science

by Eric Duran, Head Naturalist

eduran@naturediscoverycenter.org

Twice a year, the Nature Discovery Center has a BioBlitz, one in the Spring, and one in the Fall.

A bioblitz is a chance for an organization to count as many species of living things as they possibly can in a given area.

This helps us keep an eye on how populations of plants, fungi, animals, and slime molds are doing in our park (Russ Pitman Park) from year to year, as well as how living things may be faring in the Houston area. We’ll be able to understand long term trends as the years go on, and we continue to do them, as well.

A bioblitz is also a chance for our staff to better understand what’s living here in the park, and keep a detailed list of everything that may be living here (and is observable). For our naturalists and staff, its also a lot of fun!

This year’s Fall 2020 BioBlitz, just ended, and we’re happy to report the count here.

The final list is compiled, and the numbers are counted. This year we set the dates to 10/9 – 10/26, giving us a little over 2 weeks, because we had very little help with observations this year (Covid-19 being the reason).

I did most of the species observations this year, but we got help from retired Senior Naturalist Mary Ann Beauchemin, Mary Spolyar from the Native Plant Society and the Gulf Coast Master Naturalists, Office Manager Pam Dunker, naturalist and teacher Debbie Lancaster, and our community of resident birdwatchers.

This year, we counted 340 species over all, which broke down like this…

ANIMALS: (139 species)

VERTEBRATES: (50 species)

INVERTEBRATES: (89 species)

FUNGI: (36 species)

SLIME MOLDS: (1 species)

PLANTS: (164 species)

There’s nothing new and exciting to report this year, but we had a very good bird list for a Fall Bioblitz, and we identified a few small insects that hadn’t been listed in the park before. We ended up having a good insect and invertebrate count, because of the warm weather. Overall, we were up from last year’s Fall Bioblitz (our first Fall Bioblitz, as a matter of fact). We had several people helping us last year, but we actually got a higher number of species! (Last year we only had 281 species.)

Let’s hope that covid is more under control for the Spring Bioblitz 2021, which will be sometime in mid-late April.

If you have any questions about the list, or our BioBlitzes, please contact me, Head Naturalist, Eric Duran at eduran@naturediscoverycenter.org.

Okay, so, here’s the list:

RUSS PITMAN PARK FALL 2020 BIOBLITZ (10/9 – 10/26)

ALL SPECIES: (340)

ANIMALS: (139)

VERTEBRATES: (50)

INVERTEBRATES: (89)

FUNGI: (36)

SLIME MOLDS: (1)

PLANTS: (164)

ANIMALS: 139 Species

Mammals: (3)

Gray Squirrel – Sciurus carolinensis

Fox Squirrel – Sciurus niger

Black Rat – Rattus rattus

Birds: (38)

