Pretty, Little Things

All I'm going to say is that if I don't get some sunshine soon I am going to implode.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 This appears to be the nymph of some kind of hopper, but I can't be sure. I can't look it up, either, because the books don't tend to show nymphs. But it's pretty. And tiny.

And speaking of pretty and tiny...

 I was taking pictures of these pretty purple daisies and found the teeniest grasshopper nymph I have ever seen.

But there was something much smaller on the daisies...

This is the kind of thing that I only see because it moves. Not that I am like the T-rex in Jurassic Park or anything.

 Beetle

 Danger lurking on the next leaf... Assassin bug and march fly.

 This assassin bug caught something.

 Another assassin bug. These are suddenly all over. I have seen this species on occasion before, but this is a lot for my backyard. There are other species of assassin bugs that are usually more common for my backyard.

 Some kind of geometer moth hