Flower-Visiting Insects
of Frost Aster


Aster pilosus (Frost Aster)
(A scientific synonym of this plant is Symphyotrichum pilosum. Bees collect pollen or suck nectar; flies mostly suck nectar, otherwise they feed on pollen & are non-pollinating; beetles mostly feed on pollen & are non-pollinating, otherwise they suck nectar; other insects suck nectar; most observations are from Robertson, while the remaining observations are from Hilty, Krombein et al., Macior, Fothergill & Vaughn, Steury et al., Grundel et al., Williams, and Rightmyer as indicated below)

Bees (long-tongued)
Apidae (Apinae): Apis mellifera sn cp fq (Rb, H, Gnd); Apidae (Bombini): Bombus auricomus sn, Bombus fraternus sn, Bombus griseocallis sn, Bombus impatiens sn cp fq (Rb, Mc), Bombus pensylvanica sn fq, Bombus vagans sn cp fq (Mc), Psithyrus variabilis sn fq; Anthophoridae (Ceratinini): Ceratina calcarata sn fq, Ceratina dupla dupla sn fq; Anthophoridae (Epeolini): Epeolus autumnalis sn, Epeolus bifasciatus sn, Epeolus pusillus sn fq, Triepeolus atripes sn (Rtm), Triepeolus cressonii cressonii sn (Rb, Rtm), Triepeolus donatus sn fq, Triepeolus lunatus concolor sn (Rb, Rtm), Triepeolus micropygius micropygius sn, Triepeolus pectoralis sn fq (Rb, Rtm); Anthophoridae (Eucerini): Melissodes boltoniae sn cp, Melissodes dentiventris sn cp fq olg, Melissodes nivea sn cp fq, Melissodes rustica sn cp fq, Svastra obliqua obliqua sn; Anthophoridae (Nomadini): Nomada placida sn fq, Nomada vicina vicina sn fq, Nomada vincta sn; Anthophoridae (Xylocopini): Xylocopa virginica (SDO); Megachilidae (Coelioxini): Coelioxys octodentata sn fq, Coelioxys rufitarsis rufitarsis sn, Coelioxys sayi sn; Megachilidae (Megachilini): Megachile brevis brevis sn cp, Megachile inimica sayi sn cp, Megachile latimanus sn cp, Megachile mendica sn, Megachile texana sn; Megachilidae (Stelidini): Stelis trypetinum sn; Megachilidae (Trypetini): Heriades leavitti sn cp, Heriades variolosa variolosa sn

Bees (short-tongued)
Halictidae (Halictinae): Agapostemon sericea sn fq, Agapostemon splendens sn , Agapostemon texanus texanus sn cp, Agapostemon virescens sn cp fq, Augochlora pura sn (Rb, SDO, Gnd), Augochlorella aurata sn fq, Augochlorella striata sn cp fq, Augochloropsis metallica metallica sn cp (Rb, Gnd), Halictus confusus sn, Halictus ligatus sn cp fq icp, Halictus parallelus sn, Halictus rubicunda sn cp, Lasioglossum anomalis sn fq, Lasioglossum cinctipes sn, Lasioglossum coreopsis sn, Lasioglossum coriaceus sn, Lasioglossum forbesii sn cp, Lasioglossum foveolatus sn, Lasioglossum foxii sn, Lasioglossum fuscipenne sn fq (Rb, Gnd), Lasioglossum illinoensis sn cp fq, Lasioglossum imitatus sn cp fq, Lasioglossum laevissimus sn, Lasioglossum macoupinensis sn, Lasioglossum obscurus sn fq, Lasioglossum pectoralis sn cp fq, Lasioglossum pilosus pilosus sn fq, Lasioglossum pruinosus sn, Lasioglossum tegularis sn, Lasioglossum versatus sn cp fq, Lasioglossum zephyrus sn fq, Paralictus platyparius sn fq; Halictidae (Sphecodini): Sphecodes antennariae sn, Sphecodes cressonii sn fq, Sphecodes ranunculi sn, Sphecodes stygius sn; Colletidae (Colletinae): Colletes americana sn cp fq, Colletes compactus sn fq, Colletes eulophi sn, Colletes simulans armata sn cp olg (Rb, Re, Kr); Colletidae (Hylaeinae): Hylaeus illinoisensis sn, Hylaeus mesillae sn; Andrenidae (Andreninae): Andrena accepta sn, Andrena asteris sn cp fq icp olg (Rb, Kr), Andrena nubecula sn cp fq olg, Andrena simplex sn cp fq olg (Rb, Kr); Andrenidae (Panurginae): Calliopsis andreniformis sn cp, Heterosarus albitarsis sn, Heterosarus andrenoides sn cp icp fq, Heterosarus compositarum sn cp icp fq, Heterosarus parvus sn cp, Perdita octomaculatus sn cp

