Urban-wildlife

Guides

Amphipoea erepta
cutworm, dart moth
Amphipoea erepta is a noctuid moth species found in North America. A subspecies, A. e. ryensis, has a highly restricted range, occurring only in a single 25-acre meadow in Pelham Bay Park, The Bronx, New York City. The species is assigned MONA/Hodges number 9461.
Noctuidae North-America endemic urban-wildlife New-York
Atlides halesus
Great Purple Hairstreak, Great Blue Hairstreak
Atlides halesus is a striking gossamer-winged butterfly in the family Lycaenidae, notable for its misnomer of a common name—despite being called the "Great Purple Hairstreak," it displays iridescent blue coloration rather than purple. This Neotropical species ranges from warm-temperate and subtropical North America southward nearly to the Isthmus of Panama. The larvae feed exclusively on mistletoe species (Phoradendron spp.), making this butterfly dependent on the presence of these parasitic plants. Adults are known for hilltopping behavior, where males defend perches on elevated terrain to intercept females.
Lycaenidae hairstreak-butterfly mistletoe-specialist hilltopping Neotropical riparian-forest urban-wildlife indicator-species misnomer California-fauna Arizona-fauna Texas-fauna
Atta mexicana
Chicatana Leafcutter Ant, Chicatana, Hormiga Podadora de Hoja, Mochomo, Nucú, Nacasmá, Cocosh
Atta mexicana is a leaf-cutting ant and advanced attine fungus-grower native to Mexico and the southwestern United States. The species cultivates the basidiomycete fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus as its primary food source, cutting and collecting leaf fragments to serve as fungal substrate. Colonies are large and complex, with sophisticated caste specialization including queens (~30 mm), workers, and soldiers (~18 mm). The species is culturally significant in Mexico as a traditional food source (chicatana) harvested during nuptial flights, and is also recognized as an agricultural pest in some contexts.
leafcutter-ant fungus-growing-ant attine chicatana edible-insect entomophagy agricultural-pest ecosystem-engineer urban-wildlife traditional-food
Clypastraea sp-one
minute hooded beetle, minute fungus beetle
Clypastraea sp-one is a minute beetle in the family Corylophidae, measuring approximately 2 millimeters in length. It belongs to a genus typically associated with fungi and mold in rotting wood and under bark on dead trees. The beetle was discovered in a residential Colorado Springs neighborhood, crawling on the base of a utility box beneath a cottonwood tree. This record represents a notable discovery of a poorly known group of beetles in an urban setting.
Coleoptera Corylophidae minute-beetle fungivore urban-wildlife Colorado
Dysdera crocata
Woodlouse Spider, Woodlouse Hunter, Sowbug Hunter, Sowbug Killer, Pillbug Hunter, Slater Spider
Dysdera crocata is a specialized spider predator native to the Mediterranean region of Europe that has become established worldwide through human commerce. It is the only representative of the family Dysderidae in North America. Despite its formidable appearance—featuring disproportionately large chelicerae and long fangs—it poses no significant danger to humans. The species has been the subject of recurring internet hoaxes falsely claiming it is a new, deadly spider. It is primarily nocturnal and strongly associated with human-modified environments, particularly where its woodlouse prey abounds.
spider introduced-species urban-wildlife nocturnal specialized-predator internet-hoax medically-insignificant
Eumaeus atala
Atala, Atala butterfly, Atala hairstreak, coontie hairstreak
The Atala butterfly is a small, colorful lycaenid butterfly unique within its range for its aposematic coloration and exclusive association with cycad host plants. Once considered the most conspicuous insect in South Florida in 1888, it was believed extinct by the 1950s due to overharvesting of its sole native host plant, coontie (Zamia integrifolia), for starch production. Rediscovered in 1979 on a Miami barrier island, the species has recovered dramatically through conservation efforts and the popularity of coontie as an ornamental landscape plant, becoming common enough in southeast Florida to occasionally be regarded as a pest. The butterfly sequesters toxic cycasin compounds from its host, rendering all life stages unpalatable to predators.
