Rain, Rain...

Rain is the enemy of backyard photography. It's wet, it's dark and gloomy, and it's hard to find bugs because they are hiding from the rain. It was cold today, too - only in the forties, so bugs are less active anyway. However, I enlisted the help of an umbrella-wielding assistant today, and got a few shots. Even though it wasn't really good weather for looking for bugs,  I knew where there were bugs to be found - for the last several days these little critters have been clumped on a bush in front of the house, and it is my guess that they will be there until they turn into whatever it is they will become next...

Backyard Bug of the Day

I don't think they are caterpillars, because they seem to have too many prolegs, but maybe when they get bigger it will be easier to tell. I assume they are feeding on the needles of the bush in some way, but they don't seem to be actually eating away at it, so maybe they are somehow sucking something out of it? Again, maybe it will be obvious when they are bigger. They are creepy little buggers...

Backyard Bud of the Day comes from something I actually planted in my yard, which is a rarity (though I suppose I should get some credit for the wildflower seeds I strew about every spring) since my idea of landscaping mostly involves just letting things grow where nature plants them. So, here's clematis. I am not sure if this is a leaf bud or a flower bud - probably a leaf bud.

More rain expected tomorrow, and my assistant won't be home until late, so who knows what to expect from the backyard?

(I had an English teacher in high school who for the two years I was in his classes wrote "conclusion needs work" on the bottom of every paper I turned in. This may be what he was talking about...)