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National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2024

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Species Cerastipsocus venosus - Tree Cattle

Representative Images

Herd II Report - Cerastipsocus venosus Poecilocapsus lineatus nymph? - Cerastipsocus venosus Common Barkloose + hitchhikers - Cerastipsocus venosus Woodlice herds? - Cerastipsocus venosus tree cricket nymphs? - Cerastipsocus venosus Barkklouse - Cerastipsocus venosus Tree bugs - Cerastipsocus venosus Salmon creek site insects unknown 2022 3.1 - Cerastipsocus venosus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Psocodea (Barklice, Booklice, and Parasitic Lice)
Suborder Psocomorpha
Infraorder Psocetae
Family Psocidae (Common Barklice)
Subfamily Psocinae
Genus Cerastipsocus
Species venosus (Tree Cattle)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Cerastipsocus venosus (Burmeister)
Orig. Comb: Psocus venosus Burmeister 1839

Numbers

2 spp. n. of Mex. (1)

Size

6-8mm(2)

Identification

one of the more conspicuous species in the East; nymphs and adults often seen clustered together in large groups on smooth tree trunks. The nymphs have yellow and brown striped abdomens. --Philip Careless
Most males have the pterostigma white (2)

Dets. Kyle Kittelberger

Range

e. NA to Mex. - Map (3), un common across s. TX

Habitat

Trunks and branches of broad leaf trees and conifers. (2)

Season

mostly May-Oct, but can be nearly yr round in the southern tier of states (BG data)

Food

accumulations of fungi, algae, lichen, dead bark and other materials that occur on tree trunks and large limbs

Remarks

frequently form clusters called herds, such as:

See Also

Cerastipsocus trifasciatus
- Range: se US to AZ

Internet References

Beneficials in the garden - TAMU
Tree Cattle are Harmless - Univ. Florida

Works Cited

1.American Insects: A Handbook of the Insects of America North of Mexico
Ross H. Arnett. 2000. CRC Press.
2.Young D.W. (2011‒) Psocoptera of Texas
3.Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
Contributed by tom murray on 15 October, 2006 - 1:39pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Mike Quinn, Ted Kropiewnicki, Robert Lord Zimlich, v belov, lee_penner
Last updated 21 August, 2021 - 7:15pm

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