Desert-insect
Guides
Asphondylia auripila
Large Creosote Gall Midge
Asphondylia auripila is a gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae that induces stem galls on creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). It is part of a species group of 15 closely related Asphondylia species that have partitioned creosote bush ecologically, with different species inhabiting leaves, stems, buds, and flowers. A. auripila specifically occupies the stems, forming distinctive pom-pom-like galls. The larvae develop within these plant-generated structures, which provide both shelter and nutrition.
Asphondylia diervillae
Asphondylia diervillae is a gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae. It is one of approximately 15 species of Asphondylia flies that induce galls on creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) in the southwestern United States and Mexico. The larvae develop within plant tissue, manipulating host plant development to form protective galls.
Asphondylia floccosa
woolly stem gall midge, Saltbush Woolly Stem Gall Midge
Asphondylia floccosa is a gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae that induces distinctive woolly stem galls on Atriplex polycarpa. The larvae develop within multi-chambered galls but do not consume plant tissue directly—instead feeding on fungi that grow inside the gall structure. This species was first described by Raymond Gagne in 1986 and is known from the southwestern United States.
Cacama valvata
common cactus dodger
Cacama valvata, commonly known as the common cactus dodger, is a cicada species in the family Cicadidae. It is distributed across the southern Great Plains and western North America, from Texas and New Mexico west to California. The species is notable for its tight ecological association with cacti, particularly cholla (Cylindropuntia spp.) and prickly pear (Opuntia spp.), which serve as both host plants for nymphal root-feeding and perching sites for adults. Males produce a loud, distinctive song described as a high-pitched metallic zing or shrill buzz, often likened to a table saw cutting through wood. Adults are fast-flying, alert, and capable of landing on spiny cactus hosts without becoming impaled. The species has been observed engaging in courtship singing, with males approaching females while producing long, wavering shrills that transition to shorter sequences upon close approach, followed by leg touching, mounting, and copulation. Females oviposit almost exclusively in dry, dead, skeletonized cactus stems, where eggs may remain for several months awaiting fall rains to trigger hatching.
Crossidius suturalis pubescens
Crossidius suturalis pubescens is a subspecies of longhorn beetle in the family Cerambycidae, described by Linsley in 1957. It belongs to the species Crossidius suturalis, a member of the flower-visiting cerambycid genus Crossidius. The subspecies is distributed in southwestern North America, with records from Arizona and New Mexico. Field observations indicate adults are active in late summer and early autumn, where they have been found on flowers of Isocoma tenuisecta and related composite plants.
Gryllus personatus
Badlands Cricket, Badlands Field Cricket
Gryllus personatus, commonly known as the badlands cricket or badlands field cricket, is a species of field cricket in the family Gryllidae. It inhabits arid and semi-arid regions of southwestern North America, including desert and dry grassland environments. The species is named for its association with badlands terrain. Like other field crickets in the genus Gryllus, it produces characteristic chirping sounds through stridulation of specialized wing structures.
Hadoa longiopercula
Spade Sun-Singer
Hadoa longiopercula is an annual cicada species in the genus Hadoa, native to southeastern Arizona. It inhabits desert scrub ecosystems, particularly areas with Alligator Juniper (Juniperus deppeana). The species was originally described as Tibicen longiopercula by Davis in 1926 and later transferred to the genus Hadoa. Known records are sparse, with confirmed observations limited to a few localities in the southeastern corner of Arizona.
Lasioptera ephedrae
Mormon Tea Stem Gall Midge
Lasioptera ephedrae is a species of gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae. It is known for inducing stem galls on Ephedra trifurca, a desert shrub commonly called Mormon tea. The species was described by Cockerell in 1898 and is found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and adjacent Mexico. Like other gall midges, it has a complex life cycle involving intimate association with its host plant.
Lordotus pulchrissimus
desert bee fly
Lordotus pulchrissimus is a bee fly in the family Bombyliidae, commonly known as the desert bee fly. Males and females exhibit strong sexual dimorphism in size, fur density, and coloration—females are smaller (2–14 mm), more densely furred, and display brighter orange-yellow tones that fade rapidly with age, while males are larger (8–16 mm), less hairy, and possess black markings on the femora. The species is notable for the daily aerial swarming behavior of males, which form aggregations over stabilized dunes for reasons that remain unclear; this behavior is energetically costly and occurs independently of female presence or resource density. Adults feed primarily on nectar from desert brush, particularly rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus), and serve as pollinators. Larvae are parasitoids, though specific host insects remain unidentified.
Melacoryphus lateralis
Charcoal Seed Bug, Black-and-red Seed Bug
Melacoryphus lateralis is a species of true bug in the family Lygaeidae, commonly known as the charcoal seed bug or black-and-red seed bug. Native to desert regions of western North America, this species is recognized by its distinctive black body fringed with red and gray coloration, resembling a dying ember. Populations are known to appear in large aggregations during late summer. The species is closely related to the small milkweed bug (Lygaeus kalmii) and shares similar coloration patterns with other lygaeid seed bugs.
Narnia snowi
leaf-footed bug
Narnia snowi is a species of leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1906. It belongs to the genus Narnia, which is characterized by members that inhabit cactus habitats. The species is documented in the southwestern United States, particularly in Arizona, where it has been recorded on fishhook barrel cacti and other cactus species. It is part of a group of coreid bugs associated with desert succulent plants.
Narnia wilsoni
Narnia wilsoni is a leaf-footed bug in the family Coreidae, first described by Van Duzee in 1906. It is a member of the genus Narnia, which is characterized by species associated with cacti and other desert vegetation. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other members of its genus, it is typically found in arid and semi-arid habitats where its host plants grow.
Pepsis mildei
Milde's tarantula-hawk wasp, Milde's tarantula hawk
Pepsis mildei is a large spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, commonly known as Milde's tarantula-hawk wasp. It is native to the Western Hemisphere, with documented records across the southwestern and central United States, Mexico, and Central America. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism in antennae structure and lifespan, with females living longer than males. Adults feed on nectar from flowers, while larvae are obligate parasitoids of tarantulas. The wasp has been observed to learn from experience, avoiding chemically defended spiders after a single negative encounter.
Pepsis thisbe
Thisbe's tarantula-hawk wasp
Pepsis thisbe is a large spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, commonly known as Thisbe's tarantula-hawk wasp. Females are 32–44 mm in length with a dark blue body and orange wings. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism: females have curly antennae and a 7 mm stinger, while males have straight antennae and lack stingers entirely. Adults are nectarivorous, feeding primarily on flowers, but females hunt tarantulas as food for their larvae. The species is distributed throughout the American Southwest in desert areas.
Plagiostira albonotata
white-marked shieldback
Plagiostira albonotata, commonly known as the white-marked shieldback, is a species of shield-backed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is a large, robust katydid found in arid regions of the southwestern United States. The species is characterized by distinctive white markings on its body. Observations indicate activity during summer months in desert and semi-desert habitats.
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Steniolia eremica is a species of sand wasp in the family Crabronidae, described by James E. Gillaspy in 1964. It is one of approximately fifteen species in the genus Steniolia, all of which are restricted to western North America. Males are larger than females and have been observed visiting thistle flowers and other nectar sources. The species is considered less abundant than congeners that share its range.