BioDiT Citrus: Exhibit 11: Invertebrate Diversity

Arachnids are a group of arthropods that are often confused with insects.  Adult arachnids have eight pairs of walking appendages, plus a pair of feeding appendages (called chelicerae) and another set of appendages (pedipalps) with various functions.  Members of order Araneae are the spiders.  The chelicerae of spiders typically take the form of venomous fangs, and unlike other arachnids, spiders produce silk which is often used to weave webs.  While a great many people are afraid of spiders, the reality is that very few spiders pose a threat to humans, and the vast majority of spiders eat insects and other arthropods that do harm humans.

Southern House Spider

The female southern house spider (Kukulcania hibernalis) builds its wooly web in cervices and waits for prey to get tangled in the velcro-like silk. The one seen above has captured a carpet beetle.  Males don’t create webs; instead, they roam about in search of prey and mates.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 1/10/24

Wall Spider

Wall spiders like Oecobius navus run around their prey to spray them with silk. Once the wall spider has its prey wrapped in this sticky webbing, it can enjoy a nice meal!  Many species of the genus Oecobius favor a diet of ants.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 9/20/23

Orbweaver (Web)

The web seen here may be small, but orbweaver webs can get up to a meter wide. When insects are caught on the sticky silk, their struggle for freedom causes vibrations throughout the web. These vibrations alert the orbweaver and it comes to collect its meal.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 3/2/23

Orbweaver

Many orbweaver spiders consume and rebuild their webs each night keeping the webbing free of debris.  Some species of orbweavers alter their web design based on environmental conditions including wind, humidity, and temperature.  This orbweaver spider is Metazygia zilloides.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 4/19/23

Orbweaver

Orb weavers like Metazygia zilloides are good spiders to find in gardens because they are typically non-aggressive, and feed on a variety of common pest insects. Keep your eyes open around campus as orbweaver webs are visible many places, from trees and bushest to the railings and eaves of the buildings.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 4/25/23

Spinybacked Orbweaver

The spinybacked orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriforma), like other orbweaver spiders, produce classic orb-shaped webs.  They use these webs to catch their prey, like moths, flies, and other small insects.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 4/18/23

Spinybacked Orbweaver

The life span of spinybacked orbweavers (Gasteracantha cancriforma) is only about one year.  Male orbweavers die roughly six days after mating, while the female die shortly after producing an egg sac, which can hold up to 260 eggs.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 4/18/23

Spinybacked Orbweaver

Strong sexual dimorphism (the difference in appearance between males and females of a species) is observed in spinybacked orb weavers (Gasteracantha cancriforma). Females can be up to three times longer than the males, and they typically have more spiny projections from their abdomen.

Photographed by Natalie Kramer, 10/16/23

Orchard Orbweaver

Orchard orbweavers like Leucauge argyra typically build webs on vegetation close to the ground. This helps them catch small insects such as flies and mosquitoes. Females sometimes engage in sexual cannibalism (eating the male spider after mating!) which affects the size the egg sac.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 12/8/23

Bowl and Doily Spider (Web)

This web was created by a bowl-and-doily spider (Frontinella pyramitela), whose name is derived from its web structure. It is possible to see male and female bowl-and-doily spiders cohabitating the same web, which is unusual as most spiders are solitary.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 3/2/23

Gray Wall Jumping Spider

Gray wall jumping spiders (Menemerus bivitattus) don’t create webs to catch their prey. They use their excellent eyesight and excellent jumping ability to actively hunt down flies, mosquitoes, and other insects.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 9/20/23

Wolf Spider

Wolf spiders like Tigrosa annexa also hunt their prey instead of building webs. Female wolf spiders like this one carry their egg sacs on their cephalothorax,  and then spend spend several weeks carrying and caring for her young.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 10/13/23

The "scaly-winged" Lepidopterans include two basic types of insects -- the butterflies and the moths.  Both are famous for their metamorphosis from larvae (caterpillar) into adults.  While butterflies and moths are beneficial insects as agricultural and garden pollinators, they are also pest insects.  Those caterpillars can decimate agricultural crops and gardens! 

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

As the name suggests, the giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) is a large butterfly species.  It is common throughout Florida, and it is positively striking!  With its mixture of black, yellow, orange, and blue, it is easy to spot when present and joy to look at!  Though its caterpillar is a bit notorious...the orangedog, it is called, is a minor citrus pest.

Photographed by Alexis Sant, 10/5/23

Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly

The cloudless sulphur butterfly (Phoebis sennae) is easily identified by its brilliant yellow wings with small brown or white circles. It utilizes is color for blend in with similarly colored leaves as camouflage.

Photographed by Alexis Sant, 10/5/23

Gray Hairstreak Butterfly

The gray hairstreak butterfly (Strymon melinus) has short tails on its hindwing that look like antennae. It also has orange “eye spots” at the back of its hind wing, creating what biologists call a false head. This can trick predators into attacking the wrong end of the butterfly giving it a better chance to escape them.

Photographed by Garrett Jones, 1/23/24

Ceraunus blue

Due to its small size, the beautiful ceraunus blue (Hemiargus ceraunus) is easy to miss in spite of its lavender to dark blue wings.  Like many butterflies seen on campus, it favors disturbed areas like fallow fields, utility corridors, and roadsides.

Photographed by Garrett Jones, 8/17/23

White Peacock Butterfly

With the dark outer edges of its wings and white, orange, and black patterns, the white peacock butterfly (Anartia jatrophae) is truly striking! Male white peacock butterflies are territorial, and will become aggressive towards others who enter their territory.

Photographed by Mindy Hanson, 11/15/23

Pearl Crescent Butterfly

The little pearl crescent butterfly (Phycoides tharos) is common throughout North America, except on the West Coast. Its orange, brown and black colors come in variable patterns. They live in fields, pine forests and are on the sides of roads. In the summer and fall they are very common near the campus retaining pond.

Photographed by Natalie Kramer, 10/19/23

Carolina Satyr Butterfly

The Carolina satyr (Hermeuptychi sosybius) is active only during the warm months in much of its range, but can be active year-round in Florida where it will produce up to three broods a year.  It is from a group of butterflies that are not considered strong flyers.

Photographed by Joshua Mckinnon, 10/9/23

Long-Tailed Skipper

With its iridescent blue-green body, the long-tailed skipper (Urbanus proteus) is a striking member of ecosystems going through succession.  It favors gardens, roadsides, and woodland margins -- all areas where there is the potential for lots of wildflowers to grow.

Photographed by Alexis Sant, 10/5/23

Dorantes Long-Tailed Skipper

Dorantes long-tailed skipper (Urbanus dorantes) is superficially similar to the long-tailed skipper, but has a brown body rather than an iridescent one.  Its caterpillars favor legumes as a food source, including cultivated beans...meaning they can be a bit of an agricultural pest.

Photographed by Natalie Kramer, 10/19/23

The "scaly-winged" Lepidopterans include two basic types of insects -- the butterflies and the moths.  As adults, the majority of these insects feed on nectar from flowers.  They have a multi-part proboscis that is used for drinking nectar from flowers.  Recent research suggests that this straw-like proboscis may not be straw-like in its function...but it is still used for drinking nectar!

Giant Gray Moth

The giant gray moth (Cymatophora approximaria) is able to camouflage against tree bark, which it closely resembles bark. It is native to the southeastern United States.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 11/14/19

Bad-Wing Moth

The bad-wing moth (Dyspteris abortivaria) is monotypic, meaning it is the only living member of its genus.  It is found throughout eastern North America, and as far west as Kansas and Texas.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 3/6/23

Half-Wing Moth

The half-winged moth (Phigalia titea) is also known as the spiney looper. It gets its name because when its wings sit flat, it looks like a triangle. The females are wingless and only the males can fly. It is native to the eastern part of North America.

Photographed by Raquel Lau, 3/6/23

Small Phigalia

The small phigalia moth (Phigalia strigataria) is common in the Eastern part of North America. It has a molten black, white and grey coloration with a fringe appearance on the bottom of the wings. It is smaller than other members of the genus Phigalia.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 3/18/19

Common Tan Wave

The common tan wave (Pleuroprucha insularia) can be found from Nova Scotia to Florida and west to the Rockies. It is tan in color and when its wings are flat, they lay straight across the top near the head and antenna. It is believed to be a migratory species due to sightings as far away as the Galapagos Islands!

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 10/16/23

White-Dotted Prominent

The white-dotted prominent moth (Nadata gibbosa) has rust-colored wings with four white dots. Its antennae appear as fuzzy horns and its look like it has a mohawk when its wings are closed. Quite the punk-rock lepidopteran!

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 3/11/22

Southern Armyworm Moth

The southern armyworm moth (Spondoptera eridania) gets its name for the large numbers of larvae that appear in the springtime. The caterpillars have a red head and black bodies with white stripes running its length. These caterpillars defoliate plants, so are agricultural pests.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 2/13/24

The Wedgeling

The Wedgling (Galgula partita) is a moth with long front legs that give it the appearance of doing push-ups when stationary. Adults fly from spring until fall in the southern parts of the U.S.

Photographed by Garrett Jones, 1/11/24

Fir Tussock Moth (caterpillar)

The larvae of the fir tussock moth (Orgyria detrita) are very showy! The have long, colored tufts of hair over much of its body, with black pencil-like tufts in the front and four white tufts on the back. However, this cute appearance hides the fact that this defoliating caterpillar cause extensive damage to trees, especially spruce and fir trees.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 4/6/23

Southern Tussock Moth

The southern tussock moth (Dasychira tephra) is identified by the feathery, combed antennae, and tis furry, jointed legs. Their adults have a very earthy color, while the larvae are fuzzy black and white caterpillars.

