Soggy

It was a dark and stormy afternoon. Okay, so maybe it wasn't all that stormy. It only misted a bit when I was outside doing my bug walk. It was definitely soggy, though. The backyard was just plain wet.

The storminess came later, but I was all set with my Backyard Bug of the Day by then.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 This is sort of like a damselfly, but really not.

So I don't know what it is.

Backyard Bud of the Day:

Butter and eggs. I was excited to see this blooming, because all of these plants that I have been seeing around the yard are kind of shriveled, so I didn't think they were going to bloom. I guess there are a few that are okay.

Maybe I am going to get a purple coneflower after all?

Whatever you do, DON'T TELL THE DEER!

There's new lilies blooming out front:

 I don't remember if those were there before (my neighbor across the street sometimes plants things in front of the rocks in front of my house. It's a fun surprise every summer to see what comes up).

And something has been dining on mushrooms:

I have been seeing hoverflies around, but none have wanted to land and have their picture taken before today:

I spotted this curious, fluffy blob on a plant, and took a picture because I wanted a closer look at it (and aside from not having keen enough eyes to really study it, it was starting to rain):

In looking at the picture, it looks like something has emerged (hatched?) from it (on the right hand side of it).

I had the window open last night when it was raining, and quite a lot of bugs took refuge from the downpour under the canopy of the open window...

This was one of the bugs sheltering there. It was flailing rather clumsily against the screen and also against the glass (bugs don't seem to understand glass). This is a big bug - somewhere between 2 and 3 inches from head to tail, with nice wide, wings, too. It is my theory that bugs are the basis for the belief in fairies, and this one is definitely one that has a fairy appearance... until you get up close.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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This spider is much less colorful than the similar one from the other day. Very small, too, but big enough to catch this leafhopper.