previousindexnext   
  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey March 1, 2018


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Fauna Project

The morning was cool, breezy and sunny as twelve volunteers contributed to this week's survey. Most large bees seen at this time of year are carpenter bees (shown below), and not bumble bees. The former are solitary, and easily recognized by their shiny rear ends. The latter are social and the queens have not yet had time to raise their first brood of workers.

Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings:


Graptemys versa (Texas map turtle)
photo by Harriett Wolf


Sceloporus olivaceus (Texas spiny lizard)
photo by Harriett Wolf


Hypselonotus punctiventris (coreid bug)
photo by Val Bugh


Crematogaster laeviuscula (acrobat ants)
photo by Val Bugh


Xylocopa virginica (eastern carpenter bee)
photo by Barbara Ribble


Disholcaspis sp. (gall wasp)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (midge: larva & adult)
photo by Val Bugh


Hydropsyche sp. (netspinning caddisfly)
photo by Val Bugh


Unknown sp. (ground beetle larva)
photo by Val Bugh


Lytta aenea (blister beetle)
photo by Val Bugh


Falconina gracilis (ant-mimic spider)
photo by Val Bugh


Steatoda triangulosa (checkered cobweb weaver)
photo by Val Bugh


Atteva aurea (ailanthus webworm moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Friseria sp. (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Adelphia petrella (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Argyresthia alternatella (moth)
photo by Val Bugh


Litodonta hydromeli (prominent)
photo by Val Bugh


Aidemona azteca (Aztec spurthroat)
photo by Val Bugh


Dasypus novemcinctus (nine-banded armadillo scutes)
photo by Val Bugh


Picoides scalaris (ladder-backed woodpecker)
photo by Barbara Ribble

  • Birds:
    American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
    Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
    Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
    Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus)
    Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
    Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
    Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
    House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
    Inca Dove (Columbina inca)
    Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris)
    Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
    Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
    Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
    Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
    Woodhouse's Scrub-jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii)

  • Mammals:
    Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)
    Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), scattered bones

  • Reptiles & Amphibians:
    Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)
    Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)
    Redstripe Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis proximus rubrilineatus)
    Texas Map Turtle (Graptemys versa)
    Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Rana berlandieri), adult & tadpoles

  • Misc.:
    Slender Springtail (Unknown sp.)
    Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.)
    Julid Millipede (Aniulus sp.)

  • Insects & Spiders:
    orderfamilygenus/speciescommon name

    lepidoptera  nymphalidae  Agraulis vanillae  Gulf Fritillary
        Vanessa atalanta  Red Admiral
        Polygonia interrogationis  Question Mark
      pieridae  Colias eurytheme  Orange Sulphur
        Zerene cesonia  Southern Dogface
        Nathalis iole  Dainty Sulphur
      lycaenidae  Strymon melinus  Gray Hairstreak
      papilionidae  Battus philenor  Pipevine Swallowtail
      hesperiidae  Pyrgus philetas  Desert Checkered-skipper
        Pyrgus communis/albescens  Common/White Checkered-skipper
      noctuidae  Galgula partita  The Wedgling
        Rachiplusia ou  Gray Looper Moth
        Psaphida resumens  Figure-eight Sallow
        Orthodes furtiva  Moth
      erebidae  Aon noctuiformis  Moth
        Plusiodonta compressipalpis  Moonseed Moth
        Phytometra orgiae  Moth
      nolidae  Meganola minuscula  Confused Meganola
      notodontidae  Litodonta hydromeli  Prominent
        Lochmaeus bilineata  Double-lined Prominent
      saturniidae  Hyalophora cecropia  Cecropia Moth (pupa)
      geometridae  Nemoria zygotaria  Emerald
        Orthonama obstipata  The Gem
        Phigalia strigataria  Small Phigalia
        Glena quinquelinearia  Five-lined Glena
        Macaria aequiferaria  Woody Angle
        Eupithecia bolterii  Moth
      crambidae  Diastictis fracturalis  Moth
        Uresiphita reversalis  Genista Caterpillar Moth
      pyralidae  Etiella zinckenella  Gold-banded Etiella
        Adelphia petrella  Moth
      tortricidae  Chimoptesis pennsylvaniana  Filigreed Moth
        Pseudexentera knudsoni  Leafroller Moth
      elachistidae  Ethmia semilugens  Ethmia Moth
      yponomeutidae  Atteva aurea  Ailanthus Webworm Moth
      gelechiidae  Aristotelia sp.  Moth
        Friseria sp.  Moth
        Battaristis concinusella  Moth
      yponomeutidae  Argyresthia alternatella  Moth
      copromorphidae  Ellabella melanoclista  Tropical Fruitworm Moth

    coleoptera  chrysomelidae  Diabrotica undecimpunctata  Spotted Cucumber Beetle
        Diabrotica balteata  Banded Cucumber Beetle
      meloidae  Lytta aenea  Blister Beetle
      carabidae  Pasimachus californicus  Ground Beetle
        Unknown sp.  Ground Beetle (larva)
      curculionidae  Linogeraeus neglecta  Flower Weevil

    hemiptera  coreidae  Hypselonotus punctiventris  Coreid Bug
        Chelinidea vittiger  Opuntia Bug

    homoptera  cicadellidae  Cuerna costalis  Leafhopper
        Neocoelidia tumidifrons  Leafhopper (nymph)

    hymenoptera  apidae  Apis mellifera  Honey Bee
        Xylocopa virginica  Eastern Carpenter Bee
        Xylocopa micans  Southern Carpenter Bee
      halictidae  Lasioglossum sp.  Sweat Bee
      crabronidae  Liris sp.  Cricket Wasp
      cynipidae  Disholcaspis sp.  Gall Wasp
      formicidae  Solenopsis invicta  Imported Fire Ant
        Crematogaster laeviuscula  Acrobat Ant
      ichneumonidae  Itoplectis conquisitor  Ichneumon

    diptera  tipulidae  Tipula sp.  Crane Fly
      chironomidae  Unknown sp.  Midge (adult & larva)
      syrphidae  Toxomerus marginatus  Flower Fly
        Copestylum avidum  Flower Fly
      calliphoridae  Cynomya cadaverina  Bluebottle Fly
      anthomyiidae  Unknown sp.  Root Maggot Fly
      sarcophagidae  Unknown sp.  Flesh Fly

    odonata  coenagrionidae  Argia sp.  Dancer (naiad)
        Ischnura posita  Fragile Forktail

    orthoptera  acrididae  Chortophaga viridifasciata  Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (adult & nymph)
        Encoptolophus costalis  Dusky Grasshopper
        Eritettix abortivus  Texas Short-winged Slant-faced Grasshopper
        Aidemona azteca  Aztec Spurthroat
        Schistocerca nitens  Gray Bird Grasshopper

    neuroptera  chrysopidae  Chrysoperla sp.  Green Lacewing

    trichoptera  hydropsychidae  Hydropsyche sp.  Netspinning Caddisfly

    ephemeroptera  baetidae  Unknown sp.  Small Minnow Mayfly (nymph)

    araneae  salticidae  Anasaitis canosa  Jumping Spider
        Habronattus fallax  Jumping Spider
      lycosidae  Schizocosa sp.  Wolf Spider
        Rabidosa rabida  Rabid Wolf Spider
      corinnidae  Falconina gracilis  Ant-mimic Spider
      oxyopidae  Oxyopes salticus  Striped Lynx
      theridiidae  Steatoda triangulosa  Checkered Cobweb Weaver

previousindexnext   
  ABC > Home > THE FAUNA PROJECT > Survey March 1, 2018