Many species of arthropods occur in the Guadalupe Mountains National Park - researchers have documented over 900 species of moths alone. The following pages contain a representative sample of the insects and other arthropods I found in the Park or on display in the Visitor Center during my tenure as a volunteer with the Interpretive Staff during the summers of 2001 (3 months) and 2003 (2 months). During 2001, one of my tasks was to walk the trails and by the end of the summer I had covered most of them, some several times. On these walks, I photographed a number of the arthropods that I came across. In addition, I dropped in to the Visitor Center on a number of evenings to photograph the arthropods attracted by the outside lights. Reports based on some of my arthropod activities in 2001 are contained in the activity reports.
I have used a number of sources (including personal experience) to identify and comment on the species shown in the photographs. Many of the identifications are rather limited, partly because the material I had access to was limited. However, some photographs would have required examination of specimens by experts for exact identifications. Unnamed species new to science are undoubtedly present in the Park, but I believe they are unlikely in the sample presented here.
Many species shown here do not have unique common names. For instance, the common names used for many of the flies and wasps are very general and can be applied to a number of species. The common names used here are capitalized ONLY when they refer to one species (as far as I know). For example, the common names of the butterflies are capitalized (when I could identify them to my satisfaction) because they are accepted by both scientists and butterfly enthusiasts. The same situation applies to the common names for dragonflies and damselflies. Sometimes, a common name used in one part of the country or reference might differ from the name used in another part of the country or reference or be used to represent a different species.
I am solely responsible for the photography, the selection and presentation of the images, the selection and presentation of the textual material and any errors contained therein. The only material which I have had no part in putting together are the articles on the Olmosa Tiger Beetle by Dr. Barry Knisley and the article on scorpions written by Dr. R.N. Henson. The material presented here duplicates and supplements the information presented in the photo album in the Visitor Center.
Ronald W. Lyons
September 2003
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