We Need Rain

Today is the first day of meteorological autumn. It felt more like the middle of summer, but my bug findings were more like the end of autumn. I hardly found any at all. I didn't go out until evening, because I missed my chance in the morning before it got hot, and it was a very disappointing search. I am still going with my hypothesis that the low number of bugs to be found these days is a result of the lack of rain. The grass is crunchy. The leaves on some of the trees are turning prematurely. I think since I came home almost two weeks ago we have had rain once, and it was about 1/8 of an inch. We need some rain, and some cooler weather, and we're not going to get either of those soon.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Assassin bug. Doing that thing where it thinks I can't see it if it pulls its legs in next to its body. Except I just chuckle because it really looks like a broken umbrella.

The Other Bug I Saw Today:

I found the caterpillar on that milkweed plant. Milkweed tussock moth caterpillar.

Okay, yes, I did see other bugs. Mostly little moths that flutter around the grass. But I didn't see many more than this, and these are all the pictures I got.

Sigh.