Downy Woodpecker – Picoides pubescens

Cooper’s Hawk – Accipiter cooperii

Chimney Swift – Chaetura pelagica

Northern Cardinal – Cardinalis cardinalis

Blue Jay – Cyanocitta cristata

Red-bellied Woodpecker – Melanerpes carolinus

Eastern Screech Owl – Megascops asio

White-winged Dove – Zenaida asiatica

Carolina Chickadee – Poecile carolinensis

American Robin – Turdus migratorius

Ovenbird – Seiurus aurocapilla

Black-bellied Whistling Duck – Dendrocygna autumnalis

Carolina Wren – Thryothorus ludovicianus

American Crow – Corvus brachyrhynchos

Great Horned Owl – Bubo virginianus

Red-shouldered Hawk – Buteo lineatus

Ruby-throated Hummingbird – Archilochus colibris

American Redstart – Setophaga ruticilla

Gray Catbird – Dumetella carolinensis

Empid flycatcher – family Empidae

Northern Mockingbird – Mimus polyglottus

Eastern Wood-Peewee – Contopus virens

House Finch – Haemorhous mexicanus

Red-tailed Hawk – Buteo jamaicensis

Nashville Warbler – Leiothlypis ruficapilla

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – Polioptila caerulea

White-eyed Vireo – Vireo griseus

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Sphyrapicus varius

Magnolia Warbler – Setophaga magnolia

Swainson’s Thrush – Catharus ustulatus

Black & White Warbler – Mniotilta varia

Wood Thrush – Hylocichla mustelina

Philadelphia Vireo – Vireo philadelphicus

Blue-headed Vireo – Vireo solitarius

Summer Tanager – Piranga rubra

Yellow-rumped Warbler – Setophaga coronata

Black-throated Green Warbler – Setophaga virens

Black Vulture – Coragyps atratus

Reptiles: (6)

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

Rough Earth Snake – Haldea striulata

Amphibians: (2)

Gulf Coast Toad – Incilius nebulifer

Rio Grande Chirping Frog – Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides

Bony Fish: (1)

Mosquitofish – Gambusia affinis

INVERTEBRATES (Non-insects):  (17)

Mollusks: (3)

Asian Tramp Snail – Bradybaena similaris

Globular Drop – Oligyra orbiculata

Dome Snail – Ventridens sp.

Segmented Worms: (1)

Common Earthworm – Lumbricus terrestris

Flatworms: (1)

Chinese Hammerhead Planarian – Bipalium kewense

Arachnids: (8)

Wolf Spider – family Lycosidae

House Orbweaver – Metazygia sp.

Spinybacked Orbweaver – Gasteracantha cancriformis

Bifurcate Trashline Orbweaver – Allocyclosa bifurca

Tangleweb Spider – Theridion sp.

South American Hacklemesh Spider – Metaltella simony

Twin-flagged Jumping Spider – Anasaitis canosa

American House Spider – Parasteatoda tepidariorum

Crustaceans: (4)

Comm. Striped Woodlouse – Philoscia muscorum

Lawn Shrimp (Amphipod/hopper) – Talitridae

Common Pillbug – Armadillidium vulgare

Powder Blue Isopod – Porcellionides pruinosis

INSECTS/Hexapods: (72)

Springtails: (1)

Elongate-bodied Springtail – Salina banksi

Dragonflies: (1)

Band-winged Dragonlet – Erythrodiplax umbrata

Butterflies and Moths: (19)

Monarch – Danaus plexipus

Spicebush Swallowtail – Papilio troilus

Gulf Fritillary – Agraulis vanilla

Horace’s Duskywing – Erynnis horatius

Cloudless Sulphur – Phoebis sennae

Tawny Emperor – Asterocampa clyton

Ocola Skipper – Panoquina ocola

Dun Skipper – Euphyes vestris

Clouded Skipper – Lerema accius

Common Buckeye – Junonia coenia

Painted Lady – Vanessa cardui

Bagworm moth – Psychidae

Southern Flannel Moth – Megalopyge opercularis

Fall Webworm Moth – Hyphantria cunea

Indian Meal Moth – Plodia interpunctella

Grass Moths – family Crambidae

Yellow-collared Scapemoth – Cisseps fulvicollis

Velvetbean Caterpillar Moth – Anticarsia gemmatalis

Southern Beet Webworm – Herpetogramma bipunctalis

Flies: (10)

Secondary Screwworm Fly – Cochliomyia macellaria

Goldenrod Gall Fly – Erosta solidaginis

Long-legged Fly – Condylostylus patibulatus

Long-legged fly – Condylostylus sp.

Asian Tiger Mosquito – Aedes albopicta

Oriental Latrine Fly – Chrysomya megacephala

Leaf-miner Fly – family Agromyzidae

Hoverfly – family Syrphidae

Dusky-winged Hoverfly – Ocyptamus fuscipennis

Grass Fly – Thaumatomyia sp.

