As I Was Saying...

I don't have any profound observations today, but I will say this: I find a lot of interesting things when I am wandering around my backyard, and I highly recommend you try it.

Backyard Co-Bugs of the Day:

 On the left, a looper caterpillar that has been decorating itself with pieces of the flower as camouflage. On the right, tumbling flower beetle.

 Here's how I ended up choosing them both - I was taking a picture of the looper and the beetle photobombed the picture.

 Tumbling flower beetle

 Looper caterpillar

 This is the pupa of the gypsy moth caterpillar I posted two days ago. Yesterday it was still in the resting phase, looking like a caterpillar. Today, it's a pupa. You can see the skin it discarded before its transformation on the lower right.

 Here's that same fly in its usual place. First time I've been able to get a side view.

 When I was looking up the identification for this little wood satyr butterfly the other day it said that they are abundant this time of year. They were certainly abundant today - I saw quite a few of them.

I almost got a shot of the dorsal side of the wings, but this is what happened as I clicked the shutter.

 The daisy fleabane is still popular. There were a great many of these bees on the flowers today.

 And other bugs.

 Ladybeetle

 It flexed its wings really fast - here is just as it is opening its elytra.

 Remember yesterday I wrote something about praying mantises, and I said that I didn't have a picture to show you? I have one today. Well, several, actually.

 It was quite young - probably less than half the length it will eventually be.

 Aphids

 

 Stink bug nymph

 Plume moth

When I first saw this, I thought it was a spider...

 ... but it's a weevil.

The porch light was attractive again tonight:

 This moth had an interesting standing-up way of resting. It was quite small, too, maybe half an inch from front to back.

 

 Most of the moths tonight were quite small, and rather non-descript.

 

 The eastern swallowtail caterpillar has continued to transform. It has developed its eye spots, and changed to a lighter green.

 

 Arachnid Appreciation:
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 Another micrathena spider

Once again a spider dashes out of my camera sight because something has landed in its web. I am becoming convinced that this is happening because gnats are trying to get at my head, and flying into the webs instead.

Tiny crab spider

On the front porch tonight. It surprises me that there aren't more predators attracted to these gatherings.

When the spider has its fangs in some prey, it's safe to get close.