The Sounds of Success

I knew as soon as I opened the back door to go outside today that it was going to be a better bug hunting day than the last several have been. It was still chilly out (and it got down into the mid-30s again last night), and it was dark and gloomy with heavy clouds (though it never did get around to raining), but I knew there were a lot of bugs around because I could hear them. So many, and so loud! I realize that it was probably all crickets, but if there are that many crickets out making a ruckus, there have to be a lot of other bugs, too! And I was right - I saw a lot more bugs today than I have for the last week. Huzzah! Even later, in the evening, when my husband was going in and out of the back door to cook dinner on the grill, every time he opened the door I could hear the insects singing.

I actually took more than 500 pictures today.

I am sure it will not surprise you to hear that I couldn't decide between two bugs for Backyard Bug of the Day, so once again there will be Co-Bugs.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #1:

 I realized that for all of the pictures I have taken of bumblebees this summer, I don't think they have ever been Backyard Bug of the Day, so since this bee was fairly cooperative, I decided that today it should be chosen.

 Of course, I could be wrong, but I don't feel like checking to see if the bumblebee has been BBotD. Anyway, it's been one of the few stalwarts lately, so it deserves some honor for that. They are definitely the only bees I have seen for the last few days.

Here's a couple of wing close-ups.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #2:

 Trying to blend in...

 This is some sort of assassin bug nymph. The color is one I don't think I have seen.

 So much attitude in one so small.

Cute, Furry Creature of the Day:

It was too blurry to zoom in and crop, but I had to show that leap. What you probably can't tell is that its cheeks were stuffed full of food.

Random Bugs - So many more than yesterday:

 A spotted cucumber beetle. Unlike other times I have seen these, this one was mellow about having its picture taken, so I was able to get some good close-ups of its face. It's ironic, because what I really wanted was to try to get a picture of it spreading its wings to take off. It never did take off. For all I know it is still out there.

 Here's a zoomed in shot of that face. After all these months you know that's no Hemiptera, right? Beetles belong to the order Coleoptera. (No, I did not just look that up. I already knew that).

 Wiping food off its mouth. Or eating food off its feet. I don't know.

 There comes a certain point when your summer camouflage doesn't work so well...

Stink bug of some kind, I think. Today was the first time in days I saw any stink bugs.

 Missing the point of camouflage. The most is a bit tattered.

 More stink bugs...

 Amazingly, this is the only looper I saw today.

Aphid

 Yesterday's BBotD. Of course I got better picture of it today.

 Nice iridescence on the wings.

Woolly aphid

 Assassin

Arachnid Appreciation:
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 Something tells me this is not going to work out well for this aphid...

 Here's a better look at the spider.

 I think this spider was contemplating jumping on my camera.