Seasonal

 Today was the first day of astronomical autumn, the day of the equinox, and last night we came very close to having our first frost. The temperature dropping below freezing overnight would not mean no more bugs until spring, though. It might kill some things, like mosquitoes, but as long as the temperature rose again in the morning (which it did), the bugs would go about their autumnal business.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

Sweat bee

It was interestingly colored, looking orange from one direction...

…and green from another.

Other Bugs:

Praying mantis. It's an adult, because it has wings, but it seemed very small to me.

Stilt bugs on asters

 

Cricket

 

I don't know what bees want in a flower that has gone to seed, but this is the second one I have seen on a thistle that is past blooming.

Fly

Wasp

I tried looking this caterpillar up a couple of weeks ago and didn't find it, so I am not going to look for it right now, but this next one…

…I am pretty sure is ailanthus webworm.

They make communal webs, with caterpillars of various stages of development. I wish I had noticed this at the time, but it looks like near the upper right corner of the picture is a chrysalis, or the remains of one.

Arachnid Appreciation:

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Bowl and doily spider. Very small, I think it is probably not full grown.