Sixteen participants contributed to this week's survey under hot and partly sunny conditions. The few caterpillars that regularly eat flowers (two are shown below) reflect an evolutionary balance. Their food is highly nutritious so they grow quickly and do not have to deal with leaf toxins, but they are also easily located by predators. In addition, if all moth and butterfly species' larvae ate the blossoms, many angiosperms could not reproduce and there would be insufficient nectar available for adults. Select Photos and Complete List of Sightings: Pachydiplax longipennis (blue dasher) photo by Joe Fernandes Libellula croceipennis (neon skimmers mating) photo by Julie Shaw Paraidemona sp. (spur-throated grasshoppers mating) photo by Julie Shaw Polistes bellicosus (paper wasps: male & female) photo by Joe Fernandes Efferia sp. (robber fly) photo by Pablo Limon Promachus hinei (robber fly) photo by Joe Fernandes Papilio polyxenes (black swallowtail, male) photo by David Cook Lerema accius (clouded skipper) photo by Egidio Leitão Dryobates scalaris (ladder-backed woodpecker) photo by George Ward Bubo virginianus (great horned owl fledglings) photo by Sam Fruehling Cardinalis cardinalis (northern cardinal) photo by George Ward Strymon melinus (gray hairstreak larva) photo by Val Bugh Homoeosoma electella (sunflower moth larva) photo by Katherine Daniels Phidippus audax (bold jumper, immature) photo by Michael Knox Pelegrina galathea (peppered jumper: male & female) photo by Julie Shaw Colonus sylvanus (jumping spider, male) photo by Katherine Daniels Rabidosa rabida & Rabidosa punctulata (rabid & dotted wolf spiders) photo by Julie Shaw & Val Bugh Eleodes goryi (desert stink beetle) photo by Val Bugh Moneilema armatum (cactus longhorn beetle) photo by Val Bugh Mordellistena cervicalis (tumbling flower beetle) photo by Katherine Daniels Birds: American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris) Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) Mammals: Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger) White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Reptiles & Amphibians: Rough Green Snake (Opheodrys aestivus) Texas Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis gularis gularis) Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus) Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis) Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Lithobates berlandieri) Misc.: Harvestman (Leiobunum sp.) Yellow Garden Slug (Limax flavus) Insects & Spiders: order family genus/species common name lepidoptera   nymphalidae   Danaus gilippus   Queen       Anthanassa texana   Texan Crescent    pieridae   Phoebis sennae   Cloudless Sulphur    papilionidae   Battus philenor   Pipevine Swallowtail (eggs & larva)       Papilio polyxenes   Black Swallowtail    lycaenidae   Hemiargus isola   Reakirt's Blue       Strymon melinus   Gray Hairstreak (larva)    hesperiidae   Chioides albofasciatus   White-striped Longtail       Erynnis funeralis   Funereal Duskywing       Burnsius philetas   Desert Checkered-skipper       Burnsius communis/albescens   Common/White Checkered-skipper       Hylephila phyleus   Fiery Skipper       Atalopedes huron   Huron Sachem       Lerema accius   Clouded Skipper       Euphyes vestris   Dun Skipper    noctuidae   Micrathetis triplex   Triplex Cutworm Moth       Metaponpneumata rogenhoferi   Moth       Tarache quadriplaga   Bird Dropping Moth       Condica albigera   Boneset Groundling (larva)       Tripudia quadrifera   Moth       Hemieuxoa rudens   Moth       Feltia subterranea   Subterranean Dart (larva)    erebidae   Aon noctuiformis   Moth    arctiidae   Cisthene tenuifascia   Thin-banded Lichen Moth       Estigmene acrea   Salt Marsh Moth (larva)    notodontidae   Coelodasys errucata   Prominent    cossidae   Fania nanus   Carpenterworm Moth    geometridae   Digrammia pallidata   Moth       Iridopsis defectaria   Brown-shaded Gray Moth       Glenoides texanaria   Texas Gray Moth       Psamatodes abydata   Dot-lined Angle       Lobocleta peralbata   White Wave       Chlorochlamys chloroleucaria   Blackberry Looper (larva)       Synchlora frondaria   Southern Emerald (larva)       Eubaphe unicolor   Moth    crambidae   Desmia subdivisalis   Moth       Aethiophysa invisalis   Moth       Uresiphita reversalis   Genista Caterpillar Moth (adult & larva)       Glaphyria sesquistrialis   White-roped Glaphyria       Microtheoris vibicalis   Whip-marked Snout Moth       Fissicrambus sp.   Grass-veneer Moth    pyralidae   Ephestiodes sp.   Moth       Alpheioides parvulalis   Moth       Homoeosoma electella   Sunflower Moth (larva)    tortricidae   Cydia membrosa   Leafroller Moth       Platynota flavedana   Black-shaded Platynota Moth       Pelochrista salaciana   Leafroller Moth       Aethes seriatana   Seriated Aethes Moth       Unknown sp.   Moth    gelechiidae   Coleotechnites sp.   Moth       Neodactylota liguritrix   Moth    blastobasidae   Pigritia sp.   Moth       Unknown sp.   Moth    ypsolophidae   Ypsolopha unicipunctella   Agarita Slug    heliodinidae   Aetole tripunctella   Moth    lacturidae   Enaemia subfervens   Moth    pterophoridae   Pselnophorus belfragei   Plume Moh    zygaenidae   Harrisina coracina   Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth    scythrididae   Scythris trivinctella   Moth    yponomeutidae   Zelleria ochroplagiata   Moth    gracillariidae   Parornix sp.   Moth       Phyllonorycter sp.   Moth    acrolophidae   Acrolophus piger   Tubeworm Moth       Acrolophus cressoni   Tubeworm Moth coleoptera   chrysomelidae   Asphaera lustrans   Flea Beetle    coccinellidae   Scymnus sp.   Lady Beetle       Psyllobora renifer   Lady Beetle    buprestidae   Acmaeodera mixta   Metallic Woodborer       Acmaeodera ornatoides   Metallic Woodborer       Agrilus addendus   Metallic Woodborer    cerambycidae   Strangalia virilis   Flower Longhorn       Mecas cineracea   Longhorn Beetle       Plinthocoelium suaveolens   Bumelia Borer       Moneilema armatum   Cactus Longhorn    tenebrionidae   Eleodes goryi   Desert Stink Beetle       Blapstinus sp.   Darkling Beetle       Lobopoda sp.   Comb-clawed Beetle    elateridae   Melanotus sp.   Click Beetle       Aeolus subornatus   Click Beetle    carabidae   Bembidion impotens   Ground Beetle       Selenophorus sp.   Ground Beetle       Amara sp.   Seed-eating Ground Beetle       Pasimachus californicus   Ground Beetle    staphylinidae   Philonthus rufulus   Rove Beetle       Heterothops sp.   Rove Beetle    meloidae   Nemognatha sp.   Blister Beetle       Epicauta sericans   Blister Beetle    bostrichidae   Xylobiops sp.   Powder-post Beetle    mycetophagidae   Litargus sexpunctatus   Hairy Fungus Beetle    hybosoridae   Hybosorus illigeri   Scavenger Scarab    scarabaeidae   Phyllophaga sp.   June Beetle    phalacridae   Neolitochrus puchellus   Shining Flower Beetle    mordellidae   Mordellina pustulata   Tumbling Flower Beetle       Mordellistena cervicalis   Tumbling Flower Beetle    scraptiidae   Allopoda sp.   False Flower Beetle    anthribidae   Trigonorhinus limbatus   Fungus Weevil    curculionidae   Tyloderma baridium   weevil       Smicronyx sp.   Weevil       Unknown sp.   