Insects & Spiders – Page 5 – Sharon Friends of Conservation

Eastern Pine Elfin – 5/20/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/20/20 Observation Time: 5:10 p.m. Observation Location: under high tension wires across the street from Ward’s Berry Farm Common Name: Eastern Pine Elfin Scientific Name: Callophrys niphon Comments: Males perch on tops of pine trees in the sun to find receptive females. Eggs are laid singly on new needles of young trees; caterpillars feed on the needles. Chrysalids hibernate and adults emerge in […]

Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly – 5/19/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/19/20 Observation Time: 11:10 a.m. Observation Location: field near Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly Scientific Name: Cupido comyntas Comments: Like many small butterflies, the Eastern tailed blue is a stunning sight when viewed up close. The upper sides of the wings are blue. They appear in spring. The orange spots and “tails” on the trailing edge of […]

Pearl Crescent Butterfly – 5/19/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/19/20 Observation Time: 10:20 a.m. Observation Location: under high tension lines near Gavins Pond Common Name: Pearl Crescent butterfly Scientific Name: Phyciodes tharos Comments: Adults find nectar from a great variety of flowers including dogbane, swamp milkweed, shepherd’s needle, asters, and winter cress. Males patrol open areas for females. The eggs are laid in small batches on the underside of […]

Oak Gall – 5/11/20

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/11/20 Observation Time: 11:05 a.m. Observation Location: in a small oak tree in the field across the street from the Gavins Pond soccer fields Common Name: Oak gall Scientific Name: caused by small wasps in the family Cynipidae Comments: Oak apple or oak gall is the common name for a large, round, vaguely apple-like gall commonly found on many species of oak. Oak […]

Northestern Sawyer Beetle – 9/10/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 9/10/19 Observation Time: 6:20 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Road Common Name: Northeastern Sawyer Beetle Scientific Name: Monochamus notatus Comments: The Northeastern Pine Sawyer Beetle is one of several harmless native species that look like the exotic and destructive Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB). The Northeastern Sawyer is our largest native longhorn beetle, about as large as ALB, but different in color […]

Cockroach Wasp – 9/3/19

Observer: Gaurav Shah Observation Date: 9/3/2019 Observation Time: N/A Observation Location: Borderland State Park, Northwest Trail Common Name: Cockroach Wasp Scientific Name: Podium luctuosum Comments: This is the first record of this genus in Massachusetts according to BugGuide, and only the second in New England (there are other existing records from iNaturalist). More information: https://bugguide.net/node/view/202008

Cockroach Wasp – 9/3/19

Observer: Gaurav Shah Observation Date: 9/3/2019 Observation Time: N/A Observation Location: Borderland State Park, Northwest Trail Common Name: Cockroach Wasp Scientific Name: Dolichurus cf. bicolor Comments: There are no existing records of this genus in the country in iNaturalist, and only one in BugGuide (which was in Arkansas). This species has one of the most remarkable adaptations in all of nature: they are able to remove […]

Fall Field Cricket – 8/26/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 8/26/19 Observation Time: 1:30 p.m. Observation Location: my back yard (Gavins Pond Road) Common Name: Fall Field Cricket Scientific Name: Gryllus pennsylvanicus Comments: All field crickets are able to make the universally recognizable cricket, “chirping” sounds. Males, though, are able to make the loudest and most noticeable sounds. The chirping is generated by the movement of “scrapers” found on the edge of […]

Painted Lady Butterfly – 7/1/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/1/19 Observation Time: 4:50 p.m. Observation Location: Trustees of Reservations’ Moose Hill Farm Common Name: Painted Lady butterfly Scientific Name: Vanessa cardui Comments: The Painted Lady has four small spots on the undersides of its hind wings, whereas the American Lady has two large spots. Otherwise they look very similar. This one was feeding on milkweed blossoms. More Information: Butterflies and Moths of North […]

Nessus Sphinx Moth – 7/1/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 7/1/19 Observation Time: 4:40 p.m. Observation Location: Trustees of Reservations’ Moose Hill Farm Common Name: Nessus Sphinx Moth Scientific Name: Amphion floridensis Comments: The Nessus Sphinx is a member of Sphingidae, a family of powerfully fast moths that are typically seen drinking flower nectar. The Nessus Sphinx has two yellow bands on the abdomen that are thought to help it mimic a […]

Fragile Forktail damselfly – 6/9/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/9/19 Observation Time: 4:55 p.m. Observation Location: Gavins Pond Dam Common Name: Fragile Forktail Damselfly Scientific Name: Ischnura posita Comments: This is the male. The female is blue rather than green. More Information: Odonata Central

Wolf Spider – 6/9/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/9/19 Observation Time: 3:55 p.m. Observation Place: trail from Brook Road to Devil’s Rock Common Name: Wolf spider Scientific Name: Gladicosa gulosa Comments: This spider does not make a web. More Information: Sweating the Small Stuff

Chalk-fronted Corporal dragonfly (juvenile) – 6/2/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/19 Observation Time: 3:10 p.m. Observation Location: beneath the high tension wires that parallel So. Walpole Street Common Name: Chalk-fronted Corporal dragonfly (juvenile) Scientific Name: Ladona julia Comments: Juveniles of both sexes are light reddish brown, with white shoulder stripes and a black stripe down the middle of the abdomen. This one seemed a bit wobbly, as if it had just […]

