What I've seen & identified (I think!) on our 10 acres in the Endless Mountains - until about 2011

Important note: these IDs are made with naked eye observation & layperson's field guides. From arthropods down, genus and especially species are very likely inaccurate. See ladybugs for an example!

Mammals--Birds--Reptiles--Amphibians--Insects--Other invertebrates

KINGDOM ANIMALIA

 (Eumetazoa/Bilateria)(Deuterostomia)
NOTE: Classification levels in normal type & parentheses I don't know much about but pulled from the Animal Diversity Web (really cool, check it out! Especially with HotSauce!). I don't want to overload the page with headings but already stuck them in & don't want to chuck them, hence the compromise.
 

Phylum Chordata (chordates)

(Somitoforma/Craniata/Vertebrata/Gnathostomata/Teleostomi/Osteichthyes/ Sarcopterygii/Choanata/Tetrapoda) (Amniota)

Class Mammalia (mammals)

Order Marsupialia (marsupials)
Suborder Polyprotodontia

Didelphidae (American opossums)

• Virginia opossum Didelphis virginiana

Order Chiroptera (bats)
Suborder Microchiroptera (insectivorous bats)

Vespertilionidae (evening bats)

• Little brown bat Myotis lucifugus

Order Primates
Suborder Anthropoidea (monkeys, apes)

Hominidae (humans)

• Human Homo sapiens-sapiens

Order Lagomorpha (pikas, rabbits, hares)

Leporidae (rabbits, hares)

• Eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus

Order Rodentia (rodents)

Suborder Hystricomorpha

Erethizontidae (New World porcupines)

• Porcupine Erethizon dorsatum

Suborder Sciuromorpha

Sciuridae (squirrels)

• Eastern chipmunk Tamias striatus
• Groundhog Marmota monax
• Gray squirrel Sciurus caroliensis
• Red squirrel Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Suborder Myomorpha

Muridae (rats and mice)
Subfamily Cricetidae (New World rats and mice)

• Deer mouse and/or white-footed mouse Peromyscus maniculatus or P. leucopus
• Meadow vole Microtus pennsylvanicus

Order Carnivora
Suborder Fissipeda

Canidae (dogs, wolves)

• Domestic dog Canis canis
• Red fox Vulpes vulpes

Mustelidae (weasels, otters, badgers, skunks)

• Least weasel Mustela nivalis
• Felidae (cats)
• Domestic cat Felix cattus

Order Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates)

Equidae (horses, asses, zebras)

• Domestic horse Equus caballus

Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates)
Suborder Ruminantia (ruminants)

Cervidae (deer)

• White-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus

Bovidae (cattle, sheep, goats, antelopes)

• Domestic cow Bos taurus

Class Aves (birds)

Order Ciconiiformes

Ardeidae (herons, bitterns)

• Great blue heron Ardea herodias

Order Anseriformes (waterfowl)

Anatidae (swans, geese, ducks)

• Canada goose Branta canadensis

Order Falconiformes

Accipitridae (hawks, eagles)

• Red-tailed hawk Buteo jamaicensis

Cathartidae (American vultures

• Turkey vulture Cathartes aurata

Falconidae (falcons)

• American kestrel Falco sparverius
• Merlin Falco columbarius

Order Galliformes

Meleagrididae (turkeys)

• Wild turkey Meleagris gallopavo

Phasianidae (pheasants, quails, partridges)

• Ring-necked pheasant Phasianus colchicus

Tetraonidae (grouse)

• Ruffed grouse Bonasa umbellus

Order Charadriiformes

• Charadriidae (plovers)
• Killdeer Charadrius vociferus

Scolopacidae (sandpipers, phalaropes)

• American woodcock Philohela minor

Order Columbiformes

Columbidae (pigeons, doves)

• Mourning dove Zenaida macroura
• Rock dove Columba livia

Order Apodiformes

Trochilidae (hummingbirds)

• Ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Order Piciformes (woodpeckers)

Picidae (woodpeckers)

• Downy woodpecker Picoides pubescens
• Red-bellied woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
• Common flicker Colaptes auratus
• Yellow-bellied sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius

Order Passeriformes

Bombycillidae (waxwings)

• Cedar waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

Cardinalidae (cardinals, grosbeaks)

• American goldfinch Carduelis tristis
• Northern cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
• Common flicker Colaptes auratus

Corvidae (crows, jays)

• American crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
• Northern raven Corvus corax
• Blue jay Cyanocitta cristata

Emberizidae

• Chipping sparrow Spizella passerina
• American tree sparrow Spizella arborea
• Song sparrow Melospiza melodia
• Scarlet tanager Piranga olivacea

Fringillidae (finches, sparrows, buntings)

• House finch Carpodacus mexicanus
• Purple finch Carpodacus purpureus
• Northern junco Junco hyemalis
• Indigo bunting Passerina cyanea
• Rose-breasted grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus

Emberizidae (buntings, American sparrows)

Hirundinidae (swallows)

• Barn swallow Hirundo rustica

Icteridae (blackbirds, orioles, etc.)

