Wild and Woolly

Man, this is hard. Do you know how many cool bugs I found in the yard today? No, well, I don't either, because I didn't count them, but I can tell you it was more than one. And more than two. And more than three. So how am I supposed to choose a bug out of all the bugs to be THE bug for the day?

I don't know. So let's start with something I do know - Backyard Bud of the Day:

I have no idea what this is, of course. It's an interesting arrangement of flowers, though - some in bunches, and some solitary.

Okay, bug, bug, bug, bug, bug... what to choose...

Ah... Errr... Umm... Backyard Bug of the Day:

 I know what you're thinking: "Hey, that was one of the three Backyard Bugs of the Day from yesterday! What are you trying to pull here?!?" But, no, that's what I thought, and I was just happy to get a closer picture, but when I actually looked at it on the computer, I realized it's a different bug. Same structure, but different colors and markings. So maybe this is the same bug but different gender (which still allows it to be BBotD, by the way), or maybe it's a different bug, but related, or maybe there is variation in the colors and markings of the species. Whatever. It looks different from yesterday's bug, so it's today's Backyard Bug of the Day.

Ummm... No, sorry, I have changed my mind. This is Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Also similar to the weird BBotD from yesterday, the woolly aphid, but this is a totally different bug that just happens to share some woolly characteristics. But as weird as yesterday's bug was, this one is waaaaaaaay weirder. I think it is a plant hopper, but I am confused as to whether that is the same as a leaf hopper. Honestly, bug books are not all that helpful sometimes, and bug websites are even worse. So, let's just say this is probably something hoppy. Because those are definitely the legs of something that is going to spring away at some point. Though amazingly, it did not spring away when I was taking a picture of it, even though I was totally in its face. And there were actually two of them on the same leaf, and neither of them fled, so that's pretty amazing right there, and another reason why it deserves to be Backyard Bug of the Day. Points are awarded for cooperativeness. But I digress. As I was saying, this is a weird looking bug.

Here, I've zoomed in the picture. Is that weird, or is that weird? Don't you just love those weird eyes, and the way they stare at you? And the adorable frowny face? And the bizzaro things just sticking out of it? This is definitely worthy of Backyard Bug of the Day.

Here are the two of them on the leaf together. That is tomorrow's probably Backyard Bud of the Day peeking around the corner.

I know you think you have me figured out, and that I like to do things in threes, the classic comic triple, so I would post two bugs and say they are bug of the day, but the real one is the third bug, but I am not going to do that. Even though I have several other viable candidates for Backyard Bug of the Day, I am not going for the triple. The comic rhythm will just be sacrificed this time. Woolly Weirdo up there is definitely it. But while we are on the subject of wooliness...

Another woolly aphid, but much less woolly than the one yesterday. So many questions...

A while back I posted a picture of a green bee, and was then informed that it wasn't really all that green. So, here's another one:

Oh, and look, it's on a milkweed flower!

Seriously, if you want to find a lot of bugs in your yard, you could just plant milkweed and would be able to find an amazing array of insects and spiders. I didn't have time for a full bug walk today (and it's a good thing, because I found too many good bugs as it is!), but I could have just spent five minutes at one of my milkweed patches and found what I needed.

Having said that, none of the rest of these pictures feature milkweed.

Here's a ladybug larva, perhaps thinking of pupating on this leaf?

A damselfly. Posting just because it's pretty. I am sure it will be BBotD some day.

This next thing may be too gross to post, but I am posting anyway.

I am a little confused about this. The wasp seems to be caught in a web, but it's a bunch of flies, not a spider, that is going after it. Flies don't catch things in webs, do they? And these don't all look like the same kind of fly.

Sorry to say I have no arachnids to appreciate today. But tomorrow I am back to painting trim on the outside of the house, so I should be seeing lots of spiders and insects, and...

You never know what I will find.