A Beautiful, Buggy Day

Aaaaaah. Today was a beautiful day. A day for walking outside, for eating lunch in the arbor, and just sitting and enjoying the beauty of nature. The bugs seemed to agree, because today was the best day I have had in quite a while for finding bugs. In fact, I actually had to decide between a few bugs for Backyard Bug of the Day. It is actually quite impressive how many bugs I found and was able to photograph today, given that I am still limited physically in my ability to get pictures that are out of a certain height range. I walked around the backyard with a smile on my face today.

The only thing I didn't like in the backyard today was this:

So many leaves are falling. They're not even all changing color first - just dropping off the trees. We need rain.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 A lovely, quite cooperative dragonfly that might be the species Half-Banded Toper.

But before we get to the rest of the bugs, here's something else interesting I found in the backyard today:

 It's right in the center - a bobcat. A young one, I think. This is the first time I have encountered a bobcat while I was outside - the other times I have seen them has been out a window. It was just casually walking along one of the paths, and gave me a look before it entered the woods.

Random Bugs:

 Still finding a lot of American dagger moths. I am always impressed with their camouflage, but then I realize it can't be that great, because I keep seeing them.

 Still, they blend in remarkably well.

This is definitely the season for seeing white hickory tussock moths:

 Sometimes they hang around in the same spot for a long time, so I looked in the spot where I saw one yesterday and found this - its discarded skin from a molt.

 I think this is the same caterpillar. Resting after the effort of shedding its skin.

 Caterpillar close-up. Caterpillars have tiny hooks on their feet.

 Another W.H.T.M.C.

 A couple of bugs on a cedar tree.

 Stink bug

 Hopper

 It's hard to tell if there is one cabbage white butterfly that spends all day circling the yard, or if there are fifty of them that pass through.

 And another little butterfly landed nearby - perhaps a skipper?

 Here's a zoomed-in view.

Both of those butterflies were lucky, because there was something lurking nearby...

 The butterflies got away, but this bumblebee didn't.

 The ants don't understand the purpose of the hummingbird feeder.

Assassins are lurking everywhere...

Remember how I said I am not seeing grasshoppers?

 Here's one!

 Okay, I got a better picture after it hopped over here...

I saw this bug flying, and said, "I think that is a net-winged beetle!"

 So I followed it to where it landed, and sure enough, a net-winged beetle! The first live one I have seen this year! I guess I didn't have to post that picture of the dead one yesterday.

 Net-winged beetles do this thing where they flap their elytra as they walk around.

 Ailanthus webworm moth

 Arachnid Appreciation:
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 A daddy-long-legs with all eight of its legs! And a mite.

 A six-spotted orb weaver spider with only six legs.

 Discarded spider exoskeleton

 Quite large

And look at those chelicerae!