September 2008 Photos

Field and Swamp: Animals and Their Habitats

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Archived-by-Date Pages

September 2008

Durham, NC 9/29/08

Garden Spider (Neoscona crucifer) Hawaiian Beet Webworm moth Handsome Meadow Katydid Least Skipper Two-lined Froghopper

Smooth Flower Spider (Misumena vatia) with Eastern Tailed Blue prey Another view of the Eastern Tailed Blue prey

Durham, NC 9/26/08

Planthopper (Thionia bullata, Issidae family), about 4 mm long. Look at those big eyes: it definitely saw me coming! ID thanks to Andy Hamilton.

Pitt County Arboretum, Greenville, NC 9/21/08

Sleepy Orange (winter form) Cloudless Sulphur Cloudless Sulphur Variegated Fritillary

American Lady Monarch Long-tailed Skipper Ocola Skipper

Pipevine Swallowtail Pipevine Swallowtail Crossline Skipper, tentative ID by Harry LeGrand, seconded by Jeff Pippen Same Crossline Skipper Sleepy Orange (dorsal view)

Goose Creek State Park, Beaufort County, NC 9/21/08

Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata). See other dragonflies. Green Anole. See other lizards. Robber fly with prey Male Common Green Darner in flight, departing from the scene Green Anole with mysterious prey

Viceroy. Photo by Karl Gottschalk Five-lined Skink Orchard Spider Neoscona genus, perhaps

Greenville, Pitt County, NC 9/20/08

Broad-nosed Weevil (Naupactus genus). ID thanks to Eric E. Eaton. See more beetles. Another view of the distinctive schnoz on the Broad-nosed Weevil on the left! Caterpillar Hunter (Ammophila pictipennis). See more wasps. Vespid wasp (Scolia dubia) Digger wasp (Prionyx genus)

North River Park, Greenville, Pitt County, NC 9/20/08

Velvet ant, aka Cowkiller (Dasymutilla occidentalis) Variegated Fritillary

Mason Farm Biological Reserve, Orange County, NC 9/17/08

Tree Stink Bug (Brochymena genus) Glassy-winged Sharpshooter. See other leafhoppers. Appalachian Brown. See other nymphs and satyrs.

Ambush Bug Ambush Bug (close-up) Common Wood Nymph Triangulate Orb Weaver. See other spiders.

Common Buckeye caterpillar. I saw dozens of them in one field, feeding on the leaves of tall grass plants. ID thanks to Jeff Pippen.

Durham, NC 9/14/08

Springtail, about 4 mm long. See other non-insect arthropods.

Durham, NC 9/13/08

Convergent Ladybug Beetle (Hippodamia convergens) Male Sachem Least Skipper Rice Stink Bug Stink Bug (Banasa dimiata), Durham, NC, 9/14/08

Leaving a rather flat watering can on its side and turning it over every few days can produce surprising revelations of what normally goes on underground. This time I turned up part of an a Small Honey Ant (Prenolepis imparis, tribe Lasiini, subfamily Formicinae) colony. Ant larvae are unusual in that their limbs and wings are still developing (and somewhat visible), and the pupa stage in this species seems to be a brown-colored later part of the larva stage. These ants quickly returned underground afterwards.

According to the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet on the Small Honey Ant, they are basically Northern ants and can be pests in the winter when they invade homes. They aestivate (a summer version of hiberation) for one or two months during the summer in Ohio. This is the first time I have seen any.

Small Honey Ants: Adult ants walking over larvae. ID thanks to MrILoveTheAnts. Small Honey Ants. Winged ants, also walking on larvae. Small Honey Ants. You can see some brown pupae; the one on the right has adult features showing through. You can also see developing legs on the white larvae. Small Honey Ants. This has a clearer view of the nearly mature brown pupa in the upper right hand quadrant of the picture.

Katydid nymph. See other katydids, grasshoppers and stick insects.

Durham, NC 9/8/08

This Thread-legged Bug (Stenolemus lanipes, Emesinae subfamily, Reduviidae family) is a kind of assassin bug, which preys on small arthropods. This bug often stopped and quivered as it walked around. It was about 15 mm long. These photos were taken at night.

Durham, NC 9/7/08

Colorful foliage ground beetle (Lebia vittata). Genus ID thanks to Eric R. Eaton. Species ID thanks to Skip Blanchard. Weevil (Lixus genus) Katydid nymph. Immature Blue Dasher. See other dragonflies.

Tree Stink Bug (Brochymena genus) Katydid with prey Female Peachtree Borer. See other moths.

Southpoint Swamp, Durham, NC 9/5/08

Green Treefrog Female Yellow-and-black Argiope. See other spiders. Recent metamorph Blue Dasher Female Common Green Darner. This dragonfly was moving very fast until she landed high up in a tree.

Raulston Arboretum, Raleigh, NC 9/3/08

Female Eastern Amberwing Gulf Fritillary, dorsal view Same Gulf Fritillary, ventral view Silver-spotted Skipper. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk.

