Aphids - usually found on the underside of the leaves or on the tips of new growth.

Yellow aphids on a Hoya.

An assassin bug on burroweed waiting for its next victim.

This assassin bug has captured a flying insect and is sucking the juices while other flying insects surround the victim.

 Swallowtail butterfly.

Note the Swallowtail egg near the end of the citrus leaf near the center of the photograph.

Hard to believe this face will turn into a Swallowtail butterfly if it survives. Caterpillar looks like a bird dropping and feeds on young citrus leaves.

Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor, on red bird of paradise flower.

Praying Mantis.

The Mantis is a clever hunter waiting patiently to catch its prey like this butterfly. The body was eaten and the wings left behind.

Sometimes when the male mantis breeds with the female she turns and bites the male's head off and later eats the dead male.

Mantis egg casing.

Slug - this one came from a plant purchased at a nursery. It's a garden pest, but not an insect. Like its relative the snail it's a mollusk.

Garden snails often get introduced to the Tucson garden when you bring home new plants from the nursery.

Tarantula
Aphonopelma chalcodes

Tarantula Hawk.

Tarantula Hawk vs Tarantula photos.

Black widow spider. Has telltale red hourglass on the underside.

This Orb Weaver is a common sight in the garden. This one is feeding on the remnants of a leaf hopper.

Top side of  the marbled Orb Weaver.

Hornworm. Out of its natural environment a hornworm is easy to see.

Hornworms are voracious eater.

Feeding on the branches of a tomato plant the hornworm is well camouflaged.

Hornworm pupa found in the soil.

Hornworms become one of the fast moving  Sphinx moths.

Squash borer eats the center out of squash plant stems causing the plants to wilt.

Green loopers can do considerable damage to plant leaves and leave unsightly droppings behind.

More Insects & Pests

Animals           Birds