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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey September 25, 2014


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

A team of five completed this week's survey under mostly sunny and warm conditions. Many arthropods can be classified as predators or herbivores, but another important category is that of scavenger. These "clean-up crew" critters eat things such as fallen leaves, droppings and carcasses. The darkling beetle shown below is feasting on a dead moth it found under one of the lights.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Eacles imperialis (imperial moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Schinia rivulosa (ragweed flower moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Schinia bina (flower moth)
photo by Barbara Ribble


Mimoschinia rufofascialis (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Euclea incisa (oak slug moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Suleima helianthana (sunflower bud moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Harrisina coracina (grapeleaf skeletonizer moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Systasea pulverulenta (Texas powdered-skipper)
photo by Val Bugh


Systasea pulverulenta (Texas powdered-skipper larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Solenopsis invicta (imported fire ant dragging a grasshopper leg)
photo by Val Bugh


Eristalis sp. (flower fly, with pollen-covered eyes!)
photo by Val Bugh


Schistocerca obscura (obscure bird grasshopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Eleodes goryi (darkling beetle eating moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Curculio sp. (nut weevil)
photo by Val Bugh


Ischnura ramburii (Rambur's forktail, red form female)
photo by Val Bugh


Argia fumipennis (variable dancer, male)
photo by Val Bugh


Thiodina sylvana (jumping spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Neoscona crucifera (orbweaver)
photo by Val Bugh


Dalquestia formosa (Halloween harvestman)
photo by Val Bugh

  • Birds:
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Paeolophus atricristatus)
    Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)

  • Reptiles & Amphibians:
    Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)
    Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Rana berlandieri)

  • Misc.:
    Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.)
    Halloween Harvestman (Dalquestia formosa)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (adult & larva)
        Danaus gilippus  Queen
        Danaus plexippus  Monarch
        Vanessa cardui  Painted Lady
      pieridae  Zerene cesonia  Southern Dogface
        Phoebis sennae  Cloudless Sulphur
      lycaenidae  Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak (adult & larva)
      papilionidae  Papilio polyxenes  Black Swallowtail (adult & pupa)
        Papilio cresphontes  Giant Swallowtail
        Battus philenor  Pipevine Swallowtail
      hesperiidae  Thorybes pylades  Northern Cloudywing
        Erynnis funeralis  Funereal Duskywing
        Erynnis horatius  Horace's Duskywing
        Systasea pulverulenta  Texas Powdered-skipper (adult & larva)
        Hylephila phyleus  Fiery Skipper
      noctuidae  Ogdoconta cinereola  Common Pinkband
        Micrathetis triplex  Moth
        Spragueia obatra  Moth
        Ponometia phecolisca  Bird Dropping Moth
        Tarache quadriplaga  Bird Dropping Moth
        Acontia cretata  Chalky Bird Dropping Moth
        Schinia chrysellus  Broomweed Flower Moth
        Schinia bina  Flower Moth
        Schinia rivulosa  Ragweed Flower Moth
        Grotella septempunctata  Moth
      arctiidae  Hypoprepia miniata  Scarlet-winged Lichen Moth
        Estigmene acrea  Saltmarsh Moth
      saturniidae  Eacles imperialis  Imperial Moth
      geometridae  Tornos scolopacinaria  Dimorphic Gray
        Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria  Blackberry Looper Moth
        Rindgea disparcata  Moth
        Pimaphera percata  Moth
        Glenoides texanaria  Texas Gray Moth
        Lobocleta peralbata  White Wave
      crambidae  Mimoschinia rufofascialis  Moth
        Microtheoris vibicalis  Moth
        Dicymolomia julianalis  Moth
        Aethiophysa lentiflualis  Moth
        Parapediasia teterrella  Bluegrass Webworm Moth
      pyralidae  Ephestiodes sp.  Moth
      tortricidae  Eucosma consobrinana  Leafroller Moth
        Eucosma persolita  Leafroller Moth
        Eumarozia malachitana  Sculptured Moth
        Suleima helianthana  Sunflower Bud Moth
        Ecdytolopha mana  Leafroller Moth
        Cochylis caulocatax  Moth
      oecophoridae  Inga cretacea  Chalky Inga
        Inga obscuromaculella  Moth
      elachistidae  Haplochrois bipunctella  Moth
      limacodidae  Euclea incisa  Oak Slug Moth
      acrolophidae  Acrolophus sp.  Tubeworm Moth
      gelechiidae  Battaristis sp.  Moth
        Anacampsis conclusella  Moth
        Coleotechnites sp.  Moth
      zygaenidae  Harrisina coracina  Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Asphaera lustrans  Flea Beetle
        Donacia sp.  Aquatic Leaf Beetle
      cleridae  Lecontella brunnea  Checkered Beetle
      carabidae  Pasimachus californicus  Ground Beetle
      tenebrionidae  Eleodes goryi  Darkling Beetle
      cerambycidae  Sternidius mimeticus  Longhorn Beetle
      scarabaeidae  Diplotaxis sp.  Scarab
      curculionidae  Curculio sp.  Nut Weevil
        Unknown sp.  Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Acanthocephala terminalis  Coreid Bug
      reduviidae  Emesaya brevipennis  Stilt-legged Bug (nymph)
      mesoveliidae  Mesovelia sp.  Water Treader

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Homalodisca vitripennis  Glassy-winged Sharpshooter
        Texananus sp.  Leafhopper

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Bombus pensylvanicus  American Bumble Bee
        Xylocopa micans  Southern Carpenter Bee
      megachilidae  Megachile sp.  Leaf-cutter Bee
      vespidae  Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp
        Polistes carolina  Red Wasp
      sphecidae  Sphex ichneumoneus  Great Golden Digger Wasp
        Sceliphron caementarium  Yellow-and-black Mud Dauber
      formicidae  Solenopsis invicta  Imported Fire Ant

    diptera  culicidae  Aedes albopictus  Asian Tiger Mosquito
        Psorophora cyanescens  Mosquito
      dolichopodidae  Condylostylus sp.  Long-legged Fly
      syrphidae  Copestylum marginatum  Flower Fly
        Palpada vinetorum  Flower Fly
        Eristalis sp.  Flower Fly
      tachinidae  Archytas sp.  Tachinid Fly

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Argia translata  Dusky Dancer
        Argia fumipennis  Variable Dancer
        Ischnura ramburii  Rambur's Forktail
      libellulidae  Libellula croceipennis  Neon Skimmer
        Pachydiplax longipennis  Blue Dasher
        Tramea onusta  Red Saddlebags
        Tramea lacerata  Black Saddlebags
      aeshnidae  Anax junius  Common Green Darner

    orthoptera  acrididae  Melanoplus flabellatus  Dallas Short-winged Grasshopper
        Melanoplus plebejus  Plebeian Grasshopper
        Melanoplus differentialis  Differential Grasshopper
        Schistocerca obscura  Obscure Bird Grasshopper
        Lactista aztecus  Aztec Bandwing
        Trachyrhachys kiowa  Kiowa Grasshopper
        Syrbula montezuma  Montezuma's Grasshopper
        Syrbula admirabilis  Handsome Grasshopper
      tetrigidae  Paratettix mexicanus  Pygmy Grasshopper
      tettigoniidae  Scudderia furcata  Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (nymph)

    mantodea  mantidae  Stagmomantis carolina  Carolina Mantis
      thespidae  Oligonicella scudderi  Scudder's Mantis

    phasmatodea  diapheromeridae  Diapheromera velii  Prairie Walking Stick

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Chrysoperla sp.  Green Lacewing
      myrmeleontidae  Myrmeleon sp.  Antlion

    araneae  araneidae  Argiope aurantia  Black and Yellow Garden Spider
        Neoscona crucifera  Orbweaver
      theridiidae  Neospintharus furcatus  Cobweb Spider
        Theridion sp.  Cobweb Spider
      salticidae  Anasaitis canosa  Jumping Spider
        Thiodina sylvana  Jumping Spider
      oecobiidae  Oecobius sp.  Wall Spider

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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey September 25, 2014