Photographed by Garrett Jones, 11/14/23

Tephra Tussock Moth

The tephra tussock moth (Dasychira meridionalis) looks kind of like a fuzzy spider from the front, with its long, hairy legs. Its wings are bark colored with variations between grays and browns.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 4/20/23

Giant Leopard Moth (caterpillar)

The adult giant leopard moth (Hypercompe scribonia) lives up to its name -- they have a gorgeous pattern of black spots and circles on a white body.  (You can see one photographed in Floral City in the video at Exhibit #7.)  The caterpillar seen here is called a wooly bear.  While its black spines are neither sharp nor venomous, it feeds on plants that contain alkaloid toxins, and its red color is a warning to predators that it might not taste very good.

Photographed by Natalie Kramer, 10/19/23

Harnesseed Tiger Moth

The harnessed tiger moth (Apantensis phalerate) has brilliantly colored brown wings with rust-colored geometrical shapes. It can produce ultrasonic sounds that deter predators using its tymbal organ…which is the same specialized organs that cicadas use to produce sound.

Photographed by Garrett Jones, 11/9/23

Orange Virbia Moth

The orange virbia (Virbia aurantiaca) is always a shade of orange, though the forewings are a lighter shade than the hindwings. Its eyes are large and easy to see. It lives in most parts of North America except for the Pacific coastal region.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 6/25/23

Long-Streaked Tussock Moth

The long-streaked tussock moth (Leucanopsis longa) is found from North Carolina to Florida and then west to Texas. Its wings with their mute, earthy tones look like long slender leaves when closed which can be used for camouflage in the marshy meadows they favor.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 4/25/23

Stippled Sigela Moth

The stippled sigela moth (Sigela penumbrata) has whitish gray wings speckled with black dots and fringes along the bottom of both the fore and hind wings. It can be found in much of the southeastern U.S., from Tennessee to Florida.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 213/24

Live Oak Metria Moth

The live oak metria (Metria amella) is found in the southeastern United States from Texas to the Carolinas where its preferred habitat, live oaks, are abundant. In Florida, this moth is seen year-round.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 4/23/19

Yellow Mocis Moth

The wings of the yellow mocis moth (Mocis disserverans) are a yellow or tan color with stipples. Their edges are fringed and assume a triangular shape when closed. This moth is found in the Caribbean as well as in Florida.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 9/12/23

Pink-Striped Oakworm Moth

This female pink-striped oak worm moth (Anisota virginesis) has orangish body and its wings have a yellow dot and a pink fringe. The males are smaller, and are a reddish-brown color.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 8/28/18

Polyphemus Moth

The Polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus) only eats as a caterpillar; the adult stage does not eat. However, the adults only live for about 4 days. It has eye-like dots on the hindwings, giving rise to its name, which in mythology was a Greek cyclops.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 8/16/17

Io Moth

The Io moth (Automeris io) larvae is orange and covered in prickly spines which sting when touched. The wings of the adult it are colorful and typically have eye-like dots on the hindwings. The brightly-colored Io seen here is most likely a male due to the darker coloration and non-feathered antennae.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 8/26/22

Imperial Moth

This is the imperial moth (Eacles imperialis).  This is a very large moth species, and this individual was found outside Building 2 by Lynn Knight of our Learning Support Center and Edith Ramlow of the Citrus Library.  The moth seemed injured, but then perked up and landed on Edith's sweater, allowing Lynn to take this stunning photograph!

Photographed by Lynn Knight, 9/15/23

Banded Sphinx Moth (caterpillar)

The banded sphinx moth (Eumorpha fasciatus) is very distinct and colorful as both caterpillar and adult. Its name literally means “well formed”. The caterpillar is large and thick (its name literally means “well-formed”), and pupate in topsoil rather than attached to vegetation like most other moth pupae.

Photographed by Natalie Kramer, 10/19/23

Tersa Sphinx Moth

The tersa sphinx moth (Xylophanes tersa) is easily recognized by its very angular wings and tapering body…it really has the appearance of an airplane! They are part of the hawk moth family.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 9/7/23

Clemens' Grass Tubeworm Moth

The Clemen’s grass tubeworm moth (Acrolophus popeanella) is both a common species of moth and one of the smallest. When its wings are closed, it looks like a fuzzy twig.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 9/12/23

Texas Grass Tubeworm Moth

The Texas grass tubeworm moth (Acrolophus texaella) is similar in appearance to other grass tubeworm moths, but it has more grey coloration on its wings. Its wings, when closed, come together in an upturned point and straight edge.

Photographed by S.C. Schenk, 4/21/23