Common Insects and Other Arthropods
Known to be present in Central and West
Bell County, Texas
Compiled by Harold E. Beaty (1978)
Order Family Species Scientific Name Habitat
Thysanura Lepismidae (Silverfish) Thermopia domestica W
Collembola Entomobryidae (Springtails) Entomobrya sp. A,G
Ephemeroptera Ephemeridae Hexagenia limbata A
(Burrowing mayflies)
Baetidae (Small mayflies) Baetidae sp. A
Heptageniidae (Stream mayflies) Heptageria diabasia A
Odonata Gomphidae (Clubtail dragonflies) Gomphus sp. A,G
Aeshidae (Darner dragonflies) Anax junis A,G
Libellulidae (Skimmers) Libellula sp. A
Coenagrionidae Enallagma traviatum A
(Narrow-winged damselflies)
Agrionidae Agrion sp. A
(Broad-winged damselflies)
Orthoptera Tettigoniidae Concephalus strictus G,W
(Long-horned grasshoppers, Orchelium vulgare G
katydids) Microcentrum rhombifolium G
Tettigidae (Pigmy grasshoppers) Tettigida lateralis A,G
Acrididae (Short-horned Chortophaga viridifaclata G
grasshoppers)
Gryllidae (Crickets) Nemobius fasciatus G
Oecanthus nigricornis G
Locustidae (Locust, grasshoppers) Melanoplus differentialis G
Mantidae (Mantids) Stagomantis carolina G
Phasmidae (Walkingstick) Diapremomera femorata G,W
Blattidae (Cockroaches) Parocoblatta pennsylvanica G,W
Blattella germanica G,W
Periplaneta fuliginosa G
Isoptera Rhinotermitidae (Termites) Reticulitermes flavipes W
Dermaptera Forficulidae (European earwings) Forficula auricularia G,W
Thysanoptera Thripidae (Common thrips) Taeniothrips sp. G
Hemiptera Pentatomidae (Stink bugs) Brochymena arborea W
Chlorochroa uhleri G
Coreidae (Leaf-footed bugs) Acanthrocephala femorata W
Euthochtha galeator W
Leptoglossus phyllopus G
Reduviidae (Assassin bugs) Arilus cristatus G
Narvesus carolinensis G
Lygaeidae (Chinch-bugs) Blissus leucopterus G
Gelastocoridae (Toadbugs) Gelastocoris oculatus A
Naucoridae (Water creepers) Pelocoris femoratus A
Belostomidae (Giant waterbugs) Belostoma sp. A
Benacus griseus A
Corixidae (Water boatman) Sigara atropodonta A
Notonectidae (Backswimmers) Notonecta undulatta A
Gerridae (Water striders) Gerris maginatus A
Homoptera Cicadidae (Cicadas) Tibicen sp. W
Membracidae (Treehoppers) Stictocephala bubalus W
Cercopidae (Spittlebugs) Philaenus sp. G
Cicadellidae (Leafhoppers) Graphocephala sp. G
Cixiidae (Planthoppers) Oecleus sp. G
Aleyrodidae (Whiteflies) Trialeurodes sp. W
Aphididae (Aphids) Aphis sp. G,W
Pseudococcidae (Mealybugs) Pseudococcus Sp. W
Neuroptera Corydalidae (Dobsonflies) Corydalus cornutus A
Mantispidae (Mantidflies) Mantispa cincticornis G
Chrysopidae (Dobsonflies) Chrysopa sp. A
Myrmeleontidae (Antlions) Myrmeleon immaculatus G,W
Coleoptera Carabidae (Ground beetles) Calosoma sp. G
Pasimachus punctuatus G
Loxandrus sp. G
Abacidus sculptus G
Calathus opaculus G
Chalaenius kuntzeni G
Stenolophus sp. G
Haliphidae (Crawling water Haliplus sp. A
beetles)
Dytiscidae (Predaceous diving Dytiscus sp. A
beetles)
Gyrinidae (Whirligig beetles) Gyrinus sp. A
Silphidae (Carrion beetles) Silpha sp. G
Lampyridae (Fireflies) Photurus sp. G
Erlateridae (Click beetles) Alaus oculatus W
Ctenicera sp. W
Buprestidae (Metalic wood- Chrysobothris sp. W
boring beetles)
Psephenidae (Water-penny Psephenus sp. A
beetles)
Coccinellidae (Ladybugs) Epilachna sp. G
Hippodamia sp. G
Meloidae (Blister beetles) Epicauta sp. G
Meloe sp. G
Cerambycidae (Long-horned Chion cinctus W
woodbores)
Scarabaeidae (Scarab beetles) Cotinis nitida G
Onthophagus hecate G
Lepidoptera Papilionidae (Swallowtails) Papilio cresphontes G,W
Pieridae (Sulfur butterflies) Colias eurytheme G,W
Danaidae (Milkweed butterflies) Danaus plexippus G,W
Satyridae (Satyrs, wood nymphs) Cercyonis sp. G,W
Nymphalidae (Brush-footed Phycoides phaon W
butterflies)
Hesperiidae (Skippers) Pyrgus sp. G,W
Sphingidae (Sphinx moths) Protoparce quinquemaculata W
Celerio lineata W
Saturniidae (Giant silkworm Actias luna W
moths)
Noctuidae (Noctuid moths) Catocala sp. G,W
Psychidae (Bagworm moths) Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis W
Diptera Tipulidae (Crane flies) Bittacomorpha sp. A
Tabanidae (Horse flies) Chrysops sp. A,G
Bombyliidae (Bee flies) Anthrax sp. G
Muscidae (Muscid flies) Musca domestica G,W
Culicidae (Mosquitoes) Culex sp. A,G,W
Tendipedidae (Midges) Tendipeds sp. A
Simuliidae (Black flies) Simulium sp. A
Asilidae (Robber flies) Promachus sp. G
Sarcophagidae (Flesh flies) Sarcophaga sp. G,W
Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae (Ichneumons) Rhyssella sp. G,W
Casinaria texana G,W
Cynipidae (Gall wasps) Callirhytis sp. W
Mutillidae (Velvet ants) Dasymutilla sp. G
Formicidae (Ants) Formica sp. G,W
Pogonomyrmex sp. G
Neivamyrmex sp. G
Lasius sp. G
Componotus sp. W
Vespidae (Social wasps) Vespula sp. W
Polistes sp. W
Sphecidae (Thread-waisted Sceliphron sp. W
wasps, mud-daubers) Chlorion sp. W
Apidae (Carpenter bees, Xylocopa sp. W
social bees) Bombus sp. G,W
Apis sp. G,W
Decapoda Astacidae (Crayfish) Cambarus sp. A
Isopoda Oniscidae (Sowbugs, pillbugs) Oniscus sp. W
Diploda Diplopidae (Millipeds) Narceus sp. W
Scolopendro- Scolopendridae (Centipedes) Scolopendra obscura W
morpha Lithobius sp. W
Scorpionida Centruridae (Scorpion) Centrurus sp. G,W
Phalangida Phalagiidae (Harvestmen, Leiobunum sp. W
daddy-longlegs)
Acarina Ixodidae (Ticks) Boophilus sp. G,W
Dermacentor sp. G,W
Trombiculidae (Chiggers) Trombicula irritans G
Araneida Araneidae (Orb-weavers) Araneus sp. G,W
Oxyopidae (Lynx spiders) Peucetia sp. G
Pisauridae (Nursery web- Pelopatis sp. W
spiders)
Salticidae (Jumping spiders) Phidippus sp. W
Tetragnathidae (Four-jawed Tetragnatha sp. G
spiders)
Theraphosidae (Tarantulas) Aphonopelma sp. G
Thomisidae (Crab spiders) Misumenops sp. G
Araneidae (Black and yellow Argiope aurantia G,W
garden spiders)
Lycosidae (Wolf Spider) Lycosa sp. G,W
Solpugida Eremobates sp. G
*: G- Grassland; W- Woodland; A- Aquatic/Stream bank.
List is compiled from reports, studies, surveys, collections, checklists, and personal
observations of on insects and other arthropods found in the central and western regions
of Bell County, Texas by H.E. Beaty and others.
References: Borror, D.J. and D.M. DeLong. 1964. An introduction to the study of insects.
Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York.
Borror, D.J. and R.E. White. 1970. A field guide to the insects. Houghton
Mifflin Co., Boston.
Chu, H.F. 1949. The immature insects. Wm. C. Brown Co. Publ., Dubuque,
Iowa.
Jaques, H.E. 1947. How to know the insects. Wm. C. Brown Co. Publ.,
Dubuque, Iowa.
__________. 1951. How to know the beetles. Wm. C. Brown Co. Publ.,
Dubuque, Iowa.
Klots, A.B. 1951. A field guide to the butterflies of North America, east of the
Great Plains. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.
Pennack, R.W. 1953. Fresh-water invertebrates of the United States. The
Ronald Press Co., New York.
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Last updated: September 24, 2008