Temporary Springtime

Today was my second favorite season during the year: January thaw. Most years there will be a period of a day or two in January when the temperature goes up into the 60s, and it feels like spring, and since spring is my favorite season, I love this. You know who else enjoys this? Bugs. Or so I assume, because they come out of their winter hiding places for it. Not all of them, obviously, but there are usually some unseasonable insects around for those days. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to do a regular bug walk today, but I did see quite a few bugs while I was off in the woods. I also saw bluebirds, which I love, and which eat insects. They must love January thaw, too.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Woolly bear caterpillar, aka Isabella tiger moth caterpillar. Woolly bears overwinter as caterpillars, obviously, and pupate in the spring, and sometimes on nice days they go out for a walk. I don't know why they don't just stay in the place they had been sheltering, but for whatever reason, on warmer winter days they are out and about.

Another bug that likes to come out when it's warm enough:

 Candy striped leaf hoppers on their favorite tree. I actually went to this tree to look for them today, because I knew I would find them there.

 Out in the woods there were a lot of springtail exuvia (shed exoskeletons from molting) on the surface of the streams, but unlike last time I saw this, not very many actual springtails. You can see a few of them here among the exuvia (which are the white things).

I also saw snow fleas, which I was surprised to see only on the shady side of trees today, and quite a few stoneflies. I saw a stinkbug, and a few moths flying around. And I saw a number of bugs flying by or skittering across the leaf litter. Today it was 60ºF, and tomorrow is supposed to be warmer, but it is also supposed to rain tomorrow, so I might not get to do a bug walk then. And then by Monday the thaw will be over, and I will go back to longing for spring.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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I saw several spiders today, including this one, the only one I got a picture of, on the bridge we were building across a stream in our woods. I actually saw several spiders yesterday when I was cutting brush in the woods, and yesterday was only in the 40s.