Bees, Wasps, Sawflies, Ants: (20)

Eastern Carpenter Bee – ‎Xylocopa virginica

Southern Carpenter Bee – Xylocopa micans

Strand’s Carpenter bee – Xylocopa strandi

Western Honeybee – Apis mellifera

Carpenter Mimic Leafcutter Bee – Megachile xylocopoides

Carpenter Mimic Cuckoo Leafcutter Bee – Coelioxys dolichos

American Bumblebee – Bombus pensylvanicus

Carpenter Ant – Camponotus sp.

Black Crazy Ant – Paratrechina longicornis

Graceful Twig Ant – Pseudomyrmex gracilis

Paper wasp – Polistes dorsalis

Dark paper Wasp – Polistes fuscatus

Metric Paper Wasp – Polistes metricus

Yellow-legged Mud Duaber Wasp – Sceliphron caementarium

Four-toothed Mason Wasp – Monobia quadridens

Tarantual Hawk Wasp – Calopompilus maculipennis

Thread Wasted Sand Wasp – Ammophila sp.

Black Ichneumon Spiderhunter – subfamily Ichneumoninae

Gall Wasp – Andricus sp.

Southern Live Oak Stem Gall Wasp – Callirhytis quercusbatatoides

Beetles: (8)

Click Beetle – family Elateridae

Asian Ladybird Beetle – Harmonia axyridis

Ground Beetle – Carabidae

June Beetle – Phyllophaga sp.

Diaprepes Root Weevil – Diaprepes abbreviates

Metallic Flea Beetle – Altica sp.

Common Green June Beetle – Cotinis nitida

Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle – Libidomera clivicollis

True Bugs: (3)

Aphids – family Aphididae

Hackberry Petiole Gall Psyllid – Pachypsylla venusta

Scissor-grinder Cicada – Neotibicen pruinosis

Cockroaches: (4)

Suriname Roach – Pycnoscelus surinamensis

American Cockroach – Periplaneta americana

Cockroach – Blatella sp.

Smoky Brown Cockroach – Periplaneta fuliginosa

Termites: (1)

Eastern Subterranean Termite – Reticulitermes flavipes

Earwigs: (1)

Yellow-legged earwig – Euborellia arcanum

Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids: (1)

Great Anglewing Katydid – Microcentrum rhombifolium

Lacewings: (2)

Brown Lacewing – family Hemerobiidae

Green Lacewing – Chrysopidae

Bark Lice: (1)

Tree Cattle – Cerastipsocus venosus

SLIME MOLD: (1)

Carnival Candy Slime Mold – Arcyria denudata

FUNGI: (36)

Hairy Hexagonia – Hexagonia hydnoides

False Turkey Tail – Stereum ostrea

Bracket Fungus – Ganoderma sessile

Bracket Fungus – Trametes lactinea

Hoof Fungus – Fomes fomentarius

Mustard Yellow Polypore – Fuscoparia gilva

Firerug Inkcap – Coprinellus domesticus

Turkey Tail Fungus – Trametes versicolor

Common Tarcrust – Diatrype stigma

Ceramic Parchment fungus – Xylobolus frustulatus

Splitgill Mushroom – Schizophyllum commune

Crowded Parchment Fungus – Stereum complicatum

Oak Bracket – Pseudoinonotus dryadeus

Honeycomb Bracket fungus – Favolus sp.

Trametes cubensis

Dyer’s Polypore – Phaeolus schweinitzii

Reddening Lepiota – Leucogaricus americanus

Bonnet Mushrooms – Mycena sp.

Pseudosperma rimosum

Trichoderma sp.

Red Russula – Russula sp.

Family Stophariaceae

Common Browncup – Phylloscypha phyllogena

Pore lichen – Pertusaria sp.

Rough-speckled Shield Lichen – Punctelia rudecta

Powdered Ruffle Lichen – Parmotrema hypotropum

Common Greenshield Lichen – Flavoparmelia caperata

Common Script Lichen – Graphis scripta

Whitewash Lichen – Phlyctis argena

Plyctis sp.

