A Good Decision

I wasn't going to do a bug walk today. It was warm enough, in the mid-50s, but it was dark, and dreary, and I have a cold that is making me very tired, so I wasn't going to do it. Even on warmish days I never really find anything if it's so cloudy. But I went outside to look at the crocuses that are blooming, and happened to see a tiny something crawling on the ground next to the flowers. I contemplated a minute: It was small, on the ground, it would be awkward to photograph and the ground was very wet from the almost two inches of rain we got yesterday. And I hadn't brought my camera out–really, what were the chances that the bug would still be there if I went inside, changed into my bug walking pants (the insect repellent ones that I don't mind kneeling on the wet ground in because I only wear them in my backyard and so don't care if they get mudstained) and got my camera?

I am sure you can guess the outcome of my deliberations. I wouldn't be writing a blog post if I had decided to do nothing.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Tiny beetle, about an eighth of an inch long. I have seen this kind of beetle before, but this is the first time this year.

 I love those bulging eyes!

After I took the pictures of the beetle, getting my knees and elbow muddy, I decided to walk around the backyard for a little bit–I hadn't brought out my monopod, and wasn't expecting to find anything else of interest, and didn't want to do the full walk that I always did. But it couldn't hurt to just wander a bit with camera in hand?

Then, not far from the first beetle, I found this one:

Also quite small.

Okay, so I found two new-for-the-year bugs today. It was still a horribly gloomy day, not much chance of finding anything else. There weren't even any bugs on the crocuses, I would certainly not find any bees... yes, I actually had that though only seconds before finding this:

 The bee had an editorial comment to make.

Okay, so, on a day when I had no intention of doing a bug walk at all, I had already found three species of insects that I had not yet seen this year. That was it, right?

Nope:

 I think this is a sawfly of some kind...

 It was not alone.

Really not alone. The number of ticks I have seen so far this year already is horrifying.

And that was it for insects (well, I saw a couple of others, but they were things like candy striped leaf hoppers, and I didn't get pictures). Not bad for not even doing my full bug walk.

Good thing I decided to go outside. When in doubt, go spend some time outside.

But watch out for ticks.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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