What Might Have Been

Have you ever wondered what exactly I am yammering about when I talk about a bug being uncooperative? I know I have posted some pictures that were not very close-up, or slightly blurry, and said that the bug was uncooperative, but have you ever thought that maybe that was not the extent of it? Well, here's what I mean - the following pictures are ALL the pictures I took of a bug that was interesting, and perhaps one I have never seen before, that MIGHT have been named Backyard Bug of the Day today IF it had been more cooperative:

 I spotted it, moved in for a picture... and it scurried to the edge of the leaf and over to the other side.

 And back again, where it scurried some more.

 It was windy, too, which didn't help with trying to get the moving target in focus.

  It looks like some kind of beetle... a really small beetle. But I don't know for sure, because it wouldn't sit still for me to get a good look at it, much less a good picture.

This is where you were expecting to see the one good shot I got, right? Nope, you get the empty leaf where it flew away just as I was pressing the shutter button. I almost got the shot of it spreading its wings, but nope. Nothing.

So... Backyard Bug of the Day:

 I don't know what it is, but it appears to be a nymph of some kind, because it looks like it has undeveloped wings. Wait, you can't see that?

 Okay, here's that same picture, zoomed in. It doesn't look like a hopper, but whether it is some other kind of Hemiptera, or a Coleoptera, or what, I have no idea. I thought it was a springtail at first, but then changed my mind, because of what looks like the undeveloped wings - springtails don't have wings.

 It's really small. Like, a couple of millimeters kind of small.

Random Bugs:

 Remember the thing from last night that I couldn't determine whether or not it was a bug because it was too dark out? It's a bug.

 Assassin with prey

 Moth

 Ladybug. It was sitting on the back porch steps when I went outside, and was still there when I was done with my bug walk. I have no idea why it is covered in droplets of water; it wasn't raining or dewy.

 Another ladybug, different species, and infected with a fungus

 Fuzzy gall on an oak leaf

And that's all the bugs I found today. Pathetic, really, when you consider that it was a gorgeous day in the 70s. I couldn't believe there were so few bugs to be found! It wasn't even one of those days when there are a lot of bugs flying around and I just can't get a picture of them - there just weren't any around. I don't get it.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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 This is another bold jumping spider, and in this case it really doesn't describe its personality, because this was one scaredy spider if I ever saw one. When I first spotted it, it was on the leaf in the foreground, but when I got close it backed off into the shade of the other leaf. After the picture it scurried away altogether. That is not the only reason that this is not a closer shot, though. I took this picture through another spider's web, and I couldn't get closer without breaking the web.

This looks like a six-spotted orb weaver, but I have never seen one this color. Not that that means anything. Maybe it comes in many colors I have never seen.