Southeastern-united-states
Guides
Acrobasis exsulella
cordovan pyralid moth
Acrobasis exsulella, commonly known as the cordovan pyralid moth, is a species of snout moth described by Philipp Christoph Zeller in 1848. It belongs to the genus Acrobasis within the family Pyralidae. The species is known from the southeastern United States. Information regarding its biology, host plants, and ecological relationships remains limited in the available literature.
Acrolophus piger
piger grass tubeworm moth
Acrolophus piger, commonly known as the piger grass tubeworm moth, is a small moth in the family Tineidae (subfamily Acrolophinae). First described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1900, this species is found in the southeastern United States. The genus Acrolophus is known as "grass tubeworm moths" because larvae typically spin silken tubes at the base of grasses or grass roots for concealment while feeding. Adult wingspan is approximately 16 mm.
Acrolophus spilotus
Spotted Grass Tubeworm Moth
Acrolophus spilotus is a small moth in the family Acrolophidae, described by Donald R. Davis in 1990. It is one of many 'grass tubeworm moths' in the genus Acrolophus, a group whose caterpillars spin silken tubes at the base of grasses or grass roots for concealment while feeding. The species is known from a limited distribution in the southeastern United States.
Acronicta perblanda
Acronicta perblanda is a noctuid moth species described by Ferguson in 1989. It belongs to the genus Acronicta, commonly known as dagger moths, characterized by distinctive dark dagger-shaped markings on the forewings of many species. The species has a restricted distribution in the southeastern United States, documented from coastal North Carolina south to Florida and west to Missouri and Louisiana.
Acronicta sinescripta
Acronicta sinescripta is a moth in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Acronictinae. The species has a southeastern United States distribution centered on the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains. Adults are active from March through September with multiple generations per year.
Afrida ydatodes
Dyar's Lichen Moth
Afrida ydatodes, commonly known as Dyar's lichen moth, is a small moth species in the family Nolidae. It was described by Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. in 1913. The species is found in the southeastern United States, with records from Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas. Adults have a wingspan of approximately 10 mm and can be distinguished from the similar Afrida cosmiogramma by their diffused, irrorated wing pattern with clouded central band edges.
Aglaopteryx gemma
little gem cockroach
Aglaopteryx gemma is a small cockroach species in the family Ectobiidae, commonly known as the little gem cockroach. First described by Hebard in 1917, this species occurs in the southeastern United States and the Bahamas. It belongs to a genus of small, often inconspicuous cockroaches that inhabit leaf litter and ground-level vegetation.
Alcathoe carolinensis
Alcathoe carolinensis is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, first described from the Carolinas region of the southeastern United States. Like other members of its genus, it exhibits wasp mimicry with reduced wing scaling that creates transparent areas. The species is part of a small genus of New World tropical clearwing moths that extends into the southern United States. Males possess distinctive morphological features including specialized abdominal appendages.
Alypia wittfeldii
Wittfeld's Forester
Alypia wittfeldii, commonly known as Wittfeld's Forester, is a small noctuid moth endemic to the southeastern Atlantic coastal plain of the United States. First described by Henry Edwards in 1883, this species is notable for its restricted distribution, occurring almost exclusively in Florida (excluding the western panhandle), coastal Georgia, and South Carolina. Adults are active during the winter and early spring months, with forewings measuring 13–14 mm in length. The species belongs to the forester moths (genus Alypia), a group characterized by bright coloration and diurnal activity patterns that contrast with the typically nocturnal habits of most noctuids.
Amblycorypha arenicola
Sandhill Virtuoso Katydid
Amblycorypha arenicola is a katydid species in the family Tettigoniidae, described by Walker in 2004. It is commonly known as the Sandhill Virtuoso Katydid and is associated with sandy habitats in the southeastern United States. The species has been recorded from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It belongs to the genus Amblycorypha, which includes several species of bush katydids.
Amblycorypha bartrami
Bartram's round-winged katydid
Amblycorypha bartrami, commonly known as Bartram's round-winged katydid, is a species of phaneropterine katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. The species was described by Walker in 2003 and is found in North America. As a member of the genus Amblycorypha, it belongs to a group known for their remarkable leaf-mimicking camouflage and acoustic communication through stridulation.
Amblyscirtes carolina
Carolina Roadside-Skipper, Carolina roadside skipper
Amblyscirtes carolina is a small skipper butterfly in the family Hesperiidae, commonly known as the Carolina roadside skipper. It occurs in the southeastern United States with scattered populations extending northward and westward. Adults are active from spring through late summer with multiple generations per year. The species has a wingspan of 29–37 mm and is associated with moist habitats where its larval host plant grows.
Amphibolips spinosa
Amphibolips spinosa is a cynipid wasp (family Cynipidae) first described by Ashmead in 1887. Like other members of its genus, this species likely induces galls on oak trees (Quercus spp.), though specific gall morphology and host associations remain incompletely documented. The species exhibits alternating sexual and asexual generations, a trait confirmed through molecular analysis of specimens from Florida and North Carolina. It is known from limited collection records in the southeastern United States.
Anania leuschneri
Anania leuschneri is a moth species in the family Crambidae, described by Eugene G. Munroe in 1976. It is a small North American pyraloid moth with a restricted distribution in the southeastern United States. The species is poorly known in terms of its biology and ecology, with most information limited to taxonomic description and locality records.
Anchylarthron caviceps
Anchylarthron caviceps is a species of rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, subfamily Pselaphinae. It was described by Thomas Lincoln Casey Jr. in 1897. The species belongs to the tribe Brachyglutini within the supertribe Goniaceritae. It is known from the southeastern United States.
Anillinus alleni
Anillinus alleni is a minute ground beetle species described in 2017 from the southeastern United States. As a member of the tribe Anillina within Carabidae, it belongs to a group of extremely small, eyeless or nearly eyeless beetles adapted to subterranean or deep soil habitats. The genus Anillinus comprises numerous species with limited distributions, many described only in recent decades as taxonomic attention has focused on this previously overlooked fauna.
Anomala flavipennis okaloosensis
Panhandle Beach Anomala Beetle
Anomala flavipennis okaloosensis is a subspecies of scarab beetle described by Potts in 1977. It is currently treated as a synonym in major taxonomic databases, with the accepted name being Paranomala flavipennis. The subspecies epithet "okaloosensis" suggests a geographic association with Okaloosa County or the Florida Panhandle region. Like other members of the genus Anomala, it belongs to the tribe Anomalini within the subfamily Rutelinae, a group commonly known as shining leaf chafers.
Aphrastus griseus
Aphrastus griseus is a species of broad-nosed weevil in the family Curculionidae, described by Blatchley in 1916. It belongs to the tribe Phyllobiini within the subfamily Entiminae. The species is documented from the southeastern United States, with records from Florida, Georgia, and Indiana. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with woody vegetation, though specific host plant relationships remain poorly documented.
Aptenopedes sphenarioides
linear-winged grasshopper
Aptenopedes sphenarioides, commonly known as the linear-winged grasshopper, is a species of spur-throated grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is a North American species with three recognized subspecies. The species has been documented across the southeastern United States with scattered records extending to the Great Plains.
Arcutelphusa talladega
Arcutelphusa talladega is a species of moth in the family Gelechiidae. It is the sole member of its genus. The species was described in 2008 and is known from a limited distribution in the southeastern United States.
Arethaea phalangium
Eastern Thread-leg Katydid
Arethaea phalangium is a katydid species in the family Tettigoniidae, commonly known as the eastern thread-leg katydid. It belongs to the genus Arethaea, which is characterized by species with extremely slender, thread-like legs—an adaptation referenced in both the genus name and the specific epithet 'phalangium' (meaning 'spider-like'). The species is found in the southeastern United States.
Argiope florida
Florida argiope, Florida garden spider
Argiope florida is a species of orb-weaving spider in the family Araneidae, restricted to the southeastern United States. Like other Argiope species, it constructs spiral orb webs with a conspicuous silk decoration called a stabilimentum. Research on this species has focused on the function of these web decorations and their influence on spider behavior, including fleeing responses and anti-predator strategies.
Argyrostrotis erasa
Erasa Chocolate Moth
Argyrostrotis erasa is a small moth species in the family Erebidae, first described by Guenée in 1852. It occurs in the southeastern United States, ranging from North Carolina southward through Florida and west to Texas. The species is commonly known as the Erasa Chocolate Moth. The wingspan measures approximately 30 mm.
Atlanticus gibbosus
robust shieldback, robust shield-bearer
Atlanticus gibbosus, commonly called the robust shieldback or robust shield-bearer, is a species of shield-backed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is found in the southeastern United States, with records from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. The species is part of the subfamily Tettigoniinae and tribe Drymadusini, characterized by the shield-like pronotum that extends backward over the abdomen.
Atlanticus monticola
Least Shieldback, Davis' Shield-bearer
Atlanticus monticola, commonly known as the least shieldback or Davis' shield-bearer, is a species of shield-backed katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It is a small orthopteran insect native to the southeastern United States. The species was described by Davis in 1915 and is one of several species in the genus Atlanticus, which are characterized by their distinctive shield-like pronotum that extends backward over the abdomen.
Bagous restrictus
Bagous restrictus is a small weevil native to North America that has become notable for its exclusive association with the invasive aquatic plant Hydrilla verticillata. It is the only native Bagous species known to utilize this introduced weed as a host. The beetle completes its entire life cycle within Hydrilla tissues, with larvae feeding and developing inside stems and tubers. Its native status and host specificity distinguish it from two introduced biological control agents (Bagous hydrillae and B. affinis) that also target Hydrilla.
Baileya ellessyoo
Baileya ellessyoo is a moth species in the family Nolidae, first described by Vernon Antoine Brou Jr. in 2004. The species is known from the southeastern and south-central United States, with adult activity recorded from March to April in Louisiana. It represents one of multiple species in the genus Baileya, a group of small moths whose larvae and detailed biology remain poorly documented.
Belocephalus
short-winged coneheads
Belocephalus is a genus of short-winged conehead katydids comprising approximately eight described species. Members of this genus are characterized by abbreviated wing development and are endemic to the southeastern United States. The genus was established by Scudder in 1875 and belongs to the tribe Copiphorini within the subfamily Conocephalinae.
Belocephalus davisi
Davis's conehead
Belocephalus davisi, commonly known as Davis's conehead, is a species of katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It belongs to the tribe Copiphorini, a group characterized by their distinctive cone-shaped head projections. The species was described by Rehn and Hebard in 1916 and is native to the southeastern United States.
Belocephalus sabalis
Palmetto Conehead
Belocephalus sabalis, commonly known as the palmetto conehead, is a species of katydid in the family Tettigoniidae. It belongs to the conehead subfamily Conocephalinae, characterized by the distinctive forward-projecting cone on the head. The species is native to North America, with records primarily from Florida and the southeastern United States.
Belonocnema
Belonocnema is a genus of cynipid gall wasps restricted to the southeastern United States. The genus comprises three recognized species that induce distinct galls on section Virentes oaks, including live oaks. All species exhibit heterogony, with alternating sexual and asexual generations producing morphologically and ecologically different gall types. The genus has been subject to taxonomic revision, with Dryorhizoxenus now synonymized under Belonocnema.
Bishopella
Bishopella is a genus of harvestmen (Opiliones) in the family Phalangodidae, established by Roewer in 1927 and named in honor of arachnologist S. C. Bishop. The genus contains two described species: B. jonesi, endemic to Alabama, and B. laciniosa, distributed more broadly across the southeastern United States. Both species belong to the diverse Laniatores suborder, characterized by relatively short legs and raptorial pedipalps adapted for predation.
Boraria infesta
Boraria infesta is a species of flat-backed millipede in the family Xystodesmidae, native to southeastern North America. It belongs to a group of polydesmidan millipedes that produce hydrogen cyanide as a chemical defense and display aposematic coloration warning predators of their toxicity. The species is part of a genus closely related to other cyanide-producing millipedes including Apheloria and Pleuroloma.
Bostaera balli
Bostaera balli is a species of delphacid planthopper in the family Delphacidae, first described by Penner in 1952. It belongs to the genus Bostaera, a group of small planthoppers characterized by their reduced wings and association with grasses and sedges. The species is known from limited records in the southeastern United States.
Bothriocera furcata
Bothriocera furcata is a planthopper species in the family Cixiidae, first described by Caldwell in 1943. It belongs to the tribe Bothriocerini within the subfamily Cixiinae. The species is recorded from several southeastern U.S. states including Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Virginia. As a member of the Fulgoromorpha, it shares the characteristic morphology of planthoppers with enlarged hind legs adapted for jumping.
Bradycinetulus ferrugineus
Bradycinetulus ferrugineus is a species of earth-boring scarab beetle in the family Geotrupidae. It occurs in the southeastern United States, with records from Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The species is associated with rodent burrows, particularly pack rat runs, where adults and larvae have been collected.
Brochymena myops
rough stink bug, tree stink bug
Brochymena myops is a species of rough stink bug native to North America, belonging to the genus Brochymena commonly known as "tree stink bugs" for their bark-like camouflage. The species ranges from Quebec to Florida and westward through the central United States to Texas. Adults are active during warm periods throughout the year, including winter sunny days, and are frequently mistaken for the invasive brown marmorated stink bug. Like other Brochymena species, B. myops is not considered an agricultural or household pest.
stink-bugnativepredatorypine-forestcamouflagewinter-activenon-pestrough-stink-bugtree-stink-bugHemipteraPentatomidaeBrochymenaNorth-Americacentral-United-Statessoutheastern-United-Statesconifer-associatedbark-mimicryoverwintering-adultsingle-generationdecaying-wood-inhabitantbeneficial-insectHalyiniStål-1872Heteropteratrue-bugCarmenta odda
Carmenta odda is a clearwing moth in the family Sesiidae, described in 1977 from specimens collected in the southeastern United States. As a member of the genus Carmenta, it belongs to a group of seed-feeding moths whose larvae typically bore into plant tissues. The species is known from a restricted coastal range in the southeastern U.S.
Catocala louiseae
Louise's underwing
Catocala louiseae, commonly known as Louise's underwing, is a moth in the family Erebidae described by John Bauer in 1965. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States, with adults active in May and sometimes into June. The specific epithet honors Louise Mellon, who funded the Carnegie Museum expedition on which the type specimen was collected. The species has been given precedence as a nomen protectum over its senior synonym Catocala protonympha.
Cedusa minuenda
Cedusa minuenda is a planthopper species in the family Derbidae, first described by Ball in 1928. It belongs to a group of fulgoroid insects commonly known as derbids, which are characterized by their distinctive wing morphology and association with host plants. The species has been recorded from the southeastern United States.
Cedusa shawi
Cedusa shawi is a species of planthopper in the family Derbidae, first described from specimens collected in the southeastern United States. It belongs to a genus of relatively small, delicate derbids characterized by distinctive wing venation and often subtle coloration. The species is documented from multiple states across the southern and eastern United States.
Celithemis amanda
Amanda's Pennant
Celithemis amanda, commonly known as Amanda's Pennant, is a dragonfly species in the family Libellulidae. It is native to the southeastern United States. The species is part of a genus of small to medium-sized skimmer dragonflies found primarily in North America.
Cercopeus komareki
Cercopeus komareki is a species of broad-nosed weevil described by O'Brien in 1977. It belongs to the tribe Trachyphloeini within the subfamily Entiminae of the Curculionidae family. The species is known from a limited number of records in the southeastern United States.
Chicobolus
Chicobolus is a monotypic genus of millipedes in the family Spirobolidae, established by Chamberlin in 1947. The genus contains a single species, Chicobolus spinigerus, commonly known as the Florida ivory millipede. This species is notable for its large size and pale coloration, and has been documented as a natural intermediate host for the acanthocephalan parasite Macracanthorhynchus ingens.
Chionodes emptor
Chionodes emptor is a small moth in the family Gelechiidae, first described by Hodges in 1999. It is known from the southeastern United States, with records from South Carolina south to Florida and west to Texas. Like other members of the genus Chionodes, it is a gelechiid moth with larvae that likely feed on plant material, though specific host associations remain undocumented.
Choctella cumminsi
Choctella cumminsi is a species of millipede in the family Choctellidae, described by Chamberlin in 1918. It is a member of the order Spirostreptida, a group of large-bodied millipedes commonly known as giant millipedes. The species is known from North America, with confirmed records from Tennessee. As with other members of its family, it is presumed to be a soil-dwelling detritivore, though specific ecological studies are limited.
Choctellidae
Choctellidae is a family of millipedes in the order Spirostreptida, established by Chamberlin & Hoffman in 1950. The family contains at least one genus, Choctella, with at least two described species. These millipedes have been recorded in Alabama and Tennessee in the southeastern United States. The family belongs to the superfamily Cambalidea within the suborder Juliformia.
Chorisoneura texensis
small Texas cockroach, Small Yellow Texas Cockroach
Chorisoneura texensis is a small cockroach species native to the Southeastern United States. It belongs to the family Ectobiidae, a group often referred to as wood cockroaches or forest cockroaches. The species is commonly encountered in outdoor environments and is not considered a significant household pest. It is distinguished from other regional cockroaches by its small size and coloration.
Chrysobothris seminole
Chrysobothris seminole is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, described in 2007 as part of a revision of the Chrysobothris femorata species-group. It is notable as the only member of this species-group associated with a non-woody host plant. The species has a highly restricted distribution in the southeastern United States and is considered rare, with only a few individuals documented at its type locality.
Clastoptera querci
Clastoptera querci is a species of spittlebug in the family Clastopteridae, described in 2020. The specific epithet "querci" indicates an association with oak (Quercus), suggesting a host relationship with oak trees. As a member of the spittlebug superfamily Cercopoidea, this species shares the characteristic nymphal habit of producing protective foam masses on host plants. The genus Clastoptera is the primary genus within its family and is distributed across North America.