GUMO Visitor Center Arthropod Collection

Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Arthropod Species on Display in the Visitor Center
(as of Fall 2003)

Note 1: Entries that refer to specimens in the Display Case (a single drawer) are preceded by the code used in the Display Case.
Note 2: Most of the specimens displayed do not have species specific common names. Those that I know, or believe, refer only to one species are shown capitalized.

Odonata (Dragonflies and Damselflies): OD 1 - Filigree Skimmer - aquatic predator as juvenile, aerial predator as adult; OD 2 - damselfly - aquatic predator as juvenile, aerial predator as adult; OD 3 - American Rubyspot - aquatic predator as juvenile, aerial predator as adult

Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Katydids, Crickets): OR 1 - field cricket - feeds on organic matter

Blattaria (Cockroaches): BL 1 - sand cockroach - lives in wood-rat nests, males can come to lights at night

Hemiptera (True Bugs): HE 1 - Western Blood-sucking Conenose - sucks blood of vertebrate animals; HE 2 - leaf-footed bug - leaf-like extension on back legs - feeds on plant juices; HE 3 - green stink bug - feeds on plant juices; HE 4 - leaf-footed bug - back-legs flattened - feeds on plant juices; HE 5 - assassin bug - predator - sucks insect juices

Homoptera (Cicadas, Leaf & Plant Hoppers, Psyllids, Whiteflies, Aphids and Scale Insects): HO 1 & HO 2 - cicada - feeds on juices of various plants

Neuroptera (Nerve-winged Insects): NE 1 - owlfly - similar to damselfly and antlion but with butterfly-like antennae - predator; NE 2 - mantidfly / mantispid - heavy mantid-like front legs - predator; NE 3 - antlion - similar to damselfly and owlfly but with distinct but short antennae - predator; NE 4 - owlfly - similar to damselfly and antlion but with butterfly-like antennae - predator

Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths): L 1 - Two-tailed Swallowtail - hind wing "tails" - caterpillar feeds on various deciduous trees; L 2 - Glover's Silkmoth - caterpillars found on a variety of plants throughout its range; L 3 - Southern Dogface - yellow dog-like face in front wing - caterpillar feeds on legumes; L 4 - Io Moth - caterpillars reared on a variety of plants in captivity; L 5 - clear-wing moth - a hornworm juvenile, adults can be seen pollinating during the daytime; L 6 - Red Admiral - caterpillar feeds mainly on various nettles; L 7 - moth -; L 8 - ctenuchid moth - adults can be found during the daytime; L 9 - lappet moth - lappet refers to structures on the caterpillars which feed on various trees; L 10 - green moth; small case under red-barked Madrone; large display case with log and mushrooms near Visitor's Desk

Coleoptera (Beetles): C 1 - Glorious Beetle - adults feed on junipers; C 2 - black cactus longhorn - juveniles bore into cactus and adults feed on cactus; C 3 - checkered beetle - most checkered beetles are predaceous as juveniles and adults; C 4 & C 5 - scarab - iridescent green thorax with brownish front wings; C 6 - leaf beetle - ladybird (ladybug) mimic? - plant feeder; C 7 & C 8 - buprestid beetle (see also C 24) - juveniles are flat-headed borers, bore into wood; C 9 & C 10 - blister beetle (different species) - juveniles of many species feed on grasshopper eggs
- body fluids of some species contain cantharadin, a substance that can raise blisters; C 11 - carabid / ground beetle - predator; C 12 - large-clawed scarab - plant feeder; C 13 - longhorn - long antennae (i.e. the horns, both present) - juveniles are wood-borers; C 14 - net-winged beetle - looks a bit like a moth - juveniles predaceous; C 15 - rainbow scarab (female) - one of the dung beetles; C 16 - buprestid beetle - juveniles are flat-headed borers, bore into wood; C 17 - wasplike longhorn - long antenna (i.e. the horns, only one still on specimen); C 18 - scarab - shiny brown with black stripe down the middle of thorax and along wing joint; C 19 - meloid beetle - wings short and lifted up for display, abdomen shows; C 20 - Beyer's Scarab - adults feed on oaks; C 21 - carabid / ground beetle - predator; C 22 - 10-lined Giant Chafer - juveniles are white grubs that feed on tree and shrub roots; C 23 - phengodid (adult male glowworm) - short front wings so you can flight wings; C 24 - buprestid beetle (same as C 7 & C 8) - juveniles are flat-headed borers, bore into wood; C 25 - Glorious Beetle - adults feed on junipers

Diptera (Flies or True Flies): DI 1 - bottle fly - adults frequently seen feeding on fresh scat; DI 2 - mydas fly - tapered abdomen, a small section of which is orange; DI 3 - bumble bee robber fly - looks like a small bumble bee - predaceous on other insects; DI 4 - tachinid fly - broad abdomen with sparse bristly hairs - many juveniles are caterpillar parasites; DI 5 - cactus fly - juveniles feeds on decaying cactus tissue; DI 6 - soldier fly - adults usually found on flowers; DI 7 - mydas fly - tapered abdomen, much of which is orange; DI 8 - robber fly - largest fly specimen - adult feeds on other insects; DI 9 - mydas fly - tapered abdomen, much of which is orange

Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps and Ants): HY 1 - specid wasp - solitary wasp, juveniles provisioned with paralyzed arthropod prey; HY 2 - velvet ant - adult female wasp - no wings but a powerful sting, winged males are pollinators; HY 3 - carpenter bee - pollinator; HY 4 - horntail - larvae attack trees, usually old, weakened or diseased ones; HY 5 - braconid wasp - many species are valuable in the control of plant-feeding insects; HY 6 & HY 7 - sand wasp - solitary wasps, juveniles provisioned with arthropod prey; HY 8 - thread-waisted wasp - solitary wasp, juveniles feed on paralyzed prey; HY 9 - velvet ant (adult female wasp) - no wings but a powerful sting, winged males are pollinators; HY 10 - small green bee - pollinator; HY 11 - ichneumon wasp - many juveniles are parasites on wood-boring insects; HY 12 - digger wasp - provides juveniles with beetle juveniles to feed on; small case at base of cutout of Yucca elata (Soaptree Yucca)

Araneae (spiders): small case at base of cutout of Yucca elata (Soaptree Yucca)

Display Cases Along the Wall: small case at base of cutout of Yucca elata (Soaptree Yucca); small case under red-barked Madrone; large display case with log and mushrooms near Visitor's Desk

Links

Note: This is a personal web site and is not affiliated with the National Park Service or Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Contact information for the author, Ron Lyons, is accessible through the Index Page referenced below. Thank you.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park Arthropod Species on Display in the Visitor Center (as of Fall 2003)

Links

Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Arthropod Species on Display in the Visitor Center
(as of Fall 2003)