Kiowa Creek Sanctuary Insect, Spider, and Arthropod List for April 21, 2012
Compiled by Eric R. Eaton, 34 Murray Heights Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80916 (719) 447-0927 bugeric24@yahoo.com
| Order | Family | Genus | Species | Common Name | Image? | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diplopoda | millipede | Y | Under board in pasture | ||||
| Araneae | Theridiidae | Latrodectus | hesperus | Western Black Widow | N | In rock wall by house | |
| Gnaphosidae | Ground spider | N | Quick as lightning | ||||
| Lycosidae | Pardosa | Thin-legged wolf spider | Y | At edge of marsh | |||
| Schizocosa | Wolf spider | Y | In field | ||||
| Philodromidae | Thanatus | Running crab spider | N | In field | |||
| Salticidae | Phidippus | Jumping spider | Y | In field | |||
| Odonata | Aeshnidae | Darner dragonflies | N | Over field, marsh | |||
| Orthoptera | Acrididae | Chortophaga | viridifasciata | Northern Green-striped Grasshopper | Y | In field | |
| Xanthippus | corallipes | Red-shanked Grasshopper | Y | In field | |||
| Psoelessa | texana | Texas Spotted Range | Y | In field | |||
| Eritettix | simplex | Velvet-striped grasshopper | Y | In field | |||
| Grasshopper species | Y | In field | |||||
| Hemiptera | Reduviidae | Zelus | sp. | Assassin bug | Y | Egg clutch on shed | |
| Nabidae | Damsel Bug | Y | Nymph on shed | ||||
| Lygaeidae | Nysius | sp. |
|
Y | On shed | ||
| Cicadellidae | Cuerna | Leafhopper | N | In field | |||
| Coleoptera | Carabidae | Cicindela | purpurea | Cowpath Tiger Beetle | Y | On dike | |
| nebraskana | Nebraska Tiger Beetle | Y | On dike | ||||
| Coccinellidae | Hippodamia | convergens | Convergent Lady Beetle | Y | In field; prey of tiger beetle | ||
| Curculionidae | Otiorhynchus | ovatus | Strawberry Root Weevil | Y | On shed | ||
| Weevil species | Y | On rock wall by house | |||||
| Lepidoptera | Pieridae | Pieris | rapae | Cabbage White | Y | ||
| Colias | Sulphur Butterfly | N | In field near house | ||||
| Lycaenidae | Strymon | melinus | Gray Hairstreak | Y | |||
| Nymphalidae | Vanessa | cardui | Painted Lady | Y | Everywhere | ||
| virginiensis | American Lady | Y | In field | ||||
| Euptoieta | claudia | Variegated Fritillary | Y | In pine forest edge | |||
| Hesperiidae | Pyrgus | xanthus | Mountain Checkered-skipper | Y | ID tentative | ||
| Arctiidae | Lophocampa | ingens | Pine Webworm | N | ID tentative | ||
| Noctuidae | Euxoa | auxiliaries | Army Cutworm Moth | Y | On shed | ||
| Diptera | Syrphidae | Eupeodes | Flower Fly | Y | Everywhere | ||
| Hymenoptera | Sphecidae | Mischocyttarus | flavitarsis | Western Paper Wasp | N | In black widow web | |
| Podalonia | Cutworm hunter wasp | Y | In fields | ||||
| Formicidae | Formica | Wood ants | Y | Nest near house | |||
| Pompilidae | Spider wasp | N | In field | ||||
| Halictidae | Lasioglossum | Sweat Bee | Y | In field |
A couple more additions or so are pending identification from images and a specimen. Habitats in the area are diverse and appear mostly healthy. The dike and eroded fields were most diverse. Hay fields were unproductive on this day, as was pine forest, but that will change as spring progresses into summer.
The Nebraska Tiger Beetle may be of noteworthy. It is widespread, but only locally common. There may be additional species of Cicindela that show up in summer and fall.
Thanks to Jeannie Mitchell for extending the invitation to participate in documenting the biodiversity of this unique parcel of land. I look forward to continuing to explore there.