Soloist

 Notes about today's bug walk:

To answer the question of whether I would notice if the crickets were silenced, yes, but it might take me a minute. While I was looking for bugs in my rock garden at the start of my bug walk (and not seeing any), I realized that I could only hear one cricket. No katydids, and only one cricket. It was odd. A few minutes later I heard another one from a distance, and eventually a few more. It was strange hearing only one for a while. But then when we went for our woods walk we heard plenty in the woods. It was very loud.

I saw a snake today. First time in a while. Small, so probably a juvenile, and I didn't get a good enough look to know what kind.

A lot of plants have gone to seed lately, so there are a lot of birds around the backyard, in the bushes and trees, and on the ground. There have been a lot of species (although I often don't get a good enough look to see what's in a bush or tree. Lots of cardinals.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #1:

Fungus beetles, I think genus Triplax. A female and two males who were vying for her favor.

I found them on this fungus:

Eventually the female decided she didn't like either of her suitors and sent them packing.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #2:

Grasshopper

It has a red leg, but is not a red-legged grasshopper by species. However, I was unable to figure out what species it is. There is a shockingly large number of grasshoppers in North America. Also note that it is missing one of its hind legs.

Other Bugs:

I found my first bug before my bug walk, in fact, just after I got out of bed and opened the shutters to look out the window:

Ladybeetle. I like it when I find insects on windows and can get this interesting perspective of them.

It was grooming itself.
 

Shortly after I started I had to take a pause from my bug walk to go into the house and get this bug out of my eye. It did not survive the extraction process.

 Assassin bug nymph:

Large milkweed bugs delving into a milkweed seed pod:

 

Tiny wasp on aster

The ailanthus webworm has moved to a new branch and started a new web.

Can you spot the two case moth caterpillars?

Arachnid Appreciation:

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I was actually trying to take a picture of this leaf when I spotted the spider. Unfortunately, it got spooked and flung itself over the edge when I tried to get a closer shot.