloniidae  Acanalonia laticosta  Planthopper (adult & nymph)
      issidae  Thionia acuta  Planthopper
        Dictyonissus griphus  Planthopper (nymph)
      coccidae  Mesolecanium nigrofasciatum  Terrapin Scale
      aphididae  Aphis nerii  Oleander Aphid
        Unknown sp.  Aphid

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Bombus pensylvanicus  American Bumble Bee
        Centris atripes  Digger Bee
        Xylocopa parkinsoniae  Large Carpenter Bee
        Xylocopa virginica  Eastern Carpenter Bee
      halictidae  Lasioglossum sp.  Sweat Bee
      formicidae  Unknown sp.  Ant
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
      ichneumonidae  Unknown sp.  Ichneumon

    diptera  dolichopodidae  Condylostylus sp.  Long-legged Fly
      calliphoridae  Lucilia sp.  Blow Fly
      asilidae  Atomosia sp.  Robber Fly
      syrphidae  Allograpta obliqua  Flower Fly
      tachinidae  Phasia sp.  Tachinid Fly
      chironomidae  Unknown sp.  Midge

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Ischnura ramburii  Rambur's Forktail
        Ischnura posita  Fragile Forktail
        Argia immunda  Kiowa Dancer
      libellulidae  Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer

    orthoptera  acrididae  Melanoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper (nymph)
        Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (nymph)
        Mermiria sp.  Slant-faced Grasshopper (nymph)
      tettigoniidae  Dichopetala catinata  Spoon-tailed Short-winged Katydid (adult & nymph)
        Conocephalus strictus  Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid (nymph)

    mantodea  mantidae  Stagmomantis carolina  Carolina Mantis (nymph)

    neuroptera  ascalaphidae  Ululodes macleayanus  Owlfly

    ephemeroptera  baetidae  Callibaetis sp.  Small Minnow Mayfly

    araneae  salticidae  Naphrys acerba  Jumping Spider
        Phidippus carolinensis  Carolina jumper
      araneidae  Neoscona oaxacensis  Orbweaver
        Mangora placida  Orbweaver
        Araneus sp.  Orbweaver
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider
      linyphiidae  Unknown sp.  Dwarf Spider

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