Spring? Fall? Winter?

Once again I wanted to wait until the temperature rose into the 50s to go outside to look for bugs, but it never got there. So, outside in the windy 40s I went.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 I thought this was a March fly, but Kaufman's Field Guide to Insects of North America says they are abundant in the spring (which makes sense, given the name), and whatever this is, it's abundant in the fall. Every year around this time I start to see these all over the backyard, usually resting on the remaining leaves of the raspberry plants, or other shrub-sized plants.

I can count the number of insect species I saw today on one hand, and still have fingers leftover for the spiders. Random Bugs:

 Cricket sheltering in tree bark

 Ants. I am not sure the ant on top of the ball (whatever this is) is aware of how not helpful it's being.

I haven't seen any spiders for a while, but today I finally have some for Arachnid Appreciation:
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When I went out to get the mail I found this scenario on the front walk. But grasshopper and spider were obliging enough to stay there while I went inside to get my camera. I suspect they were basking in the warmth of the sun on the stones.

 The spider allowed me to take this picture, but then when I was trying to take a closeup of the grasshopper (which isn't worth posting), apparently the spider decided to make a run for it, and it did - right OVER the grasshopper. Which I think is funny, because if it was afraid of me, the obvious choice would appear to be to run in the direction it was already facing, away from me, but instead it turned around and ran right in front of me. Sadly, I didn't react fast enough to get a picture. The grasshopper didn't react at all.

 I think this is a six-spotted orb weaver.