Southeastern-usa
Guides
Admestina archboldi
A jumping spider in the family Salticidae, described in 1992 from the southern United States. The species is known from limited observations and appears to be restricted to the southeastern coastal region.
Agrilus macer
Large Hackberry Agrilus
Agrilus macer is a metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae, primarily associated with sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) in the southeastern United States. The species is considered a secondary pest that attacks dying or declining host trees at high densities, with egg masses deposited on trunks, branches, and exposed roots. Despite intensive colonization of weakened hosts, it does not appear to transmit harmful fungal pathogens or act as a primary cause of tree mortality.
Alloblackburneus geomysi
Alloblackburneus geomysi is a small dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Aphodiinae. It has been recorded from the southeastern United States, specifically Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The species epithet 'geomysi' suggests an association with pocket gophers (genus Geomys). Like other members of the genus Alloblackburneus, it is likely associated with rodent burrows or their waste products. Very few observations exist, with only two records in iNaturalist.
Anillinus moseleyae
Anillinus moseleyae is a small ground beetle described in 2004 from the southeastern United States. It belongs to the genus Anillinus, a group of minute, eyeless or reduced-eye beetles adapted to subterranean and soil-dwelling habitats. The species was named in honor of an individual (Moseley), following standard patronymic conventions. Like other members of the subtribe Anillina, it is presumed to inhabit deep soil, leaf litter, or cave-associated environments, though specific ecological details remain limited.
Barronopsis floridensis
Barronopsis floridensis is a funnel weaver spider in the family Agelenidae, originally described from Florida. It belongs to the large-bodied B. texana species group, characterized by robust morphology and distinct genitalic structures. Phylogenetic analysis places it in a clade with B. arturoi, sister to a clade containing B. texana and B. jeffersi. The species has been documented in the southeastern United States and the Bahama Islands.
Cariniocoris geminatus
Cariniocoris geminatus is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, first described by Knight in 1929 under the basionym Plagiognathus geminatus. It belongs to the infraorder Cimicomorpha, a diverse group of true bugs that includes many plant-feeding species. The genus Cariniocoris is part of the large and economically significant family Miridae, commonly known as plant bugs or capsid bugs. Information specific to the biology and ecology of C. geminatus is limited in available sources.
Castianeira floridana
Castianeira floridana is a species of ant-mimicking spider in the family Corinnidae, native to the southeastern United States and Cuba. Like other members of its genus, it exhibits myrmecomorphy—mimicking ants in appearance and behavior as a defensive adaptation. The species was described by Banks in 1904. Information specific to this species beyond its geographic range is limited in published sources.
Ceratophaga vicinella
Gopher Tortoise Shell Moth
Ceratophaga vicinella is a highly specialized keratin-feeding moth in the family Tineidae. The larvae feed exclusively on the keratin shells of dead gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus), making this species dependent on a single host source that is currently in decline. Adults are small, dark moths with distinctive cream-colored head tufts. The species has a restricted range in the southeastern United States and appears to be declining due to threats facing its tortoise host.
Chrysendeton nigrescens
Chrysendeton nigrescens is a small moth species in the family Crambidae, first described by Heppner in 1991. It is known exclusively from pitcher plant bogs in the southeastern United States. The species has a narrow geographic range, recorded only from Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. Adults are active during two distinct periods: spring (May–June) and late summer (August–September).
Conocephalus hygrophilus
Conocephalus hygrophilus is a species of meadow katydid in the family Tettigoniidae, described by Rehn & Hebard in 1915. As a member of the genus Conocephalus, it belongs to a group of small to medium-sized katydids commonly known as lesser meadow katydids or coneheads. The species epithet "hygrophilus" suggests an affinity for moist or wet habitats. Like other Conocephalus species, it is expected to possess the characteristic long, thread-like antennae that distinguish katydids from true grasshoppers, along with enlarged hind legs adapted for jumping.
Dellacasiellus laevigatus
Dellacasiellus laevigatus is a small scarab beetle in the subfamily Aphodiinae, first described by Haldeman in 1848. The genus Dellacasiellus was established to accommodate species formerly placed in related genera such as Aphodius. This species occurs in the southeastern United States. As a member of the Aphodiinae, it is presumed to be associated with dung or decaying organic matter, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented.
Dendrotettix zimmermanni
Carolina Oak Grasshopper
Dendrotettix zimmermanni, commonly known as the Carolina oak grasshopper, is a species of spur-throated grasshopper in the family Acrididae. It is native to North America, with records indicating presence in the southeastern United States. As a member of the subfamily Melanoplinae and tribe Podismini, it belongs to a group of grasshoppers often associated with woody vegetation.
