Forest-edge
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Acacesia hamata
Difoliate Orbweaver
Acacesia hamata, commonly known as the Difoliate Orbweaver, is a small orb-weaving spider in the family Araneidae. It is the only species of its genus found north of Mexico, with a distribution ranging from the eastern United States south to Argentina. The species is recognized by its distinctive abdominal pattern featuring a dagger-like mark within a wedge-shaped folium. It builds vertical orb webs at night and removes them before dawn, typically in grassy or shrubby habitats near forest edges.
Ancistrocerus albophaleratus
White-banded Potter Wasp
Ancistrocerus albophaleratus is a solitary mason wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae, commonly known as the White-banded Potter Wasp. Like other Ancistrocerus species, it is a cavity-nesting wasp that constructs nests using mud in pre-existing hollows. The species is part of a genus characterized by distinctive morphological traits including a transverse carina on the first abdominal segment. It is native to North America with confirmed records in the northeastern United States.
Cuterebra fontinella
mouse bot fly
Cuterebra fontinella, commonly known as the mouse bot fly, is a New World oestrid fly that parasitizes small mammals, particularly the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus). Adults are short-lived, non-feeding, and resemble bumble bees in appearance. Females lay eggs on vegetation near host burrows; larvae enter through natural orifices or wounds, migrate internally, and develop subcutaneous warbles typically located in the inguinal region. The species exhibits bimodal seasonal activity with summer and autumn population peaks. Though primarily a rodent parasite, rare human cases of myiasis have been documented.
Cuterebra fontinella fontinella
mouse bot fly, white-footed mouse bot fly
Cuterebra fontinella fontinella is a subspecies of New World bot fly (family Oestridae) that parasitizes small mammals, primarily white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). The adult flies are large, bumble bee-sized, and lack functional mouthparts, living only briefly to reproduce. Females lay eggs near host burrow entrances; larvae hatch in response to host body heat, enter through orifices or wounds, and develop subcutaneously for approximately one month before exiting to pupate in soil. Despite forming conspicuous warbles that can reach 5% of host body weight, infections appear to have minimal negative impact on host survival and may even correlate with increased longevity in some populations.
Cyanophrys herodotus
Tropical Greenstreak, Tropical Green Hairstreak
Cyanophrys herodotus is a small Neotropical hairstreak butterfly (Lycaenidae) described by Fabricius in 1793. It ranges from Mexico through Central America to Argentina, with rare strays reaching southern Texas. The species inhabits open disturbed areas in tropical and subtropical forests at 600–2,000 m elevation, where adults feed on flower nectar and larvae feed on leaves and flowers of various shrubs and trees.
Dipogon calipterus
spider wasp
Dipogon calipterus is a small spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. Females hunt spiders on tree trunks, sting them into paralysis, and provision underground nests with them. The species exhibits ant-mimicry through dark wing bands and is rarely observed due to its cryptic appearance and behavior. Three subspecies are recognized with scattered distributions across eastern and southern North America.
Eurema salome
Salome yellow
Eurema salome is a small yellow butterfly in the family Pieridae, commonly known as the Salome yellow. It ranges from Peru northward through tropical America and is an extremely rare migrant to the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas. The species inhabits forest openings, edges, and roadcuts, with adults active year-round in the tropics and from August to September in southern Texas.
Exenterus amictorius
Exenterus amictorius is an ichneumonid parasitoid wasp introduced to North America that attacks sawfly larvae (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae), particularly during the pre-spinning eonymph stage. The species exhibits adaptive host discrimination behavior that changes during the host's spinning period, lacks discrimination initially but rapidly acquires and maintains this ability. It shows strong positive density-dependent responses to host abundance and has established successfully on multiple diprionid hosts across North America. In multiparasitism situations with the native E. diprionis, E. amictorius consistently survives due to faster larval development.
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macerinus
Heteropogon macerinus is a small robber fly in the family Asilidae, measuring approximately 10 mm in length. The species exhibits distinctive courtship behavior in which males hover before females and stroke their eyeballs with ornamented front tarsi. Adults are predatory, capturing other insects in flight and returning to perches to feed. The species frequents forest edges where it perches conspicuously on twig tips at eye level.
Scopula luteolata
Scopula luteolata is a small moth in the family Geometridae, subfamily Sterrhinae. It is restricted to western North America, occurring in montane habitats from southwestern Canada through the western United States. The species is associated with forest edge and opening habitats in mountainous regions. Adults have a wingspan of 23–26 mm. Like other geometrid moths, its larvae are likely 'inchworm' type caterpillars, though specific host plant associations remain poorly documented.
Trichonephila clavata
Jorō spider, Joro Spider, Parachute spider
Trichonephila clavata, commonly known as the Jorō spider, is a large orb-weaving spider native to East Asia that has become established as an invasive species in the southeastern United States since approximately 2010. First confirmed in Georgia in 2014, it has expanded rapidly across multiple states through a combination of ballooning dispersal and human-mediated transport. The species is notable for its substantial size, striking coloration, and extensive golden webs, but poses minimal risk to humans due to small fangs and docile behavior. Its physiological adaptations—including higher metabolic rate, faster heart rate, and greater cold tolerance than its congener Trichonephila clavipes—suggest potential for continued northward range expansion.
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lunatus
Lunate Longhorn-cuckoo Bee, cuckoo bee
Triepeolus lunatus is a cleptoparasitic bee in the family Apidae, commonly known as the Lunate Longhorn-cuckoo Bee. It occurs across North America from Canada to northern Mexico, and has been observed in Central America. The species inhabits forest edges and meadows, where it parasitizes nests of host bees. As a member of the simplex species group, females possess a trapezoidal or triangular pseudopygidial area with bright, reflective setae and a concave apical margin.
Xysticus funestus
mournful ground crab spider, sad ground crab spider, deadly ground crab spider
Xysticus funestus is a ground crab spider in the family Thomisidae, native to North America. It is one of many ambush-hunting crab spiders that rely on elongated front legs to capture prey. The species has been documented in field observations as an adult in early spring and has been recorded as prey for the spider wasp Dipogon calipterus. Despite its alarming common name "deadly ground crab spider," it poses no medical threat to humans.
Thomisidaeground-crab-spiderambush-predatorNorth-Americaballooningspider-wasp-preynon-medical-bite-riskspring-activityoverwintering-adultgravid-female-March-observationColoradoWisconsinDipogon-calipterus-prey-recordconcrete-path-habitatmailbox-post-observationforest-edgeleaf-litter-overwinteringmisleading-common-nameKeyserling-1880