Sinewed Bushy Lichen – Ramalina americana

Viridothelium virens

Farinose Cartilage Lichen – Ramalina farinacea

Perforated Ruffle Lichen – Parmotrema perforatum

Mealy Rim Lichen – Lecanora strobilina

Hoary Rosete Lichen – Physcia aipolia

PLANTS: (164)

There are of course way more than this number of 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 participate in our Bio-blitz do 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.

Mosses: (2)

Unidentified moss sp.

Unidentified moss #2

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 –

Grasses/Sedges/Rushes: (16)

Indiangrass – Sorghastrum nutans

Eastern Gamagrass – Tripsacum dactyloides

Basketgrass – Oplismenus hirtellus

Virginia Wildrye – Elymus virginicus

Switchgrass – Panicum virgatum

Wood Oats (Inland Sea Oats) – Chasmanthium latifolium

Florida Paspalum – Paspalum floridanum

Bermuda Grass – Cynodon dactylon

Marsh Bristlegrass – Setaria parviflora

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

Shortleaf Spike Sedge – Cyperus brevifolius

Broadleaf Plants: (141)

Mexican Plum – Prunus mexicanus

Boxelder Maple – Acer negundo

Red Maple – Acer rubrum

Black Willow – Salix nigra

Gum Bumelia – Sideroxylon langunosum

Coralberry – Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

River Birch – Betula nigra

Sweetbay Magnolia – Magnolia virginiana

False Indigo – Amorpha fruticose

Mulberry – Morus sp.

Senna sp.

Parsley Hawthorn – Crataegus marshallii

Shummard Red Oak – Quercus shumardii

Loblolly Pine – Pinus taeda

Yaupon Holly – Ilex vomitoria

American Black Elderberry – Sambucus canadensis

Southern Magnolia – Magnolia grandiflora

Sugarberry – Celtis laevigata

Green Ash – Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Southern Arrowwood – Viburnum dentatum

Southern Live Oak – Quercus virginiana

Buttonbush – Cephalanthus occidentalis

Chinese Holly – Ilex cornuta

Roughleaf Dogwood – Cornus drummondii

Eastern Redbud – Cercis canadensis

Carolina Laurelcherry – Prunus caronliniana

Loquat-leaf Oak – Quercus rysophylla

Bur Oak – Quercus macrocarpa

Bald Cypress – Taxodium distichum

Common Lantana – Lantana camara

Texas Lantana – Lantana x urticoides

American Beautyberry – Callicarpa americana

American Hornbeam – Carpinus caroliniana

Mexican Buckeye – Ungnadia speciosa

Osage Orange – Maclura pomifera

Possumhaw – Ilex decidua

Orchid Tree – Bauhinia variegata

Shining Sumac – Rhus copallinum

Pecan – Carya illinoinensis

American Elm – Ulmus americana

Groundsel Bush – Baccharis halimifolia

Southern Sugar Maple – Acer floridanum

Swamp Chestnut Oak – Quercus michauxii

American Sycamore – Platanus occidentalis

American Sweetgum – Liquidambar occidentalis

Chinese Privet – Ligustrum sinense

Ornamental Pear – Pyrus sp.

Tree Privet – Ligustrum lucidum

Willow Oak – Quercus phellos

Common Gardenia – Gardenia jasminoides

Cedar Elm – Ulmus crassifolia

Water Oak – Quercus nigra

Northern Catalpa – Catalpa speciose

Chinese Raintree – Koelrueteria elegans

American Basswood – Tilia Americana

Camphor Tree – Cinnamomum camphora

Straggler Daisy – Calyptocarpus vialis

Frogfruit – Phyla sp.

