Scrub-specialist
Guides
Ellipes
pygmy mole crickets
Ellipes is a genus of pygmy mole crickets (Orthoptera: Tridactylidae) containing small, fossorial insects. Most tridactylids inhabit moist margins of ponds and streams, but some Ellipes species have independently evolved to occupy xeric scrub and sandhill habitats. The genus includes at least six described species distributed across North and South America, with several Florida endemics exhibiting restricted ranges and limited study due to their minute size and cryptic habits.
Ellipes deyrupi
Deyrup's Pygmy Mole Cricket
Ellipes deyrupi is a recently described species of pygmy mole cricket endemic to the northern Lake Wales Ridge of Florida. It represents one of at least two independent lineages of tridactylids that have adapted to xeric scrub and sandhill habitats, diverging from the ancestral aquatic or semi-aquatic lifestyle typical of the family. The species is sympatric with Neotridactylus archboldi at all known locations but has not been found co-occurring with its congener Ellipes eisneri. Its restricted geographic range and specialized habitat requirements raise conservation concerns.
Floritettix nigropicta
dark-painted scrub grasshopper, wingless scrub grasshopper
Floritettix nigropicta is a wingless, spur-throated grasshopper endemic to the central sand ridgeways of Florida. It is classified within the family Acrididae and subfamily Melanoplinae. The species is flightless, a trait reflected in its common name 'wingless scrub grasshopper.'
Melanoplus forcipatus
toothcercus shortwing grasshopper, broad cercus scrub grasshopper
Melanoplus forcipatus is a species of spur-throated grasshopper endemic to a restricted area of central Florida. It is known only from scrub and sandhill habitats in Highlands and Orange counties. The species was described by Hubbell in 1932 and is one of several shortwing grasshoppers in the genus Melanoplus with limited distributions.
Strymon alea
Lacey's Scrub-Hairstreak, Alea Hairstreak
Strymon alea is a small hairstreak butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, first described by Godman and Salvin in 1887. It ranges from northwestern Costa Rica through Mexico to central and southern Texas, occupying subtropical thorn scrub habitat. The species has a wingspan of 19–29 mm. Adults feed on flower nectar, while larvae feed specifically on Bernardia myricaefolia buds and flowers.