Recharge

I slept almost all afternoon. I needed to recharge my batteries. Of course, what I should have been recharging was my camera's battery, because I knew it was low, but when I went out this afternoon it was in the red warning zone. So, I tried to be judicious about my picture taking, and didn't go for any risky shots. I still ended up taking over two hundred pictures, and luckily the battery held out for me the whole time. Obviously it warns you about the low battery when there's a fair amount of picture power left. It's charging now, all ready for tomorrow.

It was really windy today - not just breezy, WINDY. I am surprised I was able to get pictures with that kind of wind, but in the lulls I took my shots. It did complicate matters, though, when it was hard enough to get the bugs to sit still.

Like Backyard Bug of the Day:

 I don't know what this is, except that I think it belongs to the order of Hemiptera, and I suspect it is a nymph, not an adult. But there is a second bug in this picture - can you see it? Also, the bug got slightly caught in a thread of spider silk for a moment.

Backyard Bud of the Day:

 This bud looks unfamiliar to me, and though I didn't start Backyard Bud of the Day until this year, I am still fairly familiar with what's around the yard in general, so maybe this plant is new to my yard? Someone gave me a plant last year that was promptly eaten by the deer, so maybe this is it.

The milkweed flowers are still attracting attention:

But some of them have finished blooming and are developing seed pods.

The lonely pokeweed is in bloom:

And the amaranth has gone from pink to rusty:

Now I would like to tell you a story. A story about a bug. And embarrassing story about a bug. Embarrassing for the bug, that is, not for me. Let's file this under Backyard Bug Behavior:

 I found this young Hemiptera (I know it's young because I have seen a much larger version of this bug in summers past, so it obviously has some growing to do) sitting on a leaf, and decided to take a picture of it. As soon as I got close with the camera, though, it started marching around, and wouldn't stay still for a picture.

 Then it excreted something, which I have noticed bugs sometimes do under duress, perhaps as some sort of defense when they feel threatened?

 So, it marched around some more, and then... stepped in the droplet it excreted. (Front left leg. Its left, not your left).

 Which got stuck to its foot.

 And stayed there, as it continued to evade my focus.

Awkward.

That's what you get for not cooperating!

Time for an update on The Caterpillar:

 The Caterpillar has grown. It has been eating more the last couple of days.

 Also, it turns out that The Caterpillar has a roommate. It would appear that there was an egg on one of the leaves I brought in for The Caterpillar to eat, and it has since hatched, and the caterpillar inside has now grown enough to be noticeable (newly hatched caterpillars are TINY).

Also: Video! Of The Caterpillar eating! To prove it happens!
Click Here for Proof That The Caterpillar Eats!

Sorry the video is so dark, it was getting on to evening, and even though I turned on the lights it was still kind of dim in the cage, but I didn't want to disturb The Caterpillar by shining a light on it, or even by removing the screen on the front of the cage, because it would probably have stopped eating. So, you get what you get. But if you listen carefully you can actually hear it eating - I found out it was eating because I heard it from about 20 feet away!

Now for some cuteness - Backyard Baby Bunny of the Day:

Now, if you have spider issues, go no further. Today's Arachnid Appreciation features a spider that is amazing, but if spiders creep you out, this one is definitely going to do it.
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Arachnid Appreciation!

 I have posted pictures of a similar spider before, but this one caught my eye because it looked more colorful. As usual, it was face down on its web...

 But either I spooked it, or the huge gust of wind did, because it turned and climbed the thread to one of the leaves of the plant, and I saw how colorful it was on the top!

Climbing back down the threads to the web. Very obligingly gave me all different views and angles!