Weevil hemiptera   coreidae   Acanthocephala terminalis   Coreid Bug (adult & nymph)       Leptoglossus phyllopus   Eastern Leaf-footed Bug (adult & nymph)       Chelinidea vittiger   Opuntia Bug (nymph)       Cimolus obscurus   Squash Bug       Chariesterus antennator   Euphorbia Bug    alydidae   Hyalymenus tarsatus   Texas Bow-legged Bug (nymph)    lygaeidae   Lygaeus kalmii   Small Milkweed Bug       Nysius sp.   False Chinch Bug    rhyparochromidae   Cnemodus mavortius   Seed Bug (nymph)       Myodocha serripes   Long-necked Seed Bug (adult & nymph)       Ozophora picturata   Seed Bug    geocoridae   Geocoris punctipes   Big-eyed Bug (adult & nymph)    tingidae   Corythucha sp.   Lace Bug    miridae   Dichaetocoris sp.   Plant Bug       Pseudatomoscelis seriatus   Cotton Flea Hopper       Calocoris barberi   Plant Bug       Oncerometopus nigriclavus   Plant Bug    mesoveliidae   Mesovelia mulsanti   Water Treader    reduviidae   Apiomerus spissipes   Bee Assassin       Arilus cristatus   Wheel Bug       Zelus tetracanthus   Four-spined Assassin Bug    cydnidae   Pangaeus bilineatus   Burrowing Bug (nymph)    pentatomidae   Chlorochroa ligata   Conchuela       Banasa euchlora   Stink Bug       Euschistus servus   Brown Stink Bug       Oebalus pugnax   Rice Stink Bug (nymph)       Mecidea major   Grass Stink Bug homoptera   cicadellidae   Excultanus excultus   Leafhopper (adult & nymph)       Menosoma cincta   Leafhopper       Hamana manifesta   Leafhopper       Empoasca sp.   Leafhopper       Paraphlepsius sp.   Leafhopper       Scaphoideus sp.   Leafhopper (adult & nymph)       Atanus sp.   Leafhopper       Graphocephala hieroglyphica   Leafhopper (adult & nymph)       Agalliopsis cervina   Leafhopper       Homalodisca vitripennis   Glassy-winged Sharpshooter       Oncometopia orbona   Leafhopper (adult & nymph)       Oncometopia hamiltoni   Leafhopper       Balclutha neglecta   Leafhopper       Eutettix sp.   Leafhopper       Texananus sp.   Leafhopper       Ollarianus strictus   Leafhopper       Sobara palliolata   Leafhopper       Cetexa sp.   Leafhopper       Eratoneura sp.   Leafhopper    delphacidae   Saccharosydne saccharivora   West Indian Canefly    membracidae   Tortistilus abnorma   Treehopper    cercopidae   Prosapia bicincta   Two-lined Spittlebug    aphrophoridae   Lepyronia quadrangularis   Spittlebug    clastopteridae   Clastoptera xanthocephala   Sunflower Spittlebug (nymph)    issidae   Thionia elliptica   Planthopper    cixiidae   Melanoliarus sp.   Planthopper    cicadidaenbsp;  Hadoa texana   Cicada    aphididae   Uroleucon sp.   Aphid hymenoptera   apidae   Apis mellifera   Honey Bee       Bombus sonorus   Sonoran Bumble Bee       Centris atripes   Digger Bee       Epimelissodes sp.   Digger Bee       Anthophora californica   Digger Bee       Xylocopa virginica   Eastern Carpenter Bee    halictidae   Lasioglossum sp.   Sweat Bee       Augochlora pura   Green Sweat Bee       Augochlorella sp.   Green Sweat Bee    andrenidae   Protandrena sp.   Bee    megachilidae   Megachile fortis   Leaf-cutter Bee       Megachile sp.   Leaf-cutter Bee       Dianthidium sp.   Resin Bee    vespidae   Polistes metricus   Paper Wasp       Polistes rubiginosus   Red Wasp       Polistes dorsalis   Paper Wasp       Polistes bellicosus   Paper Wasp       Euodynerus hidalgo   Mason Wasp       Euodynerus pratensis   Mason Wasp    crabronidae   Tachytes distinctus   Digger Wasp       Sphecius speciosus   Cicada Killer    sphecidae   Sphex ichneumoneus   Great Golden Digger Wasp       Prionyx sp.   Thread-waisted Wasp       Chalybion californicum   Blue Mud Dauber    pompilidae   Entypus sp.   Spider Wasp       Tachypompilus ferrugineus   Rusty Spider Wasp       Unknown sp.   Spider Wasp    formicidae   Leptogenys elongata   Ant       Solenopsis invicta   Imported Fire Ant       Pseudomyrmex pallidus   Golden Twig Ant       Mycetomoellerius turrifex   Fungus-growing Ant    cynipidae   Unknown sp.   