Maura Denman

Eric Duran
Head Naturalist

Twice a year, once in the Spring and once in the Fall, we try to count all of the living wild species of plants, animals, slime molds, and fungi that we can find in Russ Pitman Park, where the Nature Center is located.

This counting of species is referred to as a “BioBlitz”. It’s an important part of understanding the life at the Nature Center, and how it may be changing over time. We want to be able to answer questions about population trends, introduced non-native species, and general biodiversity.

Our staff naturalists conduct this count, along with volunteer naturalists and biologists. For many institutions, a Bio-blitz is just one day, but we have a limited staff and relatively small volunteer corps, so our bio-blitzes usually last for about 2 weeks. This month, because of busy schedules and even fewer available volunteers, we decided to make the Fall BioBlitz last for the entire month of October. We may just move to having both our Spring and Fall BioBlitzes last a full month in the future.

As a practice, we like to enter much of our observations into E-Bird and iNaturalist, so that our data is accessible to biologists around the world and through time, going forward. That way, our local data can become part of big picture scientific data.

This was a really successful Fall BioBlitz!

This year, we counted 359 total species, which was comparable to last year’s Fall Bio-blitz count of 361. This number is still more than 2020 and 2019. The relatively cooler weather this year, and lack of rain before and during the BioBlitz probably negatively impacted the species count.

As with most of the counts we do, we found a few new species for the park (at least as far as we know from records). Although the Wandering Glider is the most widespread dragonfly in the world, we had yet to add it to one of our BioBlitz lists. We were also finally able to add Black Saddlebags, another common dragonfly, as well as the common fall butterfly, the Sleepy Orange. The Fireflag Plume Moth was a totally new species for the park, as were the Black-shouldered Drone Fly, the Australian Cockroach, the Flat-faced Longhorn Beetle, and the Trainwrecker mushroom.

It usually takes 2-4 weeks to get all of the species, that we photographed, identified, so that we can compile an accurate count. As far as we know at this, time, we’ve IDed everything we can, and we are ready to present to you the final version of the Fall 2022 Bio-blitz for the Nature Discovery Center in Russ Pitman Park!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at eduran@naturediscoverycenter.org.

Thank you!

All photos by Eric Duran. CC BY-SA – Some rights reserved.

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RUSS PITMAN PARK FALL 2022 BIOBLITZ (October – 2022)

ALL SPECIES: (360)

ANIMALS: (183)

VERTEBRATES: (59)

INVERTEBRATES: (124)

FUNGI: (25)

SLIME MOLDS: (2)

PLANTS: (150)

Mammals: (4)

Gray Squirrel – Sciurus carolinensis

Fox Squirrel – Sciurus niger

Raccoon – Procyon lotor

Roof Rat – Rattus rattus

Birds: (44)

Downy Woodpecker – Picoides pubescens

Red-bellied Woodpecker – Melanerpes carolinus

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Sphyrapicus varius

Cooper’s Hawk – Accipiter cooperii

Red-tailed Hawk – Buteo jamaicensis

Broad-winged Hawk – Buteo platypterus

Turkey Vulture – Cathartes aura

Black Vulture – Coragyps atratus

Eastern Screech Owl – Megascops asio

Ruby-throated Hummingbird – Archilochus colibris

Rufous Hummingbird – Selasphorus rufus

Chimney Swift – Chaetura pelagica

White-winged Dove – Zenaida asiatica

Carolina Wren – Thryothorus ludovicianus

Northern Cardinal – Cardinalis cardinalis

Indigo Bunting – Passerina cyanea

Summer Tanager – Piranga rubra

American Crow – Corvus brachyrhynchos

Blue Jay – Cyanocitta cristata

Carolina Chickadee – Poecile carolinensis

Tufted Titmouse – Baeolophus bicolor

American Robin – Turdus migratorius

Hermit Thrush – Catharus guttatus

Blue-headed Vireo – Vireo solitarius

Philadelphia Vireo – V. philadelphicus

White-eyed Vireo – V. griseus

Black & White Warbler – Mniotilta varia

Orange-crowned Warbler – Vermivora celata

Tennessee Warbler – Leiothlypis peregrina

Nashville Warbler – L. ruficapilla

Yellow-throated Warbler – Setophaga dominica

American Redstart – Setophaga ruticilla

Black-throated Green Warbler – S. virens

Wilson’s Warbler – Cardellina pusilla

Yellow-rumped Warbler – Setophaga coronate

Pine Warbler – S. pinus

Magnolia Warbler – S.magnolia

Northern Mockingbird – Mimus polyglottus

Eastern Wood-Peewee – Contopus virens

Eastern Phoebe – Sayornis phoebe

Great Crested Flycatcher – Myiarchus crinitus

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – Polioptila caerulea

Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Regulus calendula

Golden-crowned Kinglet – R. satrapa

Reptiles: (8)