butterfly hairstreak Lycaenidae cycad coontie Zamia aposematic-coloration chemical-defense conservation endangered-species-recovery Florida-endemic pine-rockland host-plant-specialist sequestration urban-wildlife ornamental-pest freeze-dried-diet ex-situ-conservation reintroduction fire-dependent-ecosystem native-plant-landscaping cycasin-toxicity multivoltine territorial-males coremata sound-producing-pupae
Euphilotes battoides allyni
El Segundo Blue Butterfly
Euphilotes battoides allyni is a federally endangered subspecies of blue butterfly endemic to coastal sand dunes in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. The subspecies has an extremely restricted range, historically occurring only between El Segundo and San Pedro. It is one of the most geographically localized butterfly taxa in North America, with all known populations confined to areas supporting its obligate larval host plant, Eriogonum parvifolium (coastal buckwheat).
endangered endemic coastal-dune-specialist single-host-plant conservation-flagship urban-wildlife Lycaenidae California-endemic Eriogonum-specialist insect-conservation
Formica pacifica
Pacific Field Ant
Formica pacifica is a medium-sized ant species native to the Pacific Coast of North America, ranging from British Columbia to the western United States. It belongs to the Formica fusca species group, a diverse assemblage of morphologically similar ants. Colonies can reach several thousand workers and are known for their fast, aggressive worker behavior and territorial conflicts with neighboring colonies. The species thrives in both forested habitats and human-altered environments.
ants Formicidae Formica Pacific-Coast social-insects territorial-behavior urban-wildlife
Hylaeus
Masked Bees, Yellow-faced Bees
Hylaeus is a large, diverse genus of solitary bees in the family Colletidae, commonly known as masked bees or yellow-faced bees. The genus contains over 500 species with cosmopolitan distribution, reaching peak diversity in subtropical Australia and the Hawaiian Islands. These bees are distinguished by their nearly hairless, wasp-like appearance and unique method of transporting nectar and pollen internally in a crop rather than externally on body hairs. Many species nest in pre-existing cavities such as hollow stems, beetle borings in wood, or abandoned galls.
solitary-bees cavity-nesters pollinators urban-wildlife conservation-concern Hawaiian-endemics crop-transport masked-bees yellow-faced-bees
Hylaeus affinis
eastern masked bee
Hylaeus affinis, commonly known as the eastern masked bee, is a small solitary bee in the family Colletidae. It is native to North America and belongs to the genus Hylaeus, whose members are often called masked bees or yellow-faced bees due to their distinctive facial markings. Like other Hylaeus species, it is nearly hairless and resembles small wasps in appearance. The species nests in pre-existing cavities and transports pollen and nectar internally rather than on body hairs.
bee solitary-bee masked-bee yellow-faced-bee pollinator cavity-nester Colletidae Hymenoptera North-America urban-wildlife nest-box-species
Nemobius sylvestris
Wood Cricket
Nemobius sylvestris, commonly known as the wood cricket, is a small, flightless cricket native to Western Europe and North Africa. Adults measure 7–10 mm (males) or 9–12 mm (females) and are dark brown with reduced, non-functional wings. The species inhabits woodland edges and clearings, where it lives among leaf litter and is closely associated with deciduous trees such as oak, beech, hazel, and holly. It has been introduced to North America, with populations documented in New York and Washington. In Britain, it is uncommon and listed as a species of special conservation concern, with populations restricted to the New Forest, Isle of Wight, and southern Devon.
flightless woodland-specialist leaf-litter conservation-concern parasite-host acoustic-communication urban-wildlife
Parasteatoda tepidariorum
Common House Spider, American House Spider, Domestic Spider, Common Gray House Spider
Parasteatoda tepidariorum, the common house spider, is a small cobweb-weaving spider native to the Americas that has achieved cosmopolitan distribution through human commerce. It is strongly synanthropic, rarely found outside human-built structures. Females measure 5–8 mm in body length, males 3.8–4.7 mm, with variable coloration from tan to nearly black. The species constructs irregular three-dimensional webs in dark corners of buildings and has become a model organism for developmental biology research due to its short lifecycle, ease of laboratory culture, and accessible embryology.