• Baltimore oriole Icterus galbura
• Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
• Brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater
• Eastern meadowlark Sturnella magna
• Red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus

Mimidae (mockingbirds, thrashers)

• Brown thrasher Toxostoma rufum
• Gray catbird Dumetella carolinensis
• Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos

Paridae (titmice)

• Black-capped chickadee Parus atricapillus

Parulidae (wood warblers)

• Common yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas

Sittidae (nuthatches)

• White-breasted nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

Sturnidae (starlings)

• Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Turdidae (thrushes)

• American robin Turdus migratorius
• Eastern bluebird Sialia sialis
• Wood thrush Hylocichla mustelina

Tyrannidae (flycatchers)

• Eastern phoebe Sayornis phoebe
• Eastern kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus

Class Sauria (reptiles)

Order Squamata (snakes, lizards)

King snakes

• Red king snake Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum

Garter snakes

• Garter snake Thamnophis ordinatus
• Ribbon snake Thamnophis sauritus
• A very common small brown snake--?

Order Testudines (turtles)

Chelydridae (snapping turtles)

• Snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina

Class Lissamphibia
Subclass Batrachia

Order Anura (frogs, toads)

Ranidae

• Leopard frog Rana pipiens
• Spring peeper Pseudacris crucifer

Bufonidae

• Fowler's toad Bufo woodhousei fowleri

Order Caudata

Salmandridae

• Red eft Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens

Plethodontidae

• Allegheny dusky salamander Desmognathus ochrophaeus
• (Protostomia/Eucoelomates)

  Phylum Arthropoda
  Subphylum Uniramia

  Class Insecta (insects)

  Order Collembola (springtails)

  Poduridae (podurid springtails)
• Snow flea Achorutes nivicola

Order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

Aeschinidae (darners)

• Green darner (probably) Anax junius

Libelludidae (common skimmers)

• White tail Plathemis lydia

Order Mantodea (mantids)

Mantidae (mantids)

• Praying mantis Mantis religiosa

Order Dermaptera (earwigs)

Labiduridae (long-horned earwigs)

• Ring-legged earwig Euborellia annulipes

Order Plecoptera (stoneflies)

Perlodidae (green-winged stoneflies)

• Some kind
• Pteronarcidae (giant stoneflies)
• Some kind

Order Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets)

Acrididae (short-horned grasshoppers)

• Pallid-winged grasshopper Trimerotropis pallidipennis
• Alutacea bird grasshopper Schistocera alutacea
• Red-legged locust Melanoplus femur-rubrum

Tettigoniidae (long-horned grasshoppers and katydids)

• Gladiator katydid Orchelimum gladiator

Gryllidae (true crickets)

• Field cricket Gryllus pennsylvanicus
• Black-horned tree cricket Oecanthus nigricornis

Order Psocoptera (booklice and barklice)

• Some kind of booklouse

Order Hemiptera (true bugs)

Gerridae (water striders)

• Common water strider Gerris remigis

Order Homoptera (cicadas, etc.)

Cercopidae (spittlebugs)

• Meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius

Cicadellidae (leafhoppers)

• Scarlet-and-green leafhopper Graphocephala coccinea

Order Neuroptera (net-veined insects)

Chrysopidae (green lacewings)

• Green lacewing Chrysopha sp.

Order Coleoptera (beetles)

"The Creator, if he exists, has a special preference for beetles." -- J.B.S. Haldane

Carabidae (ground beetles)

• Common black ground beetle Pterostichus sp.

Curculionidae (snout beetles)
Subfamily Rhynchophorinae (billbugs and grain weevils)

• a tiny purplish-black weevil, seen on daisies

Gyrinidae (whirligig beetles)

• Small whirligig beetle Gyrinus sp.

Silphidae (carrion beetles)

• American carrion beetle Silpha americana

Scarabaeidea (scarab beetles)

• Brown fruit chafer Euphoria inda
• Japanese beetle Popilla japonica
• June beetle Phyllophaga sp.

Buprestidae (metallic wood-boring beetles)

• Divergent metallic wood borer Dicerca divaricata

Elateridae (click beetles)

• Some kind

Lampyridae (fireflies)

• Pennsylvania firefly Photuris pennsylvanicus

Coccinellidae (ladybug beetles)

• Multicolored Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis
• A spotless ladybug of some kind--probably a multicolored Asian, which are very variable
• A ladybug that as it turns out is very unlikely to be the Nine-spotted ladybug Coccinella novemnotata, now very rare or possibly extinct in the Northeast! Thanks to John Losey for the information--fascinating article can be found here. Cornell has now started the great Lost Ladybug Project. Presumably what I had found was a seven-spotted (non-native), C. septapunctata.

Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles)

• Spotted cucumber beetle Diabrotica undecimpunctata
• Three-lined potato beetle Lema trilineata also known as the "Old-fashioned Potato Bug!"

Cicindelidae (tiger beetles)

• Six-spotted green tiger beetle Cicindela sexguttata

Order Siphonaptera (fleas)

Pulicidae (common fleas)

• Some kind

Order Diptera (flies)

Tipulidae (crane flies)

• Crane fly Tipula sp.

Culicidae (mosquitoes)

• some kind

Simuliidae (black flies)

• Black fly Simulium sp.

Muscidae (muscid flies)

• Housefly Musca domestica

Syrphidae (hover flies)

• Drone fly Eristalis tenax
• A small syrphid with a brightly-colored red & yellow-banded abdomen

Calliphoridae (blow flies)

• Blue bottle fly Calliphora vomitoria

Tabanidae (horse and deer flies)

• American horse fly Tabanus americanus

Order Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths)

Hesperiidae (skippers)

• Least skipper Ancyloxypha numitor

Papilionidae (swallowtails etc.)

• Black swallowtail Papilio polyxenes
• Eastern tiger swallowtail Papilio glaucus

Pieridae (whites, sulphurs, orange tips)

• Clouded sulphur Colias philodice

Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies)

• Baltimore Euphydryas phaeton
• Great spangled fritillary Speyeria cybele
• Milbert's tortoise shell Nymphalis milberti
• Mourning cloak Nymphalis antiopa
• Red-spotted purple Limenitis arthemis astyanax

Saturniidae (giant silkworm moths)

• Cecropia moth Hyalophora cecropia
• Luna moth Actias luna
• Rosy maple moth Dryocampa rubincunda

Satyridae (satyrs, nymphs, artics)

• Eyed brown Lethe eurydice

Danaidae (milkweed butterflies)

• Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus

Pyraliadae (pyralid moths)

• Meal moth Pyralis farinalis

Lasiocampidae (tent caterpillar moths)

• American tent caterpillar Malacosoma americanum

Sphingidae (sphinx moths)

• Great ash sphinx Sphinx chersis
• Hummingbird moth Hemaris thysbe

Arctiidae (tiger moths)

• Wooly bear caterpillar Isia isabella

Ctenuchidae (ctenuichid moths)

• Virginia ctenuchid moth Ctenucha virginica

Lymantriidae (tussock moths, etc.)

• Gypsy moth caterpillar Lymantra dispar

Noctuidae (owlet moths)

• Daggermoth caterpillar Acronicta sp.

Pterophoridae (plume moths)

• Himmelman's plume moth Geina tenuidactyla

  Order Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps, sawflies)

  Formicidae (ants)
• Allegheny mound ant Formica exsectoides
• Black carpenter ant Camponotus pennyslvanicus
• Little black ant Monomorium minimum

Vespidae (vespid wasps)

• Paper wasp Polistes sp.
• Eastern yellow jacket Vespula maculifrons
• A smaller Vespula species, almost all black

Specidae (sphecid wasps)

• Black-and-yellow mud dauber Sceliphron caementarium
• Great golden digger wasp Sphex ichneumoneus

Superfamily Apoidea (bees)

Apidae (apids)

• Honey bee Apis mellifera
• American bumble bee Bombus pennsylvanicus


• Halictidae


• Green metallic bee Augochlora sp.

Class Chilopoda (centipedes)

• some kind

Class Diplopoda (millipedes)

• some kind

Subphylum Chelicerata

Class Arachnida (arachnids)

Order Araneae (spiders)

Theridiidae (comb-footed spiders)

• American house spider Achaeranea tepidariorum

Araneidae (orb weavers)

• Orb weaver Araneus sp.

Agelenidae (funnel web weavers)

• Grass spider Agelenopsis sp.

Lycosidae (wolf spiders)

• some kind

Thomisidae (crab spiders)

• a few kinds

Salticidae (jumping spiders)

• many kinds

Order Opiliones (daddy-long-legs)

Phalangiidae (daddy-long-legs)

• Brown daddy-long-legs Phalangium opilio

Order Acarina (mites, ticks)

Trombidiidae (velvet mites)

• Velvet mite Trombidium sp.

Subphylum Crustacea (crustaceans)

Order Decapoda (crayfish)

• Crayfish

Order Copepoda

• Cyclops Cyclops sp.

Class Malacostraca

Order Isopoda

• Sow bug Oniscus sp.

Phylum Mollusca

• Slug (I think dusky slug, Arion subfuscus)
• Snail with flat helical shell
• Snail with upright, seashell-type shell

Phylum Annelida

• Earthworm

Phylum Rotifera

Order Collothecacea

• Asplanchnopus sp.

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Copyright © 1996, 1997. Hilary Caws-Elwitt. Updated -- June 30, 2010.