Wasps
Sphecidae (Bembicinae): Bicyrtes ventralis, Stizoides renicinctus; Sphecidae (Crabroninae): Ectemnius decemmaculatus, Ectemnius rufifemur, Lestica confluentus; Sphecidae (Larrinae): Ancistromma distincta, Liris argentata, Tachytes chrysopyga; Sphecidae (Pemphredoninae): Mimesa denticulata; Sphecidae (Philanthinae): Cerceris astarte, Cerceris bicornuta, Cerceris clypeata, Eucerceris fulvipes, Philanthus gibbosus, Philanthus ventilabris; Sphecidae (Sphecinae): Ammophila kennedyi, Ammophila nigricans, Ammophila pictipennis, Ammophila procera, Prionyx atrata fq, Sphex ichneumonea; Vespidae: Dolichovespula maculata, Polistes annularis, Polistes dorsalis, Polistes fuscata (Rb, Re), Vespula germanica fq, Vespula squamosa; Vespidae (Eumeninae): Ancistrocerus adiabatus fq, Ancistrocerus antilope, Ancistrocerus campestris, Eumenes fraterna, Euodynerus annulatus, Euodynerus foraminatus, Leptochilus republicanus, Parancistrocerus fulvipes, Stenodynerus ammonia, Stenodynerus anormis fq, Stenodynerus fundatiformis, Stenodynerus histrionalis; Sapygidae: Sapyga interrupta; Tiphiidae: Myzinum quinquecincta; Scoliidae: Scolia bicincta; Chrysididae: Ceratochrysis perpulchra; Chalcididae: Brachymeria ovata; Ichneumonidae: Exetastes obscurus, Metopius pollinctorius; Braconidae: Chelonus sericeus, Vipio vulgaris