cobweb-spider house-spider synanthropic model-organism developmental-biology cosmopolitan urban-wildlife biological-control
Plebejus icarioides missionensis
Plebejus icarioides missionensis is a subspecies of the Mission blue butterfly, a federally endangered lycaenid butterfly endemic to a restricted range in coastal California. The subspecies is part of a complex that has been subject to taxonomic revision, with some authorities placing it in the genus Icaricia. Its habitat consists of coastal grasslands and scrub where its larval host plant, silver lupine (Lupinus albicaulis), occurs. The subspecies has been impacted by urban development, invasive plants, and fire suppression.
endangered conservation California-endemic lycaenidae host-plant-specialist urban-wildlife prescribed-fire-management
Polistes
Umbrella Paper Wasps, Umbrella Wasps, Paper Wasps
Polistes is a cosmopolitan genus of social paper wasps and the sole genus in the tribe Polistini. With over 200 recognized species, it is the largest genus in the family Vespidae. These wasps construct distinctive open, single-layered umbrella-shaped nests from wood fibers mixed with saliva, typically suspended by a narrow stalk from protected surfaces. They exhibit complex social behavior including dominance hierarchies, kin recognition through learned chemical cues, and cooperative colony founding. While generally less aggressive than yellowjackets, they will defend nests when provoked.
social-wasps paper-wasps predators pollinators urban-wildlife biocontrol invasive-species eusocial-insects
Polistes bahamensis
Bahamian Paper Wasp
Polistes bahamensis is a large, colorful paper wasp native to the Bahamas, with populations also established in Florida, Louisiana, and coastal areas of the southeastern United States. First described in 1931, this species has undergone extensive taxonomic revision, having been treated as varieties of P. exclamans before being re-elevated to full species status in 1983. It builds characteristic umbrella-shaped paper nests suspended by a stalk, typically under building eaves or palm fronds. The species is notable for its taxonomic complexity, with three originally described color varieties based on geographic distribution within the Bahamas.
paper-wasp social-wasp Vespidae Polistinae Bahamas Florida Louisiana subtropical urban-wildlife biological-control
Polygonia interrogationis
Question Mark, question mark butterfly
Polygonia interrogationis, commonly called the question mark butterfly, is a North American nymphalid butterfly recognized by the distinctive silver ?-shaped mark on the underside of its hindwing. Adults have a wingspan of 4.5–7.6 cm and exhibit cryptic coloration resembling a dead leaf when wings are closed. The species produces two generations annually, with adults active from May through September. Winter-form adults hibernate in sheltered locations and emerge in spring to reproduce.
butterfly brush-footed-butterfly anglewing cryptic-coloration dead-leaf-mimicry migratory two-generations sap-feeder fruit-feeder dung-feeder hibernation urban-wildlife park-species North-American-endemic
Salticus
Zebra spiders, Jumping spiders
Salticus is a genus of jumping spiders (Salticidae), the type genus for the family. Species range from 3–7 mm in body length and are distinguished by coloration produced by specialized scales covering a dark integument. Several common species exhibit transverse black-and-white striping that gives the group its "zebra spider" common name, though some species display iridescent or red-and-white patterns instead. The genus has been recorded on every continent except Antarctica, with highest diversity in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and the Mediterranean region.
jumping-spider urban-wildlife visual-predator Holarctic zebra-spider
Sceliphron
black-and-yellow mud dauber wasps, black mud-dauber wasps, mud daubers
Sceliphron is a genus of solitary sphecid wasps comprising 34 valid species, commonly known as black-and-yellow mud daubers or black mud-dauber wasps. Females construct nests from mud, building individual cells that they provision with paralyzed spiders as food for their larvae. The genus exhibits remarkable synanthropic behavior, with many species readily nesting on human structures. Several species have become invasive outside their native ranges, including S. caementarium (native to North America, now widespread globally) and S. curvatum (native to Central Asia, spreading through Europe and recently detected in North America).