Diploschizia lanista
sedge moth
Diploschizia lanista is a species of sedge moth in the family Glyphipterigidae. First described by Edward Meyrick in 1918, this small moth is known from the southeastern and south-central United States. Adults are active during multiple periods throughout the year, with flight records spanning January through December in some regions. The species is characterized by its diminutive size and relatively narrow forewings.
Draeculacephala savannahae
Draeculacephala savannahae is a species of leafhopper in the family Cicadellidae, described by Hamilton in 1985. It belongs to the genus Draeculacephala, a group of sharpshooters within the tribe Cicadellini. The species is known from the southeastern United States, with records from Georgia. Like other members of its genus, it is likely associated with grassland or savanna habitats, though specific ecological details remain limited.
Geopsammodius hydropicus
Atlantic dune tiny sand-loving scarab
Geopsammodius hydropicus is a small dung beetle species in the subfamily Aphodiinae, commonly known as the Atlantic dune tiny sand-loving scarab. The species is associated with sandy coastal habitats in the southeastern United States. It belongs to a genus whose members are specialized for life in sandy substrates.
Geopsammodius subpedalis
underfoot tiny sand-loving scarab
Geopsammodius subpedalis is a small aphodiine dung beetle described by Skelley in 2006. It belongs to the tribe Psammodiini, a group commonly known as sand-loving scarabs due to their affinity for sandy substrates. The species is known from the southeastern United States.
Gonibius rex
Gonibius rex is a species of stone centipede in the family Lithobiidae, first described by Bollman in 1888. It belongs to the order Lithobiomorpha, a group of short-bodied centipedes commonly known as stone centipedes. The species has been recorded from Georgia and Tennessee in the southeastern United States. Like other lithobiids, it is a terrestrial predator inhabiting moist microhabitats.
Gracilimiris litoralis
Gracilimiris litoralis is a plant bug species in the family Miridae, described by Stonedahl and Henry in 1991. It is a little-known species with limited published information. Records indicate a distribution in the southeastern United States.
Gymnoscirtetes
Gymnoscirtetes is a genus of small (11–22 mm), slender, flightless grasshoppers endemic to the southeastern North American Coastal Plain. The genus was revised from two to six species based on male genital morphology and geographic data. Species are divided into two groups: the western morsei group (G. morsei, G. rex) and the eastern pusillus group (G. pusillus, G. pageae, G. wadeorum, G. georgiaensis). The genus is characterized by vestigial wings, linear body shape, and brownish-green or bronze coloration with a black lateral stripe.
Hapithus brevipennis
Short-winged Bush Cricket, Short-winged Meadow Katydid
Hapithus brevipennis is a small bush cricket species in the family Gryllidae, native to the southeastern United States. Adults are distinguished by their abbreviated wings, which give the species its common name. Males produce a distinctive song consisting of buzzes and ticks interspersed with pauses to attract females. The species is active in late summer and autumn, with females using a prominent ovipositor to deposit eggs in protected locations.
Hypocaccus sparsus
clown beetle
Hypocaccus sparsus is a species of clown beetle in the family Histeridae, first described by Casey in 1916. The species is found in North America, with records from Florida and South Carolina. As a member of Histeridae, it belongs to a family of small, compact beetles commonly associated with decaying organic matter. Specific ecological details for this species remain poorly documented.
Hypothyce
May beetles, Junebugs
Hypothyce is a genus of scarab beetles in the subfamily Melolonthinae, containing four described species in the United States. All species are restricted to isolated sandhill habitats along the North American Coastal Plain. The genus exhibits pronounced geographic isolation, with each species known from a single state: Texas, Georgia, or Alabama. Several species remain poorly known, with females undescribed for three of four species.
Langessa nomophilalis
black langessa moth
Langessa nomophilalis, the black langessa moth, is the sole species in the genus Langessa. It is a small crambid moth in the subfamily Acentropinae. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States with a restricted coastal plain distribution. It was first described by Harrison Gray Dyar in 1906, originally placed in the genus Nymphula.
Leucospis slossonae
Leucospis slossonae is a parasitic wasp in the family Leucospidae, a group of unusually large chalcidoid wasps. Like other leucospids, females possess a distinctive whip-like ovipositor that curls over the top of the abdomen, used to drill into wood and deposit eggs in the nests of solitary bees. The species is known from the southeastern United States.