Flies
Tipulidae: Limonia canadensis sn; Bibionidae: Dilophus serotinus sn; Syrphidae: Allograpta obliqua sn fq, Cheilosia punctulata sn, Epistrophe emarginata sn, Eristalinus aeneus sn, Eristalis anthophorina sn, Eristalis dimidiatus sn fq, Eristalis flavipes sn, Eristalis stipator sn, Eristalis tenax sn fq, Eristalis transversus sn, Eupeodes americanus sn fq, Helophilus fasciatus sn fq icp, Helophilus latifrons sn, Milesia virginiensis sn, Orthonevra nitida sn, Paragus bicolor sn, Paragus tibialis sn, Platycheirus quadratus sn, Pseudodoros clavatus sn fq, Sphaerophoria contiqua sn fq icp, Spilomyia longicornis sn fq, Spilomyia sayi sn, Syritta pipiens sn fq, Syrphus ribesii sn fq, Toxomerus geminatus sn, Toxomerus marginatus sn fq, Trichopsomyia apisaon sn, Trichopsomyia banksi sn, Tropidia albistylum sn, Tropidia mamillata sn; Empididae: Empis clausa sn; Bombyliidae: Anthrax albofasciatus fp np, Exoprosopa decora sn, Exoprosopa fasciata sn, Exoprosopa fascipennis sn, Sparnopolius confusus sn fq, Systropus macer sn fq, Toxophora amphitea sn, Villa alternata sn fq, Villa hypomelas sn; Conopidae: Physocephala texana sn, Physocephala tibialis sn, Physoconops brachyrhynchus sn, Robertsonomyia palpalis sn icp, Stylogaster biannulata sn, Thecophora occidensis sn fq, Zodion americanum sn fq, Zodion fulvifrons sn fq; Tachinidae: Archytas analis sn fq, Archytas aterrima sn, Belvosia bifasciata sn, Belvosia unifasciata sn, Celatoria diabroticae sn, Chaetogaedia crebra sn, Chetogena claripennis sn, Clausicella floridensis sn, Copecrypta ruficauda sn, Cylindromyia euchenor sn, Cylindromyia fumipennis sn, Distichona varia sn fq, Estheria abdominalis sn, Euclytia flava sn, Euthera tentatrix sn, Gnadochaeta globosa sn, Gymnoclytia occidua sn fq, Gymnosoma fuliginosum sn, Leucostoma aterrimum sn, Leucostoma gravipes sn, Leucostoma simplex sn, Linnaemya comta sn fq, Medina barbata sn, Paradidyma singularis sn, Periscepsia laevigata sn, Phasia aeneoventris sn fq, Phasia pulverea sn, Phasia purpurascens sn, Phorantha asteris sn (Rb, MS), Phorantha magna sn (Rb, MS), Plagiomima spinosula sn, Siphona geniculata sn fq, Siphoplagia flaccidirostris sn (Rb, MS), Siphosturmia phyciodis sn, Spallanzania hesperidarum sn fq, Tachinomyia panaetius sn fq, Trichopoda pennipes sn, Uramya pristis sn, Winthemia quadripustulata sn, Xanthomelanodes arcuatus sn; Sarcophagidae: Blaesoxipha hunteri sn, Helicobia rapax sn, Ravinia anxia sn fq, Ravinia derelicta sn, Ravinia stimulans sn, Senotainia rubriventris sn, Sphixapata trilineata sn; Calliphoridae: Cochliomyia macellaria sn fq, Cynomya cadaverina sn, Lucilia illustris sn fq, Lucilia sericata sn fq; Muscidae: Bithoracochaeta leucoprocta sn, Coenosia antennalis sn, Coenosia campestris sn, Graphomya americana sn, Limnophora narona sn, Musca domestica sn, Myospila meditabunda sn, Neomyia cornicina sn fq, Stomoxys calcitrans sn fq; Anthomyiidae: Calythea nigricans sn, Delia platura sn fq, Heterostylodes laevis sn; Fanniidae: Fannia manicata sn fq; Otitidae: Chaetopsis aenea sn; Tephritidae: Dioxyna picciola sn

Butterflies
Nymphalidae: Chlosyne nycteis, Danaus plexippus, Euptoieta claudia, Junonia coenia, Libytheana carinenta, Phyciodes tharos fq,Vanessa cardui, Vanessa virginiensis; Lycaenidae: Everes comyntas (Rb, FV), Lycaena hyllus, Strymon melinus (Rb, H, FV); Pieridae: Colias cesonia, Colias philodice fq, Eurema lisa, Eurema nicippe, Nathalis iole, Phoebis sennae, Pieris rapae (Rb, H), Pontia protodice fq

Skippers
Hesperiidae: Atalopedes campestris fq, Epargyreus clarus, Euphyes vestris (FV), Polites peckius, Polites themistocles

Moths
Ctenuchidae: Cisseps fulvicollis fq; Noctuidae: Anagrapha falcifera, Caenurgina erechtea, Feltia jaculifera, Helicoverpa zea

Beetles
Cantharidae: Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus sn fq (Rb, Wms); Cerambycidae: Megacyllene robiniae fp np; Chrysomelidae: Acalymma vittatum fp np, Diabrotica longicornis fp np, Diabrotica undecimpunctata fp fq np; Meloidae: Epicauta pennsylvanica fp fq np

Plant Bugs
Lygaeidae: Lygaeus turcicus fq; Miridae: Lygus lineolaris; Rhopalidae: Harmostes reflexulus


Return