Three-toed Box Turtle – Terrapene Carolina

Red-eared Slider – Trachemys scripta elegans

Green Anole – Anolis carolinensis

Cuban Brown Anole – Anolis sagrei

Ground Skink – Scincella lateralis

Mediterranean Gecko – Hemidactylus turcicus

Rough Earth Snake – Haldea striulata

Brahminy Blind Snake – Indotyphlops braminus

Amphibians: (1)

Gulf Coast Toad – Incilius nebulifer

Bony Fish: (2)

Mosquitofish – Gambusia affinis

Tilapia – Tilapia zillii (introduced)

INVERTEBRATES (Non-insects):  (18)

Mollusks: (3)

Asian Tramp Snail – Bradybaena similaris

Globular Drop – Oligyra orbiculata

Flatcoil Snail – Polygyra sp.

Segmented Worms: (1)

Common Earthworm – Lumbricus terrestris

Arachnids: (12)

Wolf Spider – Tigrosa georgicola

Wolf spider – Tigrosa sp.

House Orbweaver – Metazygia zilloides

Common Orbweaver – Mangora sp.

Common House Spider – Parasteatoda tepidariorum

Spinybacked Orbweaver – Gasteracantha cancriformis

South American Hacklemesh Spider – Metaltella simony

Long-jawed Orbweaver – Tetragnatha sp.

Yellow Garden Spider – Argiope aurantia

Orchard Orbweaver – Leucage sp.

Funnel Weaver – Barronopsis sp.

Brown Widow – Lactrodectus geometricus

Crustaceans: (2)

Comm. Striped Woodlouse – Philoscia muscorum

Common Pillbug – Armadillidium vulgare

INSECTS/Hexapods: (106)

Dragonflies and Damselflies: (9)

Roseate Skimmer – Orthemis ferruginea

Great Blue Skimmer – Libellula vibrans

Wandering Glider – Pantala flavascens

Neon Skimmer – Libellula corceipennis

Blue Dasher – Pachydiplax longipennis

Slough Amberwing – Perithemis domitia

Black Saddlebags –  Tramea lacerata

Band-winged Dragonlet – Erythrodiplax umbrata

Citrine Forktail – Ischnura hastata

Caddisflies: (1)

Net-spinning Caddisfly – Hydropsychinae

Butterflies and Moths: (33)

Monarch – Danaus plexipus

Common Buckeye – Junonia coenia

Tawny Emperor – Asterocampa clyton

Spicebush Swallowtail – Papilio troilus

Eastern Giant Swallowtail – Papilio cresphontes

American Black Swallowtail – Papilio polyxenes

Gulf Fritillary – Agraulis vanilla

Horace’s Duskywing – Erynnis horatius

Clouded Skipper – Lerema accius

Ocola Skipper – Panoquina ocola

Fiery Skipper – Hylephila phyleus

Dorantes Longtail – Thorybes dorantes

Cloudless Sulphur – Phoebis sennae

Little Yellow – Pyrisitia lisa

Sleepy Orange – Abaeis nicippe

Texan Crescent – Anthanassa texana

Pearl Crescent – Phyciodes tharos

Gray Hairstreak – Strymon melinus

Abbot’s Bagworm Moth – Oiketicus abbotii

Southern Flannel Moth – Megalopyge opercularis

Indian Meal Moth – Plodia interpunctella

Feather-edged Petrophila – Petrophila fulicalis

Curve-horned Moth – Gelechioidea

Dusky Herpetogramma Moth – Herpetogramma phaeopteralis

Pannaria Wave – Leptostales pannaria

Assembly Moth – Samea catellalis

Genista Broom Moth – Uresiphita reversalis

Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth – Spoladea recurvalis

Spotted Beet Webworm Moth – Hymenia perspectalis

Greater Wax Moth – Galleria mellonella

Celery Leaftier Moth – Udea rubigalis

Green Cloverworm Moth – Hypena scabra

Moonseed Moth – Plusiodonta compressipalpis

Angle Moth – Rindgea nigricomma

Wedgeling Moth – Galgula partita

Lesser Cornstalk Borer Moth – Elasmopalpus lignosella

Pecan Borer Moth – Gretchena bolliana

Cobbler Moth – Condica sutor

Soybean Looper Moth – Chrysodeixis includes

Wainscot Green Veneer – Eoreuma densellus

Erebinae (caterpillar)

