Just In Case

I take my camera outside with me when I go out to get the mail, just in case I see something interesting. It's a good thing I did that today, because almost all of the bugs I found today were seen on that meandering walk to the mailbox. There wasn't anything interesting in the mail, but I did see a few bugs.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 I think this is a cuckoo wasp, but I have never seen one so small.

 I love the color of these wasps, and that they look like they are covered in jewels.

Other Bugs:

 Striped garden caterpillar

 A competition to see whose genes carry on. The female is the huge bee, and the male to the right/behind her is actually attached. He seemed to be putting in quite a bit of effort. The other male occasionally made moves as if he was either trying to connect, or perhaps just shove off his rival.

 Look at that stinger!

 Cockroach

 This woolly bear caterpillar has been sitting in the same spot on the side of the house all week. Today I looked at it up close and saw that it is covered with parasites. I can't tell if those are eggs or larvae, though.

 Some kind of plant bug, I think.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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 Funnel web spider in the rock garden, where it has been for weeks.

 I think this is an immature nursery web spider. Not a spiderling, but not full grown.