A Different Angle

 I think I have to face the reality that I am probably never going to get this blog posted in time for the deadline anymore, and will probably have to post a placeholder every night. I just don't have time to work on it three hours earlier than I was before. 

Backyard Bug of the Day:

I think this is a dagger moth. It's a pretty good sized moth–nothing like any of the giant silkmoths, but a pretty hefty size. I usually see them around this time of year, and among the things that are very nice about them from the standpoint of a person who likes to take pictures of bugs is that they can often be found at about my eye level on tree trunks, so it is easy to take pictures of them, and they usually remain very still when they are being photographed. This one was a couple of inches above the ground, and flew away after I took this shot. However...

... it landed on a nearby tree, and for the first time ever I got to see the underside of the wings...

... and the underwing. Every time I have ever seen one of these moths it has been just like the first picture. So this one was a little uncooperative at first, but I am so happy that it showed me other sides of itself.

Other Bugs:

While we're on the subject of moths:

I've been seeing these a lot lately. Clymene Haploa moth.

A lot of the fall webworms have disappeared. When they were all hatching there was a wasp that hung around on their leaf a lot, and I assumed it was laying eggs in the caterpillars, but it seems like something is eating them as well.

The praying mantis is still on the same plant where it's been for at least a week. Now you can see her in her full adult glory with wings... well... you can see her wing covers. If I am right that this is a female, she can't fly, even though she has wings. Apparently only the males can fly.

The bagworm has been hanging in the same spot for three days. It's never stayed in one place for so long before, so I think it may finally be pupating. I first saw it about a month ago, so that seems reasonable.

This is some kind of slug caterpillar, possibly a button slug caterpillar, but it is an early instar, and probably has different markings than it will when it gets bigger; at any rate the markings don't match any in my book. It was only about an eight of an inch long.

I seem to have found mostly caterpillars today...

Milkweed tussock moth caterpillar

Looper caterpillar on a purple coneflower

Some kind of plant bug or seed bug

Jagged ambush bug

Tree louse

After the milkweed finished blooming I didn't see bumblebees around much for a while, but today they were back for these flowers:

Arachnid Appreciation:

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I think this is a zebra jumping spider

Yesterday this spined micranthena had built its web across the path, a big web. Today it had a small web among the leaves of this bush. I am much obliged to it; I hate walking through spiderwebs.