Yard Aster – Symphotrichum divaricatum

Blue Mistflower – Conoclinium coelestinum

Climbing Hempvine – Mikania scandens

Tall Goldenrod – Solidago altissima

Seaside Goldenrod – Solidago sempervirens

Giant Goldenrod – Solidago canadensis

Tievine – Ipomoea cordatotriloba

Narrowleaf Sunflower – Helianthus angustifolius

Camphorweed – Pluchea camphorata

Opposite-leaf Spotflower – Acmella repens

Spiny Chloracantha – Chloracantha spinosa

Cuban Jute – Sida rhombifolia

Chamberbitter – Phyllanthus urinaria

Leafy Elephant’s-foot – Elephantopus carolinianus

Frostweed – Verbesina virginica

Missouri Ironweed – Vernonia missurica

Mexican Primrose-willow – Ludwigia octovalvis

Three-lobed False Mallow – Malvastrum coromandelianum

Three-seeded Mercury – Acalypha sp.

Lizard’s Tail – Saururus cernuus

Buttonweed – Diodia virginiana

Obedient Plant – Physostegia virginiana

Mustang Grape – Vitis mustangensis

Muscadine Grape – Vitis rotundifolia

Brazos Pensemon – Penstemon tenuis

American Trumpetvine – Campsis radicans

Carolina Snailseed – Cocculus carolinus

Catclaw Vine – Dolichandra unguis-cati

Hairy Crabweed – Fatoua villosa

Pickerelweed – Pontederia cordata

Rattlesnake Master – Eryngium yuccifolium

Cast Iron Plant – Aspidistra elatior

Monkey grass – Lirope sp.

Shrimp Plant – Justicia brandegeeana

Mexican Ruellia – Ruellia simplex

Heavenly Bamboo – Nandina domestica

Wedelia – Sphagneticola calendulacea

Turk’s Cap – Malvaviscus arboreus

Whitemouth Dayflower – Commelina erecta

Wild Petunia – Ruellia caerula

Poison Ivy – Toxicodendron redicans

Scarlet Sage – Salvia coccinea

Virginia Creeper – Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Ball Moss – Tillandsia recurvata

Japanese Honeysuckle – Lonicera japonica

Late Boneset – Eupatorium serotinum

Saw green Briar – Smilax bona-nox

Cross Vine – Bignonia capreolata

Eastern False Aloe – Manfreda virginica

Western Ragweed – Ambrosia psilostachya

Maximillian Sunflower – Helianthus maximiliani

Tickseed Beggar’s Ticks – Bidens aristosa

Downy Lobelia – Lobelia puberula

Pepper Vine – Ampelopsis arborea

Giant Ragweed – Ambrosia trifida

Scarlet Creeper – Ipomoea hederifolia

Crow Poison – Nothoscordum bivalve

White Clover – Trifolium repens

Bladder Pod – Sesbania vesicaria

Alligatorweed – Alternathera philoxeroides

Swamp Criunum – Crinum sp.

False Daisy – Eclipta prostrata

Carolina Crane’s-bill – Geranium carolinianum

Spotted Spurge – Euphorbia maculata

Graceful Spurge – Euphorbia hypericifolia

Painted Spurge – Euphorbia heterophylla

Wisteria – Wisteria sp.

Oriental False Hawk’sbeard – Youngia japonica

Sensitive Plants – Mimosa strigillosa.

American Hog Peanut – Amphicarpaea bracteata

Greater Plantain – Plantago major

Broad-leaved Dock – Rumex obtusifolius

Mock Strawberry – Potentilla indica

Carolina Ponysfoot – Dichondra carolinensis

Southern Dewberry – Rubus trivialis

Pennsylvania Blackberry – Rubus pensilvanicus

Largeleaf Pennywort – Hydrocotyle bonariensis

Goosefoot Plant – Syngonium podophyllum

Black Snakeroot – Sanicula canidensis

Peruvian Lily – Alstroemeria aurea

Tahitian Bridalveil – Gibasis pellucida

Blue Violet – Viola sororia

Shrubby Boneset – Ageratina havanensis