INSECTS
Mariposa de hocico americano
La mariposa hocicona americana (Libytheana bachmanii) recibe su nombre de sus partes bucales alargadas que, efectivamente, se asemejan a un hocico. Estos insectos disfrutan alimentándose del néctar de las flores de la vara de oro, el áster y el cornejo, entre muchas otras. Suelen habitar en campos llenos de maleza, claros de bosques y bordes de caminos. Cuando son orugas, estas mariposas son de color verde oscuro, pero cuando alcanzan la madurez conservan las alas con un patrón naranja y blanco y un sombreado general negro/marrón.
Aunque esta criatura es nativa del sur y el suroeste, se incluye en la ecología del Parque Pease debido a sus esporádicas migraciones masivas que pasan por el Parque Pease y gran parte de Austin. Se cree que los auges poblacionales de las mariposas hocicudas americanas están correlacionados con las lluvias intensas que siguen a periodos prolongados de sequía. Esto se debe, en parte, a la abundante floración de los árboles de almez que son parte integrante de esta especie de insecto. Las hojas del almez proporcionan un lugar para depositar los huevos y, a continuación, el alimento esencial para el desarrollo de las orugas.
Salt Marsh Caterpillar and Salt Marsh Moth
These densely-haired “woolly bear” caterpillars turn into moderate-sized moths with spotting on the wings. The larvae feed on leaves from a wide variety of plants, both woody and nonwoody. When young, the caterpillars are gregarious (feed in groups). As they grow larger, they travel across the ground to find more food.
Robber Fly (Efferia aestuans)
Robber Flies have stout, spiny legs, a dense moustache of bristles on the face, and three simple eyes between their two large compound eyes.
They have a short, strong proboscis used to stab and inject victims with saliva containing neurotoxic and proteolytic enzymes that paralyze and digest the insides. Then, the fly sucks the liquefied meal out of its prey (smaller insects).
Red Admiral
The Red Admiral butterfly has a distribution that covers North and South America, Europe, and Asia! These are the most commonly seen butterfly in urban landscapes because of their many host plants - more than 50 different plant genera.
Male Red Admirals are highly territorial so they are often seen chasing each other from their roosting spots.
Butterflies that live in more northern latitudes migrate to Southern states, like Texas, to avoid a loss of food resources in the winter.
White-lined Sphinx
This moth feeds on the nectar of a variety of flowers. With wings 3 inches wide, this moth is often mistaken for a hummingbird. And similarly, they use a proboscis (straw) to slurp up the nectar.
Gray Hairstreak
This moth feeds on many flower species and are dispersed throughout the continental United States. This one is enjoying the nectar from a Bluebonnet at Pease Park.
