Ow

Here's what I discovered today: photography is painful when you are in the waning throes of a migraine. So I don't have a lot of pictures for you today.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 I think these are some kind of tumbling flower beetle. They are the smallest I have ever seen. I suppose tumbling flower beetle refers to a tendency to tumble off of flowers as a defense mechanism, but these are not, by far, the only beetles that do that. Tumbling off of things is a very popular move with beetles.

 This bush (the same kind as the one I have been posting pictures of lately, but one in a different part of the yard) had a bunch of them on the flowers.

 I think this is a nymph of the four lined leaf bug, as seen yesterday.

 Beetle

 I think this is a geometer moth (though I don't know what species). I recently learned that looper caterpillars become geometer moths, but I didn't find out what makes a geometer moth a geometer moth, specifically. I did learn, though, that the name geometer comes from Latin meaning to measure the earth. And what is the other common name for looper caterpillars? Inchworms.

 Speaking of which, here's one now. It is pretending to be a twig so I will not think it is interesting and go away.

And more caterpillars...

 I saw one like this yesterday. That is its head that is hanging down. I have no idea why it is doing this. Monarch caterpillars hang upside down for about a day before chrysalizing, but I don't know if that's what is going on here.

By the way, that strange egg was on the same tree as this caterpillar, and today it was gone. I am not insinuating that the caterpillar had anything to do with it, just segueing awkwardly here.

 Another forest tent caterpillar today. I know they are regarded as pests, but they are so pretty!

 I don't think I have ever had a good look at its face before - I have always seen them on tree trunks, where you can't really get a close look at their faces most of the time. I didn't realize they were so BLUE.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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Jumping spider