Arthropods

Arthropods include insects, spiders, mites, centipedes, millipedes, crustaceans, and others. Many are small and difficult to see. Because most nature-lovers who visit Monticello are looking for other types of wildlife, the number of arthropod species at the park is undoubtedly much greater than the number recorded. Also, identification of arthropods can be difficult, and some can be classified only by genus or family rather than species.

The best online source for identification information about insects and spiders is BugGuide, operated by Iowa State University. You can use BugGuide to either find a photo that matches what you have seen at Monticello Park or submit a photo of what you have seen for identification assistance by experts. Insect Identification is another website that provides aid in identifying arthropods.

These websites focus on arachnids:

These websites aid in identifying butterflies and moths:

These books focus on identifying and understanding both insects and spiders:

These books focus on identifying and understanding insects:

These books focus on identifying and understanding spiders:

These books focus on identifying and understanding butterflies, moths, caterpillars, dragonflies, damselflies, and beetles:

Below is list of some of the arthropods who either have been photographed at the park or are likely to be there. If you click on the heading for each entry, there is a link to an iNaturalist page with photos and further information.


INSECTS (Class Insecta)


DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES (Order Odonata)

Common Whitetail (Plathemis lydia)

Painted Skimmer (Libellula semifasciata)


GRASSHOPPERS, CRICKETS, AND KATYDIDS (Order Orthoptera)

Greenhouse Camel Cricket (Tachycines asynamorus)


COCKROACHES AND TERMITES (Order Blattodea)

Eastern Subterranean Termite (Reticulitermes flavipes)


TRUE BUGS, HOPPERS, APHIDS, AND ALLIES (Order Hemiptera)

Witch-hazel Cone Gall Aphid (Hormaphis hamamelidis)

Spiny Witch-hazel Gall Aphid (Hamamelistes spinosus)

Liriomyza Leaf-mining Flies (Genus Liriomyza)

Anchor Stink Bug (Stiretrus anchorago)

Leaf-footed Bug (Acanthocephala terminalis)

Pale Green Assassin Bug (Zelus luridus)

Damsel Bug (Hoplistoscelis pallescens)

Obscure Plant Bug (Plagiognathus obscurus)

Swamp Cicada (Neotibicen tibicen)

Sharpshooter (Tylozygus geometricus)

Genus Phylloxera

Genus Hormaphis

Tribe Deltocephalini


ANTLIONS, LACEWINGS, AND ALLIES (Order Neuroptera)

Common green lacewings (Genus Chrysoperla)


BEETLES (Order Coleoptera)

Asian Lady Beetle (Alaus oculatus)

Eastern Eyed Elater (Alaus oculatus)

Genus Melanotus

Fiery Searcher Beetle (Calosoma scrutator)

Horned Passalid (Odontotaenius disjunctus)

Redbud Seed Weevil (Gibbobruchus mimus)

Common Eastern Firefly (Photinus pyralis)

Black Firefly (Genus Lucidota)

Reticulated Net-winged Beetle (Calopteron reticulatum)

Tumbling Flower Beetle species (Mordellistena fuscipennis)


ANTS, BEES, WASPS, AND SAWFLIES (Order Hymenoptera)

Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

Common Eastern Bumble bee (Bombus impatiens)

Brown-belted Bumble bee (Bombus griseocollis)

Pure Green Sweat Bee (Augochlora pura)

Wool Sower Gall Wasp (Callirhytis seminator)

Unequal Cellophane Bee (Colletes inaequalis)

Rufous-backed Cellophane Bee (Colletes thoracicus)

Nomad bees (Genus Nomada)

Mining bees (Genus Andrena)

Ichneumonid wasps (Family Ichneumonidae)

Oak Petiole Gall Wasp (Andricus quercuspetiolicola)

Succulent Oak Gall Wasp (Dryocosmus quercuspalustris)

Oak Gall Wasp species (Neuroterus quercusirregularis)

Neuroterus tantalus

Larger Empty Oak Apple Wasp (Amphibolips quercusinanis)

Sphelodon phoxopteridis (Family Braconidae)

Braconid Wasps (Family Braconidae)

American Winter Ant (Prenolepis imparis)

Eastern Black Carpenter Ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus)

Genus Eupareophora

Purslane Sawfly (Schizocerella pilicornis)

Common Sawflies (Family Tenthredinidae)


BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS (Order Lepidoptera)

Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

Spicebush Swallowtail (Papilio troilus)

Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)

Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)

Orange Sulphur (Colias eurytheme)

Eastern Tailed-Blue (Cupido comyntas)

Red-banded Hairstreak (Calycopis cecrops)

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Juvenal's Duskywing (Erynnis juvenalis)

Zabulon Skipper (Lon zabulon)

Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Orange-patched Smoky Moth (Pyromorpha dimidiata)

Banded Tussock Moth (Halysidota tessellaris)

Pearl moths (Genus Herpetogramma)

Nessus Sphinx (Amphion floridensis)

Dark-banded Owlet (Phalaenophana pyramusalis)

Fall Webworm Moth (Hyphantria cunea)

Tearful Underwing (Catocala lacrymosa)

Norman's Quaker (Crocigrapha normani)

Speckled Renia Moth (Renia adspergillus)


FLIES (Order Diptera)

Golden-backed Snipe Fly (Chrysopilus thoracicus)

Red-footed Cannibal Fly (Promachus rufipes)

Yellow-legged Flower Fly (Syrphus rectus)

Hairy-eyed Bee Mimic (Mallota posticata)

Narcissus Bulb Fly (Merodon equestris)

Oblique Streaktail (Allograpta obliqua)

Stilt-legged Fly species (Rainieria antennaepes)

Eastern Yellow-backed Laphria (Laphria thoracica)

Liriomyza Leaf-mining Flies (Genus Liriomyza)

House flies (Genus Helina)

Pufftails (Genus Sphegina)

Subgenus Cordilurina

Caryomyia eumaris

Ash Petiole Gall Midge (Dasineura tumidosae)

Oak Leaf Gall Midge (Polystepha pilulae)


ARACHNIDS (Class Arachnida)


SPIDERS (Order Araneae)

Hammer-jawed Jumping Spider (Zygoballus rufipes)

Long-jawed jumping spiders (Genus Hentzia)

American Nursery Web Spider (Pisaurina mira)

Orchard Orbweaver (Leucauge venusta)

Basilica Orbweaver (Mecynogea lemniscata)

Spotted Orbweavers (Genus Neoscona)

Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia)

Bowl-and-doily Spider (Frontinella pyramitela)

Philodromic crab spiders (Genus Philodromus)

Brush-legged wolf spiders (Genus Schizocosa)

Ground spiders (Genus Drassyllus)


CRABS, LOBSTERS, CRAYFISH, SHRIMP, KRILL, PRAWNS, WOODLICE, AMPHIPODS, MANTIS SHRIMP, AND TONGUE-EATING LICE (Class Malacostraca)

Common Striped Woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum)