Interesting Behavior

The strangest thing happened today: I ended up with two bugs for Backyard Bug of the Day. I didn't even see a lot of bugs today, but of those I saw, and got pictures of, I was unable to decide between two of them, and since yesterday we had none, today we will have two Backyard Bugs of the Day. Both were chosen more for their interesting behavior than for their aesthetics.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #1:

 I apologize that none of these are great pictures, but it was an awkward situation. So, this is a fly, and I found it walking around on this branch, waving its wings around. I assume that was meant as some sort of insect communication.

 At one point another fly approached it...

 There was an altercation...

 It did not look like a friendly greeting. The other fly flew away after this.

 And the walking and waving went on.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #2:

 I think this is a lacewing larva. Also sometimes known as trash bugs. Why? Because they carry trash around on their backs as camouflage. And by trash I mean the remains of the bugs they have eaten as prey.  But what they look like are walking piles of debris. In this shot, its head is poking out at the top of the blob of debris.

 Here it is working to attach the head of what seems to be an ant to its debris pile.

 The head is on the left...

 Interesting creature...

Random Bugs:

 Hopper

 I thought this was a larva of some kind, but now looking at it I wonder if it is some kind of chrysalis. A very, very small chrysalis.

 There were a lot of ants around today, most of them in a big hurry. This was was pretty mellow, though. One thing I like about ants is that they are so shiny you can see the sky reflected in their abdomens.

 Female wasp

 Can't remember what this is...

Arachnid Appreciation:
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