The Bugs in the Backyard: Crepuscularity

I usually do my bug walk in the afternoon, in part because it is usually the most convenient time for me, but also because it does seem to be the time when the most bugs are active. It's not true for all bugs, of course. In fact, it's only true for diurnal bugs (active during the daytime), and leaves out everything that is nocturnal. It also leaves out any insects that are crepuscular, or active at twilight. Today I did my bug walk in the sunny afternoon, and then left for an appointment. It was evening when I got home, and the sun had gone down below the trees; even if it was not quite sunset yet, not for at least another hour, in my shady backyard it might as well have been. And I think that was why I saw today's Backyard Co-Bugs of the Day.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #1:

Moth on autumn joy sedum

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #2:

Another moth on autumn joy sedum. Both moths were small.

There were plenty of insects enjoying the autumn joy sedum, all day long. Mostly bumblebees.

But also flies.

And other species of bees.

The reason for a lack of blog yesterday is that the backyard was too busy getting over 3 inches of rain to let me do a bug walk. Today the weather was completely different, sunny all day, warmer, and quite windy. I was surprised when I uploaded my pictures to see that I had taken well over 300–it didn't seem at the time like I found that many bugs. It turns out that I just took a lot of pictures of a few bugs, but I did find a decent number of Other Bugs:

Dragonfly

It looks like it has a hole in the back of its head. I have no idea what that is all about.

It did not impair its ability to fly.

Dragonfly

I still can't remember the name of this fly.

I think this is some kind of fruit fly.

The rock garden has reached the point in the season where it looks a bit like a popcorn popper as you walk by it, with tiny grasshoppers popping up all around:

Katydid. The only one I saw today, but they're still out there–the night is full of their various songs.

Assassin bug nymph

Eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillar

This caterpillar has built itself a tent made of several leaves with a jumble of silk threads inside.

Cockroach

I see this kind of thing fairly often on the cedar trees, a bit of needle, or whatever that's called, dangling from a thread left behind by a spider or some other insect. I always give them a look, though, because it might be...

... a caterpillar instead.

Large milkweed bug. That's actually the name, not a commentary on the size.

I have never seen one with that pale coloring, but I don't know if it's a mutant, or if it has only recently molted as an adult and it hasn't gotten its full color yet.