Day Bugs

Backyard Bug of the Day:

Thorn mimic planthopper. I think thorn mimics are fascinating.

The Day Shift was active all day on the milkweed again:

One interesting thing about this milkweed patch is that not only are the plants full of blooms, but they have buds on them, too, and are ready to keep blooming for some time. The other milkweed patch elsewhere in the backyard is all spent. This one, for whatever reason, is thriving.

Several beetle species on the milkweed today (though I have yet to see a red milkweed beetle this year):

Earwig

This one's a dangerous one for the bees; thick-headed fly, it looks like a wasp, but it can't sting; however, it lays its eggs as parasites inside bees.

On the underside of a milkweed leaf, a hoverfly larva.

Other Bugs:

Leaf-footed bug nymph

I am not sure if this is a different species or a different instar.

Hopper nymph

Lace bugs, adults and a couple of instars of nymphs

There is a dogwood tree in my backyard that is covered with...

... lots of these lady beetles, and...

... lots of these larvae. I am assuming they are the same species.

There have been a lot of hatchings from the chrysalides I dubbed Bug Henge, and now there are a lot of teensy, beautiful wasps.

I checked up on the swallowtail caterpillar:

It had moved to a different leaf on the same plant. If you look carefully you can see that it has made a mat of silk...

... later in the day I found this. I have not ever known of swallowtail caterpillars doing this, but I am no expert.

Other species of caterpillars make a variety of shelters with silk and leaves.

Frog hopper, I think.

I don't know what kind of insect (or spider) made these fern houses.

Firefly during the day:

The light segments

All over the backyard are vines with hopper nymphs on them. This one is especially crowded:

Always these two species together.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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And look what's on the end of the leaf... I wonder how much it has taken advantage of that food source so nearby