Gall Wasp diptera   syrphidae   Toxomerus marginatus   Flower Fly       Dioprosopa clavata   Flower Fly    bombyliidae   Exoprosopa sp.   Bee Fly       Poecilognathus sp.   Bee Fly       Geron sp.   Bee Fly    asilidae   Atomosia melanopogon   Robber Fly       Promachus hinei   Robber Fly       Efferia sp.   Robber Fly    stratiomyidae   Nemotelus kansensis   Soldier Fly       Stratiomys sp.   Soldier Fly    dolichopodidae   Condylostylus sp.   Long-legged Fly    drosophilidae   Rhinoleucophenga americana   Vinegar Fly    chironomidae   Chironomus sp.   Midge    culicidae   Aedes albopictus   Asian Tiger Mosquito odonata   coenagrionidae   Argia funebris   Springwater Dancer       Argia nahuana   Aztec Dancer       Telebasis salva   Desert Firetail       Ischnura ramburii   Rambur's Forktail    libellulidae   Pachydiplax longipennis   Blue Dasher       Libellula croceipennis   Neon Skimmer       Erythemis simplicicollis   Eastern Pondhawk orthoptera   acrididae   Melanoplus differentialis   Differential Grasshopper (adult & nymph)       Melanoplus ponderosus   Ponderous Grasshopper (adult & nymph)       Melanoplus flabellatus   Dallas Short-winged Grasshopper       Melanoplus femurrubrum   Red-legged Grasshopper       Melanoplus plebejus   Plebeian Grasshopper (nymph)       Melanoplus bispinosus   Two-spined Spur-throated Grasshopper       Paraidemona sp.   Spur-throated Grasshopper       Aidemona aztea   Aztec Spurthroat (nymph)       Hesperotettix speciosus   Showy Grasshopper (adult & nymph)       Schistocerca lineata   Spotted Bird Grasshopper (nymph)       Schistocerca americana   American Bird Grasshopper (nymph)       Mermiria bivittata   Two-striped Mermiria (adult & nymph)       Boopedon gracile   Graceful Range Grasshopper       Arphia simplex   Plains Yellow-winged Grasshopper       Trachyrhachys kiowa   Kiowa Grasshopper       Hadrotettix trifasciatus   Three-banded Range Grasshopper       Lactista azteca   Aztec Bandwing       Chortophaga viridifasciata   Northern Green-striped Grasshopper (adult & nymph)    tettigoniidae   Scudderia furcata   Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (adult & nymph)       Microcentrum rhombifolium   Greater Angle-wing (nymph)       Conocephalus strictus   Straight-lanced Meadow Katydid    gryllidae   Oecanthus varicornis   Tree Cricket (nymph)       Oecanthus niveus   Narrow-winged Tree Cricket    tetrigidae   Paratettix mexicanus   Pygmy Grasshopper mantodea   mantidae   Litaneutria minor   Ground Mantis blattodea   blaberidae   Panchlora nivea   Green Roach neuroptera   coniopterygidae   Unknown sp.   Dustywing    ascalaphidae   Ululodes macleayanus   Owlfly trichoptera   leptoceridae   Oecetis inconspicua   Long-horned Caddisfly       Triaenodes sp.   Long-horned Caddisfly araneae   salticidae   Phidippus audax   Bold Jumper       Phidippus texanus   Texas Jumper       Pelegrina galathea   Peppered Jumper       Colonus sylvanus   Jumping Spider    araneidae   Argiope aurantia   Black and Yellow Garden Spider       Araneus bicentenarius   Giant Lichen Orbweaver       Neoscona oaxacensis   Orbweaver    oxyopidae   Oxyopes salticus   Striped Lynx       Oxyopes acleistus   Lynx Spider       Peucetia viridans   Green Lynx    thomisidae   Mecaphesa dubia   Crab Spider       Xysticus sp.   Crab Spider    tetragnathidae   Tetragnatha sp.   Longjawed Orbweaver    gnaphosidae   Zelotes sp.   Ground Spider       Sergiolus ocellatus   Ground Spider       Sergiolus stella   Ground Spider    lycosidae   Rabidosa rabida   Rabid Wolf Spider       Rabidosa punctulata   Dotted Wolf Spider       Unknown sp.   Wolf Spider