solitary-wasp mud-dauber synanthropic spider-predator nest-parasite invasive-species urban-wildlife beneficial-insect
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.
invasive-species orb-weaver ballooning urban-wildlife biological-control cold-tolerance startle-response cannibalism kleptoparasitism Japanese-folklore Nephilidae Trichonephila spider-silk range-expansion physiological-adaptation urban-ecology agricultural-pest-predator iNaturalist Georgia Maryland East-Asia United-States spider-bite venom docile non-aggressive web-architecture egg-sac overwintering sexual-dimorphism metabolic-rate heart-rate freeze-tolerance road-ecology prey-capture competition native-spider-impacts public-perception media-sensationalism management pesticide-alternatives broom-removal ornamental structural-pest ornithology cardinal web-strength trophic-interactions DNA-metabarcoding diet-analysis species-distribution-model physiological-entomology behavioral-ecology arachnology ballooning-dispersal human-mediated-dispersal hitchhiker cargo-stowaway port-of-entry climate-change warming northward-expansion DMV Howard-County Elkridge Ilchester West-Elkridge beech-forest secondary-forest suburban roadside telephone-pole streetlamp forest-edge disturbance-tolerance prey-detection vibrational-noise auditory-disturbance motionless freezing shyness Hannibal-Lecter stink-bug lanternfly evolutionary-history ancient-association ecosystem-service biocontrol natural-enemy invasive-pest brown-marmorated-stink-bug spotted-lanternfly Halyomorpha-halys Lycorma-delicatula competitive-exclusion dominant-orb-weaver abundant population-growth rapid-spread range-span 120,000-km2 physiological-plasticity metabolism twice-as-high 77%-higher-heart-rate 74%-freeze-survival development-rate seasonal-window life-cycle-completion thermal-limitation congener-comparison natural-dispersal human-transport iNaturalist-record citizen-science confirmed-sighting breeding-population male-and-female gravid-female egg-case stowaway cargo-container port-introduction local-port vehicle-transport hitchhiking accelerated-arrival several-years natural-means prognostication prediction model suitable-habitat abundant-suitable-habitat eastern-North-America western-North-America potential-range invasive-range potential-impact environmental-impact ecological-impact ecosystem-impact monitor cautious evidence-based reasonable-journalism sensationalism exaggeration uncritical-acceptance harmless carefully-monitored next-steps research-opportunity call-for-research knowledge-gap little-known novel-ecosystem spreading rapidly-expanding invasive-predator invasive-orb-weaver non-native introduced established colonized thriving doing-fine happy merely-20-minutes-away road-trip visit access-spread beech-leaf-disease BLD state-forest remarkable-colony amongst-beech-trees confirmed-prognostication Davis-and-Frick escape-relative-warmth expand-range-northward eastern-seaboard merely-20-minutes-away-from-home resist-opportunity amazing-predators tales-of-arrival previous-episodes 2022 2024 reduce-angst large-non-native-spider establishing-in-DMV facts-presented past-episode venomous-terrible-painful Nah expert-Rick-Hoebeke risks-small puny-fangs unlikely-pierce-skin video completely-non-aggressive eastern-Howard-County haphazard-webs littered-with-remains former-victims leaves shed-exoskeletons much-larger-female dwarfs-mate positioned-just-above strand-of-silk spinnerets underside-of-abdomen near-red-mound relative-to-hand large-and-docile wait-and-see what-Jorō-means-to-ecosystems help-other-spiders put-a-beat-down-on-invasive-pests stink-bugs spotted-lanternflies passive-hunters enormous-webs larger-than-a-meter-in-diameter capture-prey-snared-in-silk arachnophobes-scary arachnophiles-beautiful important-ecosystem-services crop-pests native-range Asia having-an-old-friend-over-for-dinner reunite first-time large-spiders juicy-prey-items feathered-and-non-feathered-reptiles poses-no-known-threat