Black Swallowtail butterfly – 6/2/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/19 Observation Time: 2:15 p.m. Observation Location: rocky bluff under power lines along S. Walpole St. Common Name: Black Swallowtail butterfly Scientific Name: Papilio polyxenes Comments: Black swallowtail butterflies look a lot like spicebush swallowtail butterflies. You can learn how to tell the difference between a black swallowtail and a spicebush swallowtail at: http://www.naba.org/chapters/nabambc/frames-2species.asp?sp1=Papilio-polyxenes&sp2=Papilio-troilus There is also a good discussion of how to […]

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle – 6/2/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 6/2/19 Observation Time: 12:10 Observation Location: beneath the power lines that parallel So. Walpole St. Common Name: Six-spotted tiger beetle Scientific Name: Cicindela sexguttata Comments: Female six-spotted tiger beetles lay eggs in sandy patches. When they hatch, the larvae burrow into the ground. The larvae lie in wait until small arthropods walk by. Then they pounce much like a jack in the box. […]

Flower Fly – 5/27/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/19 Observation Time: 3:40 p.m. Observation Location: Conservation land near Morse & Lakeview Streets. Common Name: Flower Fly Scientific Name: Helophilus fasciatus (family: Syrphidae) Comments: Flower Flies (also known as “hover flies” because of their tendency to hover in mid-air for long periods), are especially interesting insects. They are overlooked by nearly everybody but farmers, who recognize them as one of the most […]

American Lady butterfly – 5/27/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/19 Observation Time: 5:20 p.m. Observation Location: under the high tension wires across the street from Ward’s Berry Farm Common Name: American Lady butterfly Scientific Name: Vanessa virginiensis Comments: American Lady butterflies look a lot like Painted Lady butterflies. The American Lady has two large spots on the undersides of its trailing wings. The Painted Lady has four smaller spots instead. This Amerian Lady was […]

Painted Skimmer dragonfly – 5/27/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/19 Observation Time: 5:00 p.m. Observation Location: on a bluff under high tension wires near S. Walpole St. Common Name: Painted Skimmer dragonfly Scientific Name: Libellula semifasciata Comments: Painted Skimmers live up to their name, and the wings especially glow with color. A rich brown, the thorax has two whitish to yellow diagonal stripes on each side. The abdomen has yellow edges and […]

Wool Sower Gall Wasp – 5/27/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/10 Observation Time: 4:25 p.m. Observation Location: Beneath the high tension lines near So. Walpole St. Common Name: Wool Sower Gall Wasp Scientific Name: Callirhytis seminator Comments: Pink-spotted, white cottony wool sower galls are about the size of a ping-pong ball and are produced by a tiny species of Cynipid wasp, Callirhytis seminator, and are most commonly found on white […]

Orchard Orbweaver spider – 5/27/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/19 Observation Time: 2:20 p.m. Observation Location: Conservation land near Morse & Lakeview Common Name: Orchard Orbweaver spider Scientific Name: Leucauge venusta Comments: I had a hard time focusing the camera on this tiny spider and its gossamer web. More Information: Wikipedia

North American Millipede – 5/27/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/19 Observation Time: 2:00 p.m. Observation Location: boardwalk through Conservation land near Morse & Lakeview Common Name: North American Millipede Scientific Name: Narceus americanus Comments: Millipedes first appeared in the fossil record 400 million years ago and are some of the first animals to have lived on land. It is hypothesized that these ancient species are the largest animals without backbones to […]

Snipe Fly – 5/27/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/19 Observation Time: 1:00 p.m. Observation Location: Conservation land near Morse & Lakeview Common Name: Snipe Fly Scientific Name: Rhagio mystaceus Comments: Also known as a down-looker fly. Two of the photos show why. More Information: Wikipedia

Common Ringlet butterfly – 5/27/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/27/19 Observation Time: 12:45 p.m. Observation Location: Conservation land near Morse & Lakeview Common Name: Common Ringlet butterfly Scientific Name: Coenonympha tullia Comments: Ringlets can be found in a variety of grassy habitats, including roadsides, woodland edges and clearings, prairies, bogs, and arctic and alpine taiga and tundra. It is an erratic flyer. It is a holarctic species found in northern […]

American Lady butterfly – 5/26/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/26/19 Observation Time: 1:15 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (formerly the Kendall Estate) Common Name: American Lady butterfly Scientific Name: Vanessa virginiensis Comments: American Lady butterflies look a lot like Painted Lady butterflies. The American Lady has two large spots on the undersides of its trailing wings. The Painted Lady has four smaller spots instead. This Amerian Lady was visiting a mud puddle, but […]

Black Swallowtail butterfly – 5/26/19

Observer: Paul Lauenstein Observation Date: 5/26/19 Observation Time: 12:20 p.m. Observation Location: Moose Hill Farm (The Trustees of Reservations) Common Name: Black Swallowtail butterfly Scientific Name: Papilio polyxenes Comments: The big meadow at Moose Hill Farm was alive with pairs of black swallowtails chasing each other on this glorious spring day. Black swallowtail butterflies look a lot like spicebush swallowtail butterflies. You can learn how to tell […]

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