kim_fleming's Identifications

Orchard Orbweaver - Leucauge venusta (male)
I do not see the males very often.
References

• BugGuide bugguide.net/node/view/2010
• Howell and Jenkins, Spiders of the Eastern United States (Pearson Education, 2004), pp. 123-4
• Rose, Spiders of North America (Princeton Univ. Press, 2022), pp. 195-6

Birding/biota trip to Weymouth Woods Preserve in Moore County, NC. I finally edited all of these after puzzling through some ID's on plants and fungi. This odd little fungus was growing out of a dry log in a recently burned area. Poking around various references, it looks very close to...
Xylaria longiana
www.mushroomexpert.com/xylaria_longiana.html
Definitive species-level identification would no doubt require expert examination of the spores, or DNA barcoding, etc. However the form looks pretty distinctive.

Happy Arachtober 3rd!
Tuberculated Crab Spider - Tmarus species (male, 3-5 mm body)
Location: Abbeville County, South Carolina (USA)
References

• BugGuide bugguide.net/node/view/36877
• Howell and Jenkins, Spiders of the Eastern US, A Photographic Guide (Pearson Education, 2004), pp. 295-6, fig. 188
• Rose, Spiders of North America (Princeton Univ. Press, 2022), pp. 320-1

Image #1:
Canon EOS 6D + Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x + Yongnuo YN-14EX TTL LED Macro Ring Flash
1/180 sec, f/11, ISO 100
Focus Stacked with Zerene Stacker (22 Images)
Color Corrected w/ X-Rite ColorChecker Passport
Image #2:
Canon EOS 6D + Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x + Yongnuo YN-14EX TTL LED Macro Ring Flash
1/180 sec, f/11, ISO 100
Focus Stacked with Zerene Stacker (14 Images)
Color Corrected w/ X-Rite ColorChecker Passport
Image #3:
Canon EOS 6D + Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x + Yongnuo YN-14EX TTL LED Macro Ring Flash
1/180 sec, f/11, ISO 100
Focus Stacked with Zerene Stacker (32 Images)
Color Corrected w/ X-Rite ColorChecker Passport
Image #4:
Canon EOS 6D + Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x + Yongnuo YN-14EX TTL LED Macro Ring Flash
1/180 sec, f/11, ISO 100
Focus Stacked with Zerene Stacker (19 Images)
Color Corrected w/ X-Rite ColorChecker Passport
Image #5:
Canon EOS 6D + Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5x + Yongnuo YN-14EX TTL LED Macro Ring Flash
1/180 sec, f/11, ISO 100
Focus Stacked with Zerene Stacker (14 Images)
Color Corrected w/ X-Rite ColorChecker Passport

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Additional specimens not added to iNat observation fields:
Jacob Kalichman (Pulk): Personal Herbarium: MO 320043

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—MO custom fields—

Collection_#: DSN

Originally posted to Mushroom Observer on Jun. 18, 2018.

Gall midge - Polystepha species, undescribed (called "Polystepha q-nigra-cone-gall")
Location: Durham NC (USA)
This was one leaf of a Cherrybark Oak, Quercus pagoda, also listed as a host at gallformers.org.
bugguide.net/node/view/265077
www.gallformers.org/gall/1811
Edit. Also uploaded at:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/2197246

Leaf Beetle - Bassareus detritus (female; 5 mm)
References:

• BugGuide: bugguide.net/node/view/221248
• Ciegler, Leaf and Seed Beetles of South Carolina (Clemson Univ., 2007), p. 185
• Evans, Beetles of Eastern North America (Princeton University Press, 2014), p. 451

Another series of this beetle, found on vegetation in a suburban deciduous woodland. Length is just under 5 mm. Quoting Ciegler , p. 172, key to genera of Cryptocephalinae:
10(9) Anterior edge of proepisternum laterally sinuous or toothed, in many specimens difficult to see (Fig. 285); abdominal sternum 1 of male excavated in middle and with large spine on each side; length 3.2-5.5 mm --> Bassareus, p. 184
Does not seem to have those spines, so must be a female.
I have trouble seeing the sinuous/toothed edge of the episternum in this specimen, but everything else is consistent. This one lacks the spines on abdominal sternum 1, I think, so it should be a female.
Confirmations/corrections always appreciated, of course.
Specimen to be retained for barcoding. Also posted at:
bugguide.net/node/view/1993352
Edit. Working on seeing some details distinctive for the genus based on consultation with an expert. Color pattern of this species is distinctive, at any rate.

Click beetle - Aeolus scutellatus (~6 mm)
bugguide.net/node/view/270533
Also posted at:
bugguide.net/node/view/2038347
Apparently not the very similar Aeolus mellillus. I think(!) I can see the conical scutellum which is noted as the distinguishing feature of scutellatus by entomologists commenting on BugGuide and iNaturalist.
Update 11/14/22. Added detail image of scutellum.

Out walking on a woodland trail in suburban Durham NC (USA), a coupled pair of flies landed on my arm. I captured them for some detailed studio photos. They appear to be...
March Flies - Bibio articulatus (male, 6 mm length)
bugguide.net/node/view/371338
Quoting BugGuide:
The most common of the species with mostly red legs, black body (but female thorax red on top), and inner spur of fore tibia as long as outer. Bibio xanthopus is larger with a slightly shorter to much shorter inner spur. Females can be identified by the combination of equal spurs and dark orange to bright red thorax.
Also posted at:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/2100727

Out walking on a woodland trail in suburban Durham NC (USA), a coupled pair of flies landed on my arm. I captured them for some detailed studio photos. They appear to be...
March Flies - Bibio articulatus (female, 8 mm length)
bugguide.net/node/view/371338
Quoting BugGuide:
The most common of the species with mostly red legs, black body (but female thorax red on top), and inner spur of fore tibia as long as outer. Bibio xanthopus is larger with a slightly shorter to much shorter inner spur. Females can be identified by the combination of equal spurs and dark orange to bright red thorax.
Also posted at:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/2100720

Leaf fungus on Water Oak (Quercus nigra) found by Tracy. The fungal hyphae are 1-1.5 mm long. A detail frame shows some interesting webbing among the hyphae. No doubt there were was an insect (or other arthropod) lurking there that made the web, but I did not notice any.
I am happy to hear any ideas on the ID of this fungus!
Shown to me by expert naturalist @tracysfeldman, as were most other finds this day.