difficult-to-predict-impact non-native-species experts-suggest beyond-scary-mien give-indigenous-large-orb-weavers-run-for-their-money black-and-yellow-garden-spider marbled-orb-weaver spotted-orb-weaver other-parts-of-world most-abundant-and-dominant-orb-weaver what-will-it-mean only-time-will-tell final-tidbit Jorō-shapeshifter Jorō-gumo beautiful-woman seduces-men binds-with-silk devours bad-date acknowledgements Rick-Hoebeke identifying-Jorō insights David-Coyle Bob-Bellinger great-images knowledge studies Veni-vidi-vici Nelsen-et-al.Physiological-evaluation Nephila-clavata-newly-recorded Hoebeke-et-al.Life-Cycle-Habitat-and-Variation Moore Startle-responses Davis-and-Anerao How-Urban-Tolerant-Are-They Davis-et-al.inspiration details stars Dave-Clement Miri-Talabac Maddie-Potter hooked-up-with-colony differentiate resources.ipmcenters.org link Jorō-guru David-Coyle's-take YouTube calm-your-fears Journal-of-Economic-Entomology Journal-of-Medical-Entomology chemical-management-strategies effective-management-methods spider-control-products safe-and-effective unlikely-to-bite generally-harmless big-spiders colorful-spiders invasive-spiders in-your-face-spiders webs-on-homes landscape-plants structures middle-of-where-people-live-work-and-play northern-Georgia-2014 presumed-arrived-few-years-prior 15-years increased-dramatically much-of-Southeast disjunct-populations northeastern-U.S.firestorm-of-interest rapidly-expanding-range southeastern-states many-counties Carolinas Tennessee Oklahoma more-than-a-century parts-of-Florida rarely-Pennsylvania tropics thermal-limitations higher-metabolism faster-heart-rate better-ability-to-tolerate-freezing complete-life-cycle-rapidly chilly-temperatures suite-of-adaptations expand-northward warm-loving-cousin findings-support-potential much-yet-to-be-learned successfully-survive-northern-winters nation-and-world-warm southern-species-expand higher-latitudes-and-altitudes rapidly-range-expansion-will-occur typical-mode-of-dispersal aerial-dispersal ballooning-on-strands-of-silk Charlotte's-babies Charlotte's-Web spectacular-moniker parachute-spider rain-down-from-airplanes long-distance-transit human-assistance good-hitchhikers inseminated-gravid-female egg-case-stowaway arrival-in-DMV several-years-by-natural-means new-introduction-at-local-port human-assist-in-vehicles accelerate-arrival terrible-and-painful small-fangs visited-cousin golden-silk-spider Costa-Rica exceeding-meter-diameter indigenous-large-orb-weavers run-for-their-money minimal-direct-impact firestorm Andrew-Davis Benjamin-Frick University-of-Georgia past-week native-to-eastern-Asia Japan China Korea Taiwan known-in-Georgia-since-2013 spreading-rapidly joined-its-cousin Trichonephila-clavipes established-over-160-years better-tolerate-freezing survive-northern-winters rapidly-range-expansion typical-mode long-distance new-introduction human-assist arachnophobes arachnophiles brown-marmorated-stink-bugs difficult-to-predict scary-mien indigenous-orb-weavers Mary-Nouri Sarah-Morgan WAMU relatively-harmless spider-season fall leaves-changing-color cool-crisp-autumn-air pumpkin-spice extension-entomologist Southeast not-just-spiders 20-feet-wide homes people-live-work-and-play 15-years-or-so influx-of-calls public entomology-extension-programs media-frenzy two-questions get-rid-of-Jorō-spiders are-Jorō-spiders-dangerous Clemson-University Southern-Adventist-University Washington-College Union-College two-new-studies test-methods-for-eliminating how-likely-to-bite harm scoured-internet recommended-treatment-options spider-specific-management-recommendations medically-relevant widow-spiders brown-recluses do-not-enter-homes relatively-new recommended-products labelled-spider-control-products tested-products several-products-eliminate not-legal-pesticides machine-lubricant not-recommended commercially-available strongly-encourage labelled-products easiest-and-cheapest without-chemicals broom-or-stick walked-into-spider-web rode-bike took-spider-to-face not-great-feeling wonder-if-bitey give-bitten-superpowers unique-studies evaluated-behaviors react-to-people rather-drop-off-web hang-around-and-bite really-provoke volunteered-to-get-bitten yes-you-read-correctly akin-to-mosquito-bite little-redness little-swelling largely-gone-next-day no-acquired-superpowers take-home-message twofold simplest-and-most-effective without-pesticides feel-you-need-pesticides product-labeled-for-spider-control try-not-to-freak-out doesn't-want-to-be-on-you odds-of-getting-bitten-extremely-low enjoy-glorious-fall-weather drink-pumpkin-spiced-beverage watch-where-you-walk Keep-calm-and-carry-on bites-unlikely cause-minimal-discomfort associate-professor Department-of-Forestry-and-Environmental-Conservation socials email extension featured pest-management Entomology-Today latest-posts email-subscription March-2022 wondered make-its-way-to-DMV September-2022 two-observations three-years 40-sightings happy-and-doing-just-fine several-Howard-County-locations week-or-so-ago team-of-scientists University mission killing-ultra-valuable-beech-trees thriving-amongst-beech-trees visit-amazing-predators mature-females both-Trichonephila-species three-locally-common-orb-weaving-species time-spent-immobile mild-disturbance brief-puff-of-air air-puff-response-data five-other-North-American-species published-literature 453-observations freezing-behavior 10-spider-species remained-immobile-under-a-minute both-Trichonephila-spiders over-an-hour unprecedented shyest-ever-documented tolerate-urban-environments remaining-motionless fleeing nonsexual-cannibalism mating-activity females-cannibalize-males food-availability territorial-aggression Southeastern-United-States expanding-range shy behavioral-reactions descriptive-observations photo-documentation anecdotal-observations controlled-pairings lab natural-webs field one-female-biting-and-killing-another short-fight similar-size container 25-trials fights-ensued-40%different-sizes 27-trials fights-happened-18%larger-females-not-always-aggressor 52-lab-trials six-bouts 9%direct-killing field-trials empty-web 14-trials one-fight 7%aggressor-killing-and-wrapping silk away-from-any-web not-necessarily-territoriality intraspecific-aggression provoked-or-stressed deserves-more-study newly-invasive biology physiology new-range closely-related-species successfully-established 160-years investigation compare online-records iNaturalist.org seasonal-distributions timing females physiological-traits environmental-tolerance metabolic-rates cardiac-functioning cold-exposure survival brief-below-freezing-temperature shorter-season complete-lifecycle narrow-period suitable-weather inherently-higher-metabolism low-temperature survive-better 74%-compared-to-50%brief-freeze colder-climatic-region southeastern-USA useful-information planning urban-landscapes busy-roads frequent-disturbances auditory-and-vibrational physiological-or-behavioral-changes northeast-Georgia varying-levels-of-road-traffic prey-capture-behavior simulated-prey tuning-fork 128-hz-frequency touched-to-web attacked 357-total-trials 20-different-roads attacked-59%high-variability some-roadsides-over-80%others-less-than-30%small-but-significant-negative-correlation daily-road-traffic spider-attack-rates moderate--to-heavy-traffic-roads slightly-less-likely-to-attack 51%-vs-65%able-to-live-near-roads cost-in-terms-of-prey-capture did-not-weigh-less compensate-for-disturbance accumulating-evidence human-dominated-landscapes aid-spread introduced-range Eriostethus-rufus polysphinctine-ectoparasitoid araneid-spiders Neoscona-spp.endemic-to-Japan Yamagata-Prefecture 38º46'-N northern-Japan northernmost-record genus identification-confirmed morphology DNA-barcoding cocoon large-modified-web unique inverted-triangle over-50-cm hanging-from-ill-defined-part no-organized-structure host-spider circumstantial-evidences structure-of-modified-web pre-existing-web-partly-reused orb-web-completely-removed