Colorful
foliage ground beetle (Lebia vittata,
tribe Lebiini, subfamily Harpalinae), Durham, NC, 9/7/08. This
beetle is a carnivore, even though it's on a leaf.
Flea beetle, Durham, NC, 7/6/07. A very
tiny beetle.
Flea Beetle
(Disonycha fumata, Alticini tribe), Durham, 7/5/05. This one was about
¼ inch long.
Flea Beetle
(Disonycha genus, Alticini tribe), Durham, NC, 4/19/06. This beetle was
visiting a dandelion.
Spined Micrathena spider (Micrathena gracilis), Riverbend Park, Catawba
County, 9/24/09.
Northern Pine Sphinx
(Lapara
Bombycoides), Appalachian Trail, Botetourt County, VA, 9/15/04.
This is only one of the many species of caterpillars that feed on pine
needles.
Azalea Moth(Datana major) caterpillar, Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover
County, NC, 9/18/07. ID thanks to William Kimler.
Oak Treehopper(Platycotis vittata),
nymph, Duke Forest, Korstian Division,
Orange County, NC, 5/3/06. This is the only one of its species and probably its genus I've
ever seen. Nevertheless, Stephen Cresswell, who identified it,
apparently sees them all the time! Order a product with this photo
at our online store.
Two-lined Froghoppers, Airlie Gardens, Wilmington, New Hanover
County, NC, 6/23/06
Locust Borer(Megacyllene robiniae, subfamily Cerambycinae),
Boone, Watauga County, NC, 8/29/05. The Cerambycinae taxon is valid
according to the ITIS.
Pennsylvania Leatherwing(Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus), NC Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 8/28/06.
Actually, the stripes are often hidden.
Most likely a Drone fly (Eristalis tenax, Eristalinae
subfamily), Carolina Beach State
Park, New Hanover County, NC, 10/11/06. This was a
relatively large fly that flew wildly about, somewhat like a Yellow
Jacket.
Yes, wasps have predators, although you don't hear
about them too much. This robber fly issubduing a hornet with what seems like very
unflylike behavior: note the hornet's
stinger. Duke Forest Gate #12, Durham, NC, 8/23/06.
Cuckoo Bee (Nomada genus, Heminomada subgenus, most likely Imbricata
species). ID thanks to
John S. Ascher.
Crabronid wasp (Philanthus
gibbosus), NC Botanical Garden, Orange County, NC, 8/28/06. This
is a predator of halictid bees.
Ichneumonid Wasp, Durham, 10/29/05. Members of the
Ichneumonidae family
Tiphiid wasps (Myzinum
genus), Carolina Beach State
Park, New Hanover County, NC, 6/23/07,
struggling to get into one little hole in the sand.
Wasp (Scolia
nobilitata). NOTE: The ITIS does not list the species nobilitata.
Male Calico Pennant
Dragonfly
(Celithemis elisa), Penny's Bend Nature Preserve, Durham, NC, 5/20/10
Complex Stripe Patterns
Oak Treehopper
(Platycotis vittata),
Hanging Rock State Park, Stokes County, NC, 5/22/08. That's a
pants leg it's hanging onto.
Monarch, Durham, NC, 10/19/04.
Notice how the hind wing is pale orange, in contrast with most of the
forewing.
From this side, the same Queen looks a lot more like a Monarch. But note
that both wings are the same medium brown, and the white spots are more
widely scattered.