Leafy

Mmmm... trees...

The canopy of my woods has filled in, and it is lush and vibrant, and so beautifully alive. I love walking along the wooded paths, and the feeling of being enveloped in the greenness. It's all so wonderfully leafy!

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Dragonfly. I had gone out on the porch to look at the moth that was yesterday's BBotD (more on that later), and saw three dragonflies patrolling the rock garden and driveway. When this one landed, I went inside to get my camera, hoping that it would stay still long enough for me to take a picture.

 Well, I got lots of pictures, in spite of the fact that it was once again extremely windy, and the dragonfly was perched on an unstable stem. But it was exceedingly cooperative, and let me take pictures from very close, and multiple angles.

Then another dragonfly landed on some grass by the side of the driveway. I know it was a different one because the first one was still in its same spot as I was taking pictures of this one:

You know who could learn something about cooperation from the dragonflies? Butterflies. Here's the shots I got of butterflies today:

 Comma or question mark, I didn't get close enough to see.

 Same with this one.

 Pearl crescent.

Now, about yesterday's Backyard Bug of the Day:

 After I took pictures of it yesterday I moved it to a plant in a pot on my porch because I didn't want to leave it on the doormat, where I had already almost stepped on it. I went out hours later (when it was now today), and it was still there in the flowerpot.

 The underside of the wings

 It was still there in the morning, too, when I went out to get the mail, but shortly after it moved to the outside of the flowerpot...

 

 ... and then walked across the porch and started walking up the door frame. It stopped near the bottom, but I still didn't think that was a safe place for it, so...

 I put my hand down and it climbed up onto my thumb...

... and I moved it to a plant in front of the porch. It stayed there into the evening.

Other Bugs:

 Fly

 Wasp

 Ant with beetle

 Tent caterpillar

 Flower longhorn beetles

 This caterpillar wafted past me on the breeze and landed on the grass, where it quickly scurried out of sight.

 The ration of ants to aphids has shifted toward more ants.

Finally! A picture of a butterfly!

 Skipper

 There are two moths I frequently get confused, the eight spotted forester and the grape leaf roller. I've posted several of the glrs lately, and here is the eight spotted forester. Both are generally uncooperative and hard to photograph.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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This might be a new species of spider for me.

Jumping Spider in the kitchen sink, after I accidentally poured water on it. Then I moved it outside.