Unicorn Prominent – Coelodasys unicornis

White-speck Moth – Mythimna unipunctata

Dot-lined Angle – Pasamatodes abydata

Eggplant Leafroller Moth – Lineodes integra

Green Cutworm Moth – Anicla infecta

Black-shaded Platynota Moth – Platynota flavedana

American Idea Moth – Idea americalis

Milky Argyria Moth – Argyria lacteella

Fire-flag Plume Moth – Sphenarches anisodactylus

Bicolored Ecdytolopha Moth – Ecdytolopha mana

Flies: (14)

Goldenrod Gall Fly – Erosta solidaginis

Hackberry Aciculate Gall Midge – Celticecis aciculate

Hackberry Globular Leaf Gall Midge – Celticecis globosa

Long-legged fly – Condylostylus sp.

Oriental Latrine Fly – Chrysomya megacephala

Leaf-miner Fly – family Agromyzidae

Dusky-winged Hoverfly – Ocyptamus fuscipennis

Black-shouldered Drone Fly – Eristalis dimidiata

Calligrapher Fly – Toxomerus sp.

Narrow-headed Marsh Fly – Heliophilus fasciatus

Non-biting Midge – Chironomus sp.

Common Flesh Fly – Sarcophaga sp.

Crane Fly – Tipuloidaea

Beefly – Bombyliidae

Bees, Wasps, Sawflies, Ants: (23)

Eastern Carpenter Bee – ‎Xylocopa virginica

Southern Carpenter Bee – Xylocopa micans

Horsefly-like Carpenter Bee – Xylocopa tabaniformis

Western Honeybee – Apis mellifera

Leafcutter Bee – Megachile sp.

Carpenter Mimic Leafcutter Bee – Megachile xylocopoides

American Bumblebee – Bombus pensylvanicus

Small black sweat bee – Halictidae

Metallic Epauletted Sweat Bee – Augochloropsis metallica

Carpenter Ant – Camponotus sp. – subgenus Myrmentoma

Black Crazy Ant – Paratrechina longicornis

Graceful Twig Ant – Pseudomyrmex gracilis

Red Imported Fire Ant – Solenopsis invicta

Metric Paper Wasp – Polistes metricus

Southern Live Oak Stem Gall Wasp – Callirhytis quercusbatatoides

Braconid Wasp – Atanycolus sp.

Red-marked Pachodynerus – Pachodynerus erynnis

Yellow-legged Mud Dauber – Sceliphron caementarium

Spider Wasp – Pompilini

Feather-legged Scoliid Wasp – Dielis plumipes

Gold-marked Thread-wasted Wasp – Eremnophila aureonotata

Blue-eyed Ensign Wasp – Evania appendigaster

Weevil Wasp – Cerceris sp.

Beetles: (7)

Asian Ladybird Beetle – Harmonia axyridis

Ground Beetle – Notiobia terminata

June Beetle – Phyllophaga sp.

Ground Beetle – Agonum sp.

Drugstore Beetle – Stegiobium paniceum

Flat-faced Longhorn Beetle – Ataxia crypta

Red-shouldered Bostrichid – Xylobiops basilaris

True Bugs: (8)

Hackberry Petiole Gall Psyllid – Pachypsylla venusta

Scissor-grinder Cicada – Neotibicen pruinosi

Giant Leaf-footed Bug – Acanthocephala declivis

Eastern Leaf-footed Bug – Leptoglossus phyllopus

Ambush Bug – Phymata fasciata

Brokenback Bug – Taylorilygus apicalis

Jewel Bug – Orsilochides stictica

Planthopper – Cyarda sp.

Coppery Leafhopper – Jikradia olitoria

Cockroaches: (5)

Suriname Roach – Pycnoscelus surinamensis

American Cockroach – Periplaneta americana

Asian Cockroach – Blatella asahinai

Smoky Brown Cockroach – Periplaneta fuliginosa

Australian Cockroach – Periplaneta australasiae

Termites: (1)

Eastern Subterranean Termite – Reticulitermes flavipes

Earwigs: (1)

Yellow-legged earwig – Euborellia arcanum

Lacewings: (3)

Brown Lacewing – Micromus subanticus

Brown Lacewing – Hemerobiinae

Green Lacewing – Chrysopa quadripunctata

SLIME MOLD: (2)

Dog Vomit Slime Mold – Fuligo septica

Chocolate Tube Slime – Stemonitis splendens

FUNGI: (25)

