Insects
Insects are the most diverse, abundant and cosmopolitan organisms on earth. They have attained this status due to their small size, possession of an exoskeleton, methods of metamorphosis, reproductive potential, ability to fly and adaptability. Some of the roles fulfilled by insects in a habitat include, plant feeder, pollinator, decomposer, or predator. The subtropical conditions of South Florida allow most insect species to be active year round. These conditions have also allowed species from the Caribbean and Central and South American to occur here. Some of these southern species, such as the Red Imported Fire Ant, are not desirable and out compete native species.
The following insects have been seen and photographed at Seabranch. The insects are broken down by groupings and then listed alphabetical by common name with the scientific name in parentheses.
Ants, Bees, and Wasps
Black Digger Wasp (Tiphia sp.)
Crazy Ants (Paratrechina longicornis)
European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Florida Carpenter Ant (Camponotus floridanus)
Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex badius)
Northern Tuberculate Fungus-Gardener Ant (Trachymyrmex septentrionalis)
Paper Wasp (Polistes dorsalis neotropicus)
Paper Wasp (Polistes major)
Red Imported Fire Ants(Solenopsis invicta)
Sand Wasp (Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus)
Sweat Bee (Halictus poeyi)
Sweat Bee (Nomia maneii)
Thin Waisted Wasp (Ammophila nigricans)
Beetles
Dark Flower Scarab (Euphoria sepulcralis)
Darkling Beetle (Polopinus sp.)
Ground Beetle (Pasimachus floridanus)
Ox Beetle (Strategus antaeus)
Red-brown Flower Scarab (Trichiotinus rufobrunneus)
Tiger Beetle (Cicindela hirtilabris)
Tiger Beetle (Cicindela scabrosa)
Butterflies and Moths
Abbot's Bagworm Moth bag (Oiketicus abbotii)
Banded Sphinx Moth caterpillar (Eumorpha fasciata)
Bella Moth (Utetheisa ornatrix)
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus)
Southern Pine Sphinx Moth caterpillar (Lapara coniferarum)
White Peacock Butterfly (Anartia jatrophae)
Dragonflies
Band-winged Dragonlet Dragonfly (Erythrodiplax umbrata}
Blue Dasher Dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis)
Eastern Pondhawk Dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis)
Golden-winged Skimmer Dradonfly (Libellula auripennis)
Flies
Bee Fly (Exoprosopa fasciata)
Bee Fly (Geron sp.)
Robber Fly (Protocanthus cf. fulviventris)
Grasshoppers and Relatives
Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)
Florida Woods Cockroach (Eurycotis floridana)
Mischievous Grasshopper (Schistocerca damnifica)
Pygmy Mole Cricket (Neotridactylus archboldi)
Southeastern Bush Katydid (Scudderia cuneata)
Two-Striped Walking Sticks (Anisomorpha buprestoides)
Wingless Florida Grasshopper (Aptenopedes aptera aptera)
True Bugs
Florida Bee Assassin (Apiomeris floridensis)
Milkweed Assassin Bug (Zelus longipes)
Other Insects
If you hover on the INSECTS tab in the heading you will find a drop down menu for our insect groups. Click on the subheadings and you will go to pages containing images and information about species of insects found in the Park.
The following insects have been seen and photographed at Seabranch. The insects are broken down by groupings and then listed alphabetical by common name with the scientific name in parentheses.
Ants, Bees, and Wasps
Black Digger Wasp (Tiphia sp.)
Crazy Ants (Paratrechina longicornis)
European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Florida Carpenter Ant (Camponotus floridanus)
Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex badius)
Northern Tuberculate Fungus-Gardener Ant (Trachymyrmex septentrionalis)
Paper Wasp (Polistes dorsalis neotropicus)
Paper Wasp (Polistes major)
Red Imported Fire Ants(Solenopsis invicta)
Sand Wasp (Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus)
Sweat Bee (Halictus poeyi)
Sweat Bee (Nomia maneii)
Thin Waisted Wasp (Ammophila nigricans)
Beetles
Dark Flower Scarab (Euphoria sepulcralis)
Darkling Beetle (Polopinus sp.)
Ground Beetle (Pasimachus floridanus)
Ox Beetle (Strategus antaeus)
Red-brown Flower Scarab (Trichiotinus rufobrunneus)
Tiger Beetle (Cicindela hirtilabris)
Tiger Beetle (Cicindela scabrosa)
Butterflies and Moths
Abbot's Bagworm Moth bag (Oiketicus abbotii)
Banded Sphinx Moth caterpillar (Eumorpha fasciata)
Bella Moth (Utetheisa ornatrix)
Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio glaucus)
Southern Pine Sphinx Moth caterpillar (Lapara coniferarum)
White Peacock Butterfly (Anartia jatrophae)
Dragonflies
Band-winged Dragonlet Dragonfly (Erythrodiplax umbrata}
Blue Dasher Dragonfly (Pachydiplax longipennis)
Eastern Pondhawk Dragonfly (Erythemis simplicicollis)
Golden-winged Skimmer Dradonfly (Libellula auripennis)
Flies
Bee Fly (Exoprosopa fasciata)
Bee Fly (Geron sp.)
Robber Fly (Protocanthus cf. fulviventris)
Grasshoppers and Relatives
Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)
Florida Woods Cockroach (Eurycotis floridana)
Mischievous Grasshopper (Schistocerca damnifica)
Pygmy Mole Cricket (Neotridactylus archboldi)
Southeastern Bush Katydid (Scudderia cuneata)
Two-Striped Walking Sticks (Anisomorpha buprestoides)
Wingless Florida Grasshopper (Aptenopedes aptera aptera)
True Bugs
Florida Bee Assassin (Apiomeris floridensis)
Milkweed Assassin Bug (Zelus longipes)
Other Insects
If you hover on the INSECTS tab in the heading you will find a drop down menu for our insect groups. Click on the subheadings and you will go to pages containing images and information about species of insects found in the Park.