Playing With Bugs

I didn't have much time to look for bugs today. I had to do my bug walk in a hurry this morning, and as it turns out, today's Backyard Bug of the Day is one that I found when I came home in the evening. It was getting dark, but I went out with my camera anyway and found a good bug.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Here's the full body shot. I wasn't able to get as close for this one.

Random Bugs:

 The Really Weird Caterpillar was on the move today, so I got a better look at it.

 It walked to the edge of its leaf, as seen here, and then hauled itself over.

 Last I saw it, it was edging itself down the underside of the next leaf over.

 The pack of forest tent caterpillars continues to dwindle. I spotted them on this branch, not huddled on top of each other as much as usual, but bunched around the branch. I touched the branch and...

 ... they all immediately dropped to the ground! Most of them just hurled themselves down with a collective thud. A few rappelled down on silk threads. It was startling to witness. I checked on them later, and most of them were still sitting there, though a couple had walked back to the base of the tree.

 When I went back in the evening, this is the only one I could see.

I assume you've heard of Where's Waldo? Here's a version of that, but instead of a guy in a red and white striped shirt, you're looking for a bee:

Yes, it's much easier than Where's Waldo. But at least it gives you a sense of what it was like trying to take a picture of a bee that kept zooming around about an inch above the ground. Also, a cameo appearance of my shoe.

 Ooh! It landed!

 Here's a zoomed-in shot, because I never was able to get close. Quite a handsome insect.

A lot of days it is the spiders that really make my bug walks. Today was one of those days. Arachnid Appreciation:
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Playing peek-a-boo with a jumping spider.

 There were two of these itsy bitsy orb weavers building webs within a few inches of each other.

 I always wonder with really small spiders if they are babies that will get bigger, or are they just a small species. Spiders have a tendency to build their webs in the same place for a while, so I think I will keep an eye on these.