Chilling

It's hard to believe that two days ago it was in the 90s. Today's high was 67ºF (the temperature had dropped by the time I went out looking for bugs, and it wasn't even late in the afternoon). The bugs didn't seem to mind too much, the crickets were still singing, the bees were still buzzing around the goldenrod and the Japanese knotweed. There were not a lot of bugs to be found, but for a chilly (chilliness is relative–in March this would be hot weather, but remember, most of this week was in the 90s), gloomy day it wasn't so bad.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 I have no idea what this is. It appears to be a nymph of some kind, but I don't even know where to begin looking this up–not that it would do much good if it's a nymph. The books usually don't show those.

Other Bugs:

 The milkweed leaves are still popular with bees, but if you look closely you will see that not all of the black and yellow striped insects on this plant are bees.

Hoverfly
Another tree cricket hiding in plain sight:

 Fly

 Robber fly

 

I saw this caterpillar on a leaf two days ago, and looked for it again yesterday when it was raining, but I couldn't find it. Today it was back.

Stink bug nymph from two angles:

 

From the dorsal view...

 ... and from the scurrying to get away from the camera view.

 Assassin bug that also wants to get away from the camera.

 Another cocoon on a tree

 Assassin bug nymph

 Sawfly, I think.

 I assume that is a leftover raindrop, not honeydew that has been excreted by this candy striped leaf hopper.

 Assassin bug nymph

Arachnid Appreciation:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

 The funnel web spider has another guest in her lair.

 

Can you see the mite?

Even magnified it's hard to see; it blends really well with the flower.