Inexorability

I was standing out on the porch before, and I was so entranced by the dark, clear, starry sky that it took me several minutes to realize that I wasn't hearing any bugs. There was no cricket song tonight. Or frogs, or whatever else sings in the dark. There were traffic sounds from the highway, and lots of rustling in the leaves, but the crickets, who sang quite heartily this afternoon, were silent. It wasn't the first night this autumn that there was no insect chorus, but it was the saddest, because maybe last night was the last night, and I didn't know it. There have been plenty of nights colder than this when I could at least hear one lonely cricket singing its aria, but not tonight. It's a funny thing that in spite of the other noises, it was silent in a way. Like there are layers of sound, and even though the rustling and the distant cars were there, the bug track was silent. It is inevitable that the chorus will come to the end of its season. And I can't say that I have not appreciated it while it lasted. If this is the end, then I will certainly miss it until the spring. There is only one noise I can think of that is exclusive to winter, and I don't want to hear that one yet - people may not realize this if they don't stand out on their back porches in the dark, but snow makes a sound when it falls. Next time there is a snowstorm, which I hope will not be for a while, go out on your porch and listen to it.

It is very gratifying that today I found something that I think I have not seen before to be Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Frankly, the pictures I got of this bug are not good enough that I am even going to try to identify it. It looks like some kind of fly, and that's all I can say about it.

I didn't even realize I had caught this moment until I looked at the pictures on the computer.

Today was notable partly for what I didn't see. I didn't see any assassin bugs. I didn't see any loopers. I saw only one ladybug, on my front door, trying to get into the house (I think it did, when I opened the door, in spite of my efforts to prevent it). I did see some of those black fly thingies, but not very many. I have been thinking a lot about what I have not seen this year - I have not seen many butterflies, or many dragonflies, I have seen only one woolly bear caterpillar this autumn, and I usually see many. Today was actually a day for just missing things - so many bugs flew away before I could even turn the camera in their direction, much less focus. One interesting bug even landed on my hand, and then flew away before I could move (it was on my left hand so I had a change at taking a picture). I wish I had gotten that one - it looked like a round spider with wings! I'd have liked a better look (don't worry, arachnophobes, spiders don't have wings. Though I did have a dream about a flying spider once).

Random Bugs:

 A few hoppers are still hanging around...

 Another one of those pulsating, weird things. This one is quite a bright yellow.

 Adorable cricket! I have noticed that ever since I said you can hear crickets, but not see them, suddenly I am seeing crickets. Hmmm... You know, you never see stick bugs...

 More hoppers...

 Tree cricket. Literally IN a tree.

 I spotted this moth on the storm door - the one bug attracted to the porch light tonight. I thought it was a butterfly at first because of the way it was holding its wings, but those are definitely moth antennae.

 It then flew to the wall to give the full view of its wings. This is a more moth-like pose.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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