Hairy Hexagonia – Hexagonia hydnoides

False Turkey Tail – Stereum ostrea

Southern Clamshell – Fomes fasciatus

Crowded Parchment Fungus – Stereum complicatum

Bracket Fungus – Ganoderma sessile

Bracket Fungus – Trametes lactinea

Oak Bracket – Pseudoinonotus dryadeus

Turkey Tail Fungus – Trametes versicolor

Mustard Yellow Polypore – Fuscoparia gilva

Hypoxylon Canker – Biscogniauxia atropunctata

Common Tarcrust – Diatrype stigma

Ceramic Parchment fungus – Xylobolus frustulatus

Firerug Inkcap – Coprinellus sect. Disseminati

Splitgill Mushroom – Schizophyllum commune

Honeycomb Bracket fungus – Favolus brasiliensis

Green-spored Parasol – Chlorophyllum molybdites

Wood Ear Fungus – Auricularia sp.

Deer Mushroom – Pluteus cervinus

Trainwrecker – Neolentinus lepideus

Pore lichen – Pertusaria sp.

Graffiti Lichen – Graphis sp.

Common Greenshield Lichen – Flavoparmelia caperata

Eastern Speckled Shield Lichen – Punctelia bolliana

Whitewash Lichen – Phlyctis argena

Cartilage Lichen – Ramalina complanata

PLANTS: (150)

There are of course way more than ___ plants in Russ Pitman Park.

The Nature Discovery Center, however, already has a rather voluminous and exhaustive plant list for the park. Thus, the naturalists who participated in the first Bio-blitz did not attempt to document all or even most of the plants in the park. Participants simply noted plants they found interesting, observed fruiting or blooming, or thought may not already be on the official park list of plants.

During future Bio-blitzes, we will invite plant specialists to help us survey more systematically, for a more thorough accounting of plants present in the park.

Mosses: (1)

Unidentified moss sp.

Ferns: (3)

Resurrection Fern – Pleopeltis michauxiana

Japanese Climbing Fern – Lygodium japonicum

Southern Wood Fern – Dryopteris ludoviciana

Palms: (2)

Dwarf Palmetto – Sabal minor

Mexican Fan Palm – Washingtonia robusta

Grasses/Sedges/Rushes: (14)

Indiangrass – Sorghastrum nutans

Switch Grass – Panicum virgatum

Gulf Muhly – Muhlenbergia capillaris

Eastern Gamagrass – Tripsacum dactyloides

Basketgrass – Oplismenus hirtellus

Wood Oats (Inland Sea Oats) – Chasmanthium latifolium

Southeastern Wildrye – Elymus glabriflorus

Bermuda Grass – Cynodon dactylon

Big Bluestem – Andropogon gerardi

Hairy Crabgrass – Digitaria sanguinalis

Umbrella Papyrus – Cyperus involucratus

Cherokee Sedge – Carex cherokeensis

True sedge – Carex sp.

Deep-rooted Sedge – Cyperus enterianus

Broadleaf Plants: (130)

Mexican Plum – Prunus mexicanus

Boxelder Maple – Acer negundo

Red Maple – Acer rubrum

Southern Sugar Maple – Acer floridanum

American Sycamore – Platanus occidentalis

American Sweetgum – Liquidambar occidentalis

Chinese Privet – Ligustrum sinense

Tree Privet – Ligustrum lucidum

Ornamental Pear – Pyrus sp.

Black Willow – Salix nigra

Gum Bumelia – Sideroxylon langunosum

River Birch – Betula nigra

Sweetbay Magnolia – Magnolia virginiana

Southern Magnolia – Magnolia grandiflora

Sugar Hackberry – Celtis laevigata

Green Ash – Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Red Mulberry – Morus rubra

Chinese Mulberry – Morus alba

Shummard Red Oak – Quercus shumardii

Southern Live Oak – Quercus virginiana

Loquat-leaf Oak – Quercus rysophylla

Bur Oak – Quercus macrocarpa

Swamp Chestnut Oak – Quercus michauxii

Live Oak – Quercus virginiana

Willow Oak – Quercus phellos

Water Oak – Quercus nigra

Bald Cypress – Taxodium distichum

Loblolly Pine – Pinus taeda

Spruce Pine – Pinus glabra

Roughleaf Dogwood – Cornus drummondii

Eastern Redbud – Cercis canadensis

Carolina Laurelcherry – Prunus caronliniana

American Hornbeam – Carpinus caroliniana

Mexican Buckeye – Ungnadia speciosa

Osage Orange – Maclura pomifera

Orchid Tree – Bauhinia variegata

Shining Sumac – Rhus copallinum

Pecan – Carya illinoinensis

American Elm – Ulmus americana

Cedar Elm – Ulmus crassifolia

Northern Catalpa – Catalpa speciose

Chinese Raintree – Koelrueteria elegans

American Basswood – Tilia Americana

Camphor Tree – Cinnamomum camphora

Coralberry – Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

False Indigo – Amorpha fruticosa

Senna sp.

Parsley Hawthorn – Crataegus marshallii

Yaupon Holly – Ilex vomitoria

Chinese Holly – Ilex cornuta

Possumhaw Holly – Ilex decidua

American Black Elderberry – Sambucus canadensis

Southern Arrowwood – Viburnum dentatum

Buttonbush – Cephalanthus occidentalis

American Beautyberry – Callicarpa americana

Heavenly Bamboo – Nandina domestica

Common Lantana – Lantana camara

Texas Lantana – Lantana x urticoides

Groundsel Tree – Baccharis halimifolia

Redbay – Persea borbonia

Straggler Daisy – Calyptocarpus vialis

Texas Frogfruit – Phyla nodiflora

Yard Aster – Symphotrichum divaricatum

Panicled Aster – Symphotrichum lanceolatum

False Daisy – Eclipta prostrata

Blue Mistflower – Conoclinium coelestinum

Tall Goldenrod – Solidago altissima

Seaside Goldenrod – Solidago sempervirens

Giant Goldenrod – Solidago canadensis

Narrowleaf Sunflower – Helianthus angustifolius

Camphorweed – Pluchea camphorata

Opposite-leaf Spotflower – Acmella repens

Spiny Chloracantha – Chloracantha spinosa

Cuban Jute – Sida rhombifolia

Illinois Bundleflower – Desmanthus illinoensis

Chamberbitter – Phyllanthus urinaria

Leafy Elephant’s-foot – Elephantopus carolinianus

Frostweed – Verbesina virginica

Missouri Ironweed – Vernonia missurica

Mexican Primrose-willow – Ludwigia octovalvis

Three-seeded Mercury – Acalypha sp.

Lizard’s Tail – Saururus cernuus

Obedient Plant – Physostegia virginiana

Brazos Penstemon – Penstemon tenuis

Hairy Crabweed – Fatoua villosa

Pickerelweed – Pontederia cordata

Rattlesnake Master – Eryngium yuccifolium

Cast Iron Plant – Aspidistra elatior

Monkey grass – Liriope sp.

Mexican Shrimp Plant – Justicia brandegeeana

Mexican Ruellia – Ruellia simplex

Wild Petunia – Ruellia caerula

Wedelia – Sphagneticola calendulacea

Turk’s Cap – Malvaviscus arboreus

Whitemouth Dayflower – Commelina erecta

Scarlet Sage – Salvia coccinea

Giant Blue Sage – Salvia azurea

Ball Moss – Tillandsia recurvata

Late Boneset – Eupatorium serotinum

Eastern False Aloe – Manfreda virginica

Narrowleaf Sunflower – Helianthus angustifolius

White Clover – Trifolium repens

Alligatorweed – Alternathera philoxeroides

Swamp Criunum – Crinum sp.

Spotted Spurge – Euphorbia maculata

Painted Spurge – Euphorbia heterophylla

Mock Strawberry – Potentilla indica

Peruvian Lily – Alstroemeria aurea

Tahitian Bridalveil – Gibasis pellucida

Blue Violet – Viola sororia

Shrubby Boneset – Ageratina havanensis

Pitcher’s Leatherflower – Clematis pitcher

Swamp Leatherflower – Clematis crispa

Mugwort – Artemisia sp.

Climbing Hempvine – Mikania scandens

Tievine – Ipomoea cordatotriloba

Saltmarsh Morning-glory – Ipomoea sagittata

Mustang Grape – Vitis mustangensis

Muscadine Grape – Vitis rotundifolia

American Trumpetvine – Campsis radicans

Carolina Snailseed – Cocculus carolinus

Virginia Creeper – Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Poison Ivy – Toxicodendron redicans

Japanese Honeysuckle – Lonicera japonica

Saw Greenbriar – Smilax bona-nox

Cross Vine – Bignonia capreolata

Blackberry/Dewberry – Rubus sp.

Scarlet Creeper – Ipomoea hederifolia

Pepper Vine – Ampelopsis arborea

Catclaw Vine – Dolichandra unguis-cati