sustaining-threads-newly-moored parasitises-host-spiders two-subfamilies unusual-for-group invasion-potential known-invasive-range review dispersal-abilities potential-impacts management-strategies October-2022 at-least-120,000-km2 South-Carolina North-Carolina Alabama West-Virginia pattern-of-spread natural-dispersal-mechanisms human-mediated-transport large-bodied-orb-weavers flying-insects small-animals thirteen-co-occurring-spider-species monitored-for-competition resources web-building-sites natural-and-urban-habitats management-options-limited advise-journalists-and-experts against-exaggerating-potential-environmental-impact ecologically-harmless rapid-spread-carefully-monitored cautious-evidence-based-approach determining-next-steps three-material-types web-capture introduced-species alter-established-trophic-interactions molecular-analysis resolve-changes community-structure foraging-links east-coast fecal-samples prey-remains-from-webs dissected-guts compare-diet-composition arthropod-targeted-COI-primers Illumina-MiSeq highest-diversity highest-richness highest-proportion-prey-reads recovery-of-prey-reads dissected-gut-content low overwhelmed-by-Jorō-spider-DNA high-proportions-Jorō-spider-reads higher-prey-diversity-and-richness detected-prey-DNA several-days-after-capture initial-gut-retention-time-estimates first-glimpse complexity-of-trophic-associations introduced-web-building-spider viable-material source-of-prey-DNA estimates-of-biodiversity Jammu-and-Kashmir northernmost-shifting document-presence behavior habitat-adaptation colder-temperature-environment Goha-Tehsil Doda-district 1556.74-meters road-bridge nearby-vegetation brightly-colored-abdomens black green yellow red long-legs yellow-and-black-bandings predominantly-seen smaller fewer unique-behaviors remaining-motionless-after-disturbances 5-10-meters-of-roads adaptation-to-human-settlements field-observations image-documentation expert-confirmation thrive-in-colder-conditions 15-20-degrees-Celsius October-November no-spider-found higher-elevations significantly-lower-temperatures adaptation-limited-to-milder-cold-regions new-insight adaptation need-for-further-research non-native-habitats eggs overwinter harsh-weather-conditions no-protection compact-silk-case milky-coating chorionic-microspheres CM fine-structural-characteristics ecological-importance uneven-size-distribution outer-eggmass evenly-covered single-layer diameter-2.3-µm short-papillary-projections segmental-adhesion mucous-components insoluble-in-water partially-soluble-in-absolute-ethanol spherical-structure HFIP strong-organic-solvent not-derived-from-vitellogenic-or-choriogenetic-processes CM-adhesive-coatings ovipositional-process equivalent-to-cocoon-silk protective-functions silken-eggcase Northern-Cardinal Cardinalis-cardinalis perches steals-food southeast-of-the-United-States questions native-fauna-affected consuming-prey-items example native-species-deriving-benefit manner-of-kleptoparasitism perched-directly-on-web supported-its-weight 42-48-g first-documented-case spider-web-supporting-perching-bird measurements force-gauge typical-webs support-masses-up-to-70-g small-but-growing-body-of-knowledge non-native-spider species-distribution-models ecological-niche-modeling predict-areas establish-if-introduced three-distinct-genetic-lineages mitochondrial-COI genome-wide-SNPs Korean-Peninsula
Xenox tigrinus
Tiger Bee Fly
Xenox tigrinus, commonly known as the tiger bee fly, is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae native to eastern North America. Adults are notable for their distinctive wing pattern resembling tiger stripes, their bee-mimicking appearance, and their role as specialized parasitoids of carpenter bee larvae. The species is frequently observed near wooden structures where its host, the eastern carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica), nests.
parasitoid bee-mimicry carpenter-bee-parasite pollinator woodland-edge urban-wildlife