Bookends

I bookended my day with bug walks. I took one when I got up, and was a bit rushed because we were going out, and I took one when we got back, and was rushed because it was getting dark. And the mosquitoes were trying to relieve me of my blood. So I didn't get to look quite as carefully as I am wont to do (though for my second bug walk that actually had more to do with the fact that I couldn't see anything after about the first two minutes), but I still managed to find some nice things. I did resort to the porch light for one of today's 2 Backyard Co-Bugs of the Day. Sigh... yes, I couldn't choose again, between a bug that I see frequently but just never get good pictures of - until today - and a bug I have never seen before and got an unimpressive picture of. You're here to see bugs, right? So who cares if I choose two to be Backyard Bug of the Day?

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #1:

This is kind of like a cranefly, but smaller. I have been trying for ages to get a good picture of one of these, but they hang out in deep shade, and tend to reflect the light of the flash in a funny way. I guess I just got lucky this time.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #2:

This is either a borer of some kind, or a beetle. I am thinking borer.

Backyard Bud of the Day:

Bittersweet. It's invasive, but it's also the only thing I could find.

An interesting caterpillar find:

The caterpillar itself is not all that interesting, because I see white hickory tussock moth caterpillars all the time, but it looks like this one may have just shed its skin? I have my doubts that it will eat it like monarch caterpillars do.

Found another one of these:

This one is smaller, and a lighter color than the others.

Since I had the porch light on, I got several moths, though I did spot some in the wild:

 It's not so easy to spot, is it? Well, it's easier when you watch it land.

On the porch...

 Wings closed.

Wings open.

Very art deco.

I also saw this on the porch:

About a thousand gnats. This is only a fraction of what was out there. Obviously I have encountered gnats in the yard, and even on the porch, attracted by the light, but this was the first time ever that I have seen so many gnats sitting on the wall of the porch. Ever. The worst part is that some of them got in the house when I opened the door to go in and out, so they have been making a nuisance of themselves.

A few random bugs:

 It's a pity, really, that bugs don't have the kind of consciousness that would let an adolescent bug be excited about its wings growing in.

 This was almost BBotD. Some day...

 Cricket. Also, my trellis is rusty.

 I don't take a lot of pictures of mosquitoes, because mostly I am more interested in swatting them, but this one (still alive) was not in a position to bite me, so I figured, why not? I sometimes feel compassion for bugs I see caught in spider webs, but I am horrible enough that I feel none for this mosquito.

Now, Arachnid Appreciation:
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 This looks like a new one, but I can't be sure from this angle.

Mite. I could not tell from my books what kind.

 It's unusual for me to see one of these bigger orb weavers during the day. I posted this picture for the web...

 And this one for the spider.