Oppositional Defiant Bugs

I am beginning to wonder if the bugs in my backyard just like to prove everything I say is wrong. For instance, the other day I said that I don't find new things in the backyard anymore. I am happy to say that I was wrong.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 I have never seen a caterpillar like this before. My investigations (I asked on a bug identification page on facebook) have turned up the information that it is from the genus Furcula. I get the impression that it will change quite a bit as it gets bigger - this one is pretty tiny, about 1/2 inch, max. In fact, at first glace I thought it was just part of a bug, with antennae and part of the body. But when I got closer...

 ... it closed those projections on what I now know is the back of the caterpillar, and it arched its front end up. Then I could see that it had caterpillar prolegs.

 Sort of looks like a dragon.

 When it grows up it will become a moth.

Speaking of dramatic changes as caterpillars grow up:

I am breaking my rules by posting this, because it is a picture from 11:30 last night, and not from today, but I had already posted yesterday's blog by then, and you take your picture opportunities as they come. Anyway, this is one of the two eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillars I have adopted, and as you can see, it has developed its fake eye. I thought that didn't happen until it was bigger, but there it is. As of today, the other one, which is a bit smaller, and so probably a bit behind in development, has its fake eye, too.

Random Bugs:

 A white hickory tussock moth and its molted skin. Monarch caterpillars eat the skin after they molt, but I can see why these don't.

 It's going around, apparently.

 I know these are pests, but they are eating a plant I don't like, so I can't bring myself to dislike them.

 They are quite cute.

 Haven't seen a looper in a while...

 Stink bug

 Assassin bug

Arachnid Appreciation:
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 Micrathena mitrata, or white micrathena

 Building a new web

 Yeah, I took a lot of pictures of this one...

And video, too! Click HERE to see the spider building its web.

 I noticed that this tree had a network of silk lines all over its trunk, so I looked closer and saw...

 A tiny spider, and...

 ... another tiny spider. They were both about the same size, but you can see that they look different. I assume they are different species that are just similar to each other, but I suppose they could be male and female of the same species. But they are probably different species.

Can you spot the goldenrod spider?

 How about now?

Or now?