Monarch Scentless plant bug (Niesthrea genus, Rhopalidae family) Painted Lady, ventral view. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk American Lady, dorsal view. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk

Male Horace's Duskywing. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk Broad-shouldered water strider (Veliidae family), about 2 mm long Maybe broad-shouldered water strider nymph, about 1 mm long. It's so tiny it doesn't make an impression on the water at all! Leaffooted bug (Leptoglossus phyllopolus) Southern Broken-dash Plant bug

Durham, NC 9/1/08

Orb weaver wrapping up dragonfly prey. One wing is sticking out to the right, while the head is facing down, the abdomen (mostly obscured by one spider leg) bent back and the other wing crumpled. Same orb weaver and prey. Male Great Blue Skimmer Cicada Killer in flight

Harvester, ventral view Same Harvester, with glimpse of dorsal view Mating Blue Dashers One male Blue Dasher trying to chase another away Female Sachem

Copyright © 2008-2021 by Dorothy Pugh. All rights reserved. Please contact for rights to use photos.


Garden Spider (Neoscona crucifer)	Hawaiian Beet Webworm moth	Handsome Meadow Katydid	Least Skipper	Two-lined Froghopper


Smooth Flower Spider (Misumena vatia) with Eastern Tailed Blue prey	Another view of the Eastern Tailed Blue prey


Planthopper (Thionia bullata, Issidae family), about 4 mm long. Look at those big eyes: it definitely saw me coming! ID thanks to Andy Hamilton.


Sleepy Orange (winter form)	Cloudless Sulphur	Cloudless Sulphur	Variegated Fritillary


American Lady	Monarch	Long-tailed Skipper	Ocola Skipper


Pipevine Swallowtail	Pipevine Swallowtail	Crossline Skipper, tentative ID by Harry LeGrand, seconded by Jeff Pippen	Same Crossline Skipper	Sleepy Orange (dorsal view)


Black Saddlebags (Tramea lacerata). See other dragonflies.	Green Anole. See other lizards.	Robber fly with prey	Male Common Green Darner in flight, departing from the scene	Green Anole with mysterious prey


Viceroy. Photo by Karl Gottschalk	Five-lined Skink	Orchard Spider	Neoscona genus, perhaps


Broad-nosed Weevil (Naupactus genus). ID thanks to Eric E. Eaton. See more beetles.	Another view of the distinctive schnoz on the Broad-nosed Weevil on the left!	Caterpillar Hunter (Ammophila pictipennis). See more wasps.	Vespid wasp (Scolia dubia)	Digger wasp (Prionyx genus)


Velvet ant, aka Cowkiller (Dasymutilla occidentalis)	Variegated Fritillary


Tree Stink Bug (Brochymena genus)	Glassy-winged Sharpshooter. See other leafhoppers.	Appalachian Brown. See other nymphs and satyrs.


Ambush Bug	Ambush Bug (close-up)	Common Wood Nymph	Triangulate Orb Weaver. See other spiders.


Common Buckeye caterpillar. I saw dozens of them in one field, feeding on the leaves of tall grass plants. ID thanks to Jeff Pippen.


Springtail, about 4 mm long. See other non-insect arthropods.


Convergent Ladybug Beetle (Hippodamia convergens)	Male Sachem	Least Skipper	Rice Stink Bug	Stink Bug (Banasa dimiata), Durham, NC, 9/14/08


Small Honey Ants: Adult ants walking over larvae. ID thanks to MrILoveTheAnts.	Small Honey Ants. Winged ants, also walking on larvae.	Small Honey Ants. You can see some brown pupae; the one on the right has adult features showing through. You can also see developing legs on the white larvae.	Small Honey Ants. This has a clearer view of the nearly mature brown pupa in the upper right hand quadrant of the picture.


Katydid nymph. See other katydids, grasshoppers and stick insects.


This Thread-legged Bug (Stenolemus lanipes, Emesinae subfamily, Reduviidae family) is a kind of assassin bug, which preys on small arthropods. This bug often stopped and quivered as it walked around. It was about 15 mm long. These photos were taken at night.


Colorful foliage ground beetle (Lebia vittata). Genus ID thanks to Eric R. Eaton. Species ID thanks to Skip Blanchard.	Weevil (Lixus genus)	Katydid nymph.	Immature Blue Dasher. See other dragonflies.


Tree Stink Bug (Brochymena genus)	Katydid with prey	Female Peachtree Borer. See other moths.


Green Treefrog	Female Yellow-and-black Argiope. See other spiders.	Recent metamorph Blue Dasher	Female Common Green Darner. This dragonfly was moving very fast until she landed high up in a tree.


Female Eastern Amberwing	Gulf Fritillary, dorsal view	Same Gulf Fritillary, ventral view	Silver-spotted Skipper. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk.


Monarch	Scentless plant bug (Niesthrea genus, Rhopalidae family)	Painted Lady, ventral view. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk	American Lady, dorsal view. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk


Male Horace's Duskywing. Photo by Karl D. Gottschalk	Broad-shouldered water strider (Veliidae family), about 2 mm long	Maybe broad-shouldered water strider nymph, about 1 mm long. It's so tiny it doesn't make an impression on the water at all!	Leaffooted bug (Leptoglossus phyllopolus)	Southern Broken-dash	Plant bug


Orb weaver wrapping up dragonfly prey. One wing is sticking out to the right, while the head is facing down, the abdomen (mostly obscured by one spider leg) bent back and the other wing crumpled.	Same orb weaver and prey.	Male Great Blue Skimmer	Cicada Killer in flight


Harvester, ventral view	Same Harvester, with glimpse of dorsal view	Mating Blue Dashers	One male Blue Dasher trying to chase another away	Female Sachem