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  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey December 17, 2015


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

A cold and sunny morning greeted our seven volunteers as they completed the last survey of the year. Arthropods rarely live long enough to show signs of old age, but, as shown below, they can range from the worn wings on a Red Admiral butterfly to the shriveled body of a Green Lynx spider as she guards her egg sac until she dies.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Vanessa atalanta (red admiral)
photo by Dan Zinn


Hemiargus isola (Reakirt's blue)
photo by Val Bugh


Nemoria zygotaria (emerald)
photo by Val Bugh


Caenurgina erechtea (forage looper moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Hypena scabra (green cloverworm)
photo by Val Bugh


Chrysodeixis includens (soybean looper)
photo by Val Bugh


Eupithecia miserulata (common eupithecia larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Agraulis vanillae (gulf fritillary larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Lestes australis (southern spreadwing)
photo by Val Bugh


Harpalus sp. (ground beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Schistocerca nitens (gray bird grasshopper)
photo by Val Bugh


Sinea sp. (spined assassin bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Mozena lunata (mesquite bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Hesperolabops gelastops (cactus plant bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Taylorilygus apicalis (plant bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Peucetia viridans (green lynx with egg sac)
photo by Dan Zinn


Pardosa sp. (wolf spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Spizella passerina (chipping sparrow)
photo by Barbara Ribble

  • Birds:
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
    Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
    Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
    Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Western Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)
    White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
    White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)

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

  • Misc.:
    Millipede (Aniulus sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Danaus gilippus  Queen (larva)
        Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary (adult & larva)
        Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
      pieridae  Eurema nicippe  Sleepy Orange
        Colias eurytheme  Orange Sulphur
      lycaenidae  Hemiargus isola  Reakirt's Blue
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus philetas  Desert Checkered-skipper
      noctuidae  Chrysodeixis includens  Soybean Looper (larva)
      erebidae  Hypena scabra  Green Cloverworm (larva)
        Caenurgina erechtea  Forage Looper Moth
      geometridae  Nemoria zygotaria  Emerald
        Costaconvexa centrostrigaria  Bent-line Carpet
        Eupithecia miserulata  Common Eupithecia (larva)
      crambidae  Udea rubigalis  Celery Leaftier Moth
      plutellidae  Plutella xylostella  Diamondback Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
      coccinellidae  Coccinella septempunctata  Seven-spotted Lady Beetle
        Hippodamia convergens  Convergent Lady Beetle
        Cycloneda sanguinea  Red Lady Beetle (adult & larva)
      carabidae  Harpalus sp.  Ground Beetle

    hemiptera  coreidae  Acanthocephala declivis  Coreid Bug
        Mozena lunata  Mesquite Bug
      lygaeidae  Nysius sp.  False Chinch Bug (adult & nymph)
      reduviidae  Sinea sp.  Spined Assassin Bug
      miridae  Hesperolabops gelastops  Cactus Plant Bug
        Taylorilygus apicalis  Plant Bug
      pentatomidae  Euschistus servus  Brown Stink Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Balclutha neglecta  Leafhopper
      aphididae  Unknown sp.  Aphid

    hymenoptera  vespidae  Polistes dorsalis  Paper Wasp
        Polistes exclamans  Paper Wasp

    diptera  chironomidae  Clinotanypus sp.  Midge
      anthomyiidae  Unknown sp.  Root Maggot Fly

    odonata  libellulidae  Sympetrum corruptum  Variegated Meadowhawk
      coenagrionidae  Enallagma civile  Familiar Bluet
      lestidae  Lestes australis  Southern Spreadwing

    orthoptera  acrididae  Eritettix abortivus  Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper (nymph)
        Schistocerca nitens  Gray Bird Grasshopper
        Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (nymph)

    thysanoptera  thripidae  Unknown sp.  Thrips

    araneae  salticidae  Phidippus audax  Bold Jumper
      oxyopidae  Peucetia viridans  Green Lynx
      lycosidae  Pardosa sp.  Wolf Spider
      tetragnathidae  Tetragnatha laboriosa  Silver Longjawed Orbweaver
      thomisidae  Mecaphesa sp.  Crab Spider

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