Lyssomanes viridis
magnolia green jumper, magnolia green jumping spider
Lyssomanes viridis, the magnolia green jumper, is a small jumping spider native to the southeastern United States. It is the type species of the genus Lyssomanes, considered one of the earliest-evolved genera of jumping spiders. The species exhibits distinctive pale green coloration, elongated legs relative to body size, and specialized visual cognition behaviors. Males engage in visual agonistic displays using brightly colored chelicerae and forelegs, while both sexes utilize visual, vibratory, and pheromonal signals for communication.
Marmara on-symplocos-tinctoria
Marmara on-symplocos-tinctoria is a leaf-mining moth in the family Gracillariidae. The species epithet references its association with Symplocos tinctoria, a southeastern US tree. Like other Marmara species, larvae produce serpentine mines in host plant foliage. The species was described based on specimens from Florida.
Neoprocris floridana
Laurelcherry Smoky Moth
Neoprocris floridana is a small zygaenid moth endemic to the southeastern United States, described by Tarmann in 1984. The species is primarily known from Florida, with rare records from Alabama and North Carolina. Its common name reflects a presumed association with laurelcherry (Prunus caroliniana), though direct observations of larval feeding remain limited. The moth belongs to the forester moth subfamily Procridinae, a group characterized by diurnal activity and often aposematic coloration.
Odontoxiphidium
meadow katydids
Odontoxiphidium is a genus of meadow katydids in the family Tettigoniidae, tribe Conocephalini. The genus contains a single described species, O. apterum, found in the southeastern United States. The genus was established by Morse in 1901.
Omorgus howelli
Howell's hide beetle
Omorgus howelli is a hide beetle in the family Trogidae, native to the southern United States. First described in 1957, it was historically classified under the genus Trox but was reassigned to Omorgus in 2006 based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence. The species occurs in Florida and Texas, with additional records from Mexico and Peru. Like other Trogidae, it is associated with decomposing animal remains.
Osmopleura
Osmopleura is a monotypic genus of longhorn beetles in the subfamily Cerambycinae, tribe Agallissini. The genus contains a single species, Osmopleura chamaeropis, described by George Henry Horn in 1893. It is endemic to the southeastern United States.
Paracymus nanus
Paracymus nanus is a species of water scavenger beetle (family Hydrophilidae) described by Fall in 1910. The species occurs in freshwater habitats across parts of the southeastern United States and the Caribbean region. As a member of the genus Paracymus, it belongs to a group of small aquatic beetles commonly known as water scavenger beetles that inhabit various freshwater environments.
Phidippus otiosus
Canopy Jumping Spider
Phidippus otiosus is a large jumping spider in the family Salticidae, commonly known as the Canopy Jumping Spider. It is primarily arboreal, inhabiting trees in the southeastern United States. Females reach approximately 16 mm in body length, making it one of the larger species in the genus. The species is distinguished by iridescent chelicerae that range from purple to green in color.
Phyllophaga postrema
Phyllophaga postrema is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in North America, with distribution records from the southeastern United States. Like other members of the genus Phyllophaga, it is commonly referred to as a May beetle or June beetle. The genus Phyllophaga contains over 400 species in North America, and species-level identification often requires examination of genitalia.
Phyllophaga uniformis
Phyllophaga uniformis is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, commonly known as May beetles or June beetles. The species was described by Blanchard in 1851. Like other members of the genus Phyllophaga, it is likely a root-feeding beetle with subterranean larval stages, though specific details about its biology remain poorly documented.
Pilophorus heidemanni
Pilophorus heidemanni is a species of plant bug in the family Miridae, described by Poppius in 1914. It belongs to a genus known for ant-mimicking morphology. The species has been recorded from the southeastern United States. Like other members of Pilophorus, it likely exhibits morphological adaptations that resemble ants, though specific details for this species are limited.
Platydracus pinorum
Platydracus pinorum is a large rove beetle in the family Staphylinidae, native to the southeastern United States. The genus Platydracus includes many of the largest rove beetles in North America. Members of this genus are predatory, with some species attracted to decomposing organic matter where they hunt other insects. The specific epithet 'pinorum' suggests an association with pine habitats, though detailed ecological studies are limited.
Platytomus longulus
Platytomus longulus is a small aphodiine dung beetle described by Cartwright in 1948. It belongs to the tribe Psammodiini, a group often associated with sandy or loose substrates rather than dense dung. The species occurs across a broad geographic range spanning the southeastern United States and much of South America.
Polyphylla comes
High Mountain June Beetle
Polyphylla comes is a large scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, commonly known as the High Mountain June Beetle. It belongs to a genus noted for males with enlarged, fan-like antennae used to detect female sex pheromones. The species occurs in the southeastern United States. Like other Polyphylla species, it is primarily nocturnal and attracted to lights.
Pseudomethoca wickhami
Pseudomethoca wickhami is a species of velvet ant (family Mutillidae) distributed across the southeastern and south-central United States. Like other mutillids, females are wingless and males are winged. The species has been documented in 11 states from Virginia to Texas. As with all velvet ants, females possess a powerful sting and are known for their rapid, erratic movement patterns.
Psyllobora parvinotata
Small-spotted Fairy Lady Beetle, small-spotted psyllobora
Psyllobora parvinotata is a minute lady beetle in the tribe Psylloborini, distinguished by its reduced spot pattern compared to congeners. Adults measure 2.75–3.40 mm and exhibit pale, often faint markings on the elytra. The species occurs in the southeastern United States, with records from Florida to Louisiana. It belongs to a genus whose members are specialized feeders on powdery mildews and other plant-pathogenic fungi.
Ptomaphagus merritti
Ptomaphagus merritti is a small carrion beetle described by Tishechkin in 2007. The species belongs to the family Leiodidae, a group commonly associated with decomposing organic matter. It is known from a restricted distribution in the southeastern United States.
Scaphinotus debilis
weakly thorax snail-eating beetle
Scaphinotus debilis is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, placed in the tribe Cychrini. The species is endemic to the southeastern United States, with records from Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate S. d. debilis and S. d. alpinus, the latter restricted to high-elevation areas of North Carolina. Like other members of its genus, it is a specialized predator of land snails.
Scaphinotus violaceus
violet snail-eating beetle
Scaphinotus violaceus is a flightless ground beetle native to the southeastern United States. Adults are brachypterous and nocturnal, inhabiting deciduous and mixed forests. The species is one of several snail-eating beetles in the genus Scaphinotus.
Scolopendra viridis
Florida Blue Centipede, Green Centipede
Scolopendra viridis is a medium-sized centipede in the family Scolopendridae, commonly known as the Florida Blue Centipede. It is one of 21 native North American species in the order Scolopendromorpha. The species has been documented as prey for the pygmy rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius), indicating its role in food webs of the southeastern United States.
Scopula aemulata
Imitator Wave, Rival Wave
Scopula aemulata is a small moth in the family Geometridae, commonly known as the imitator wave or rival wave. The species was described by George Duryea Hulst in 1896 and has a restricted distribution in the southeastern United States. It is one of approximately 237 observations recorded on iNaturalist, indicating it is encountered with moderate frequency by citizen scientists and naturalists.
Scopula compensata
small frosted wave, Dark-marked Wave
Scopula compensata is a small geometrid moth of the family Geometridae, described by Francis Walker in 1861. The species is known by two common names: 'small frosted wave' (traditional) and 'Dark-marked Wave' (preferred on iNaturalist). It is restricted to the southeastern United States, with confirmed records from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. The wingspan is approximately 15 mm. Like other members of the genus Scopula, the larvae are inchworm-type caterpillars that feed on various plants.
Spanglerogyrus
Spanglerogyrus is a monotypic genus of whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae) containing the single species S. albiventris. It represents the only living member of the subfamily Spanglerogyrinae, the earliest diverging extant lineage of gyrinid beetles. The genus was described in 1979 from specimens collected in southern Alabama, making it a rare example of a relictual aquatic beetle lineage in North America.
Sphaeroderus bicarinatus
Two-ridged False Snail-eating Beetle
Sphaeroderus bicarinatus is a ground beetle in the family Carabidae, commonly known as the two-ridged false snail-eating beetle. It is a brachypterous, mostly nocturnal predator found in forested habitats of the southeastern United States. Despite its common name, it has been observed preying on snails as well as Lepidoptera caterpillars and pupae.
Strategus splendens
Splendid Ox Beetle
Strategus splendens is a large scarab beetle commonly known as the Splendid Ox Beetle. It belongs to the rhinoceros beetle subfamily Dynastinae, characterized by prominent horns in males. The species occurs in the southeastern United States, where it has been documented in sandy habitats and associated with oak woodlands. Adults are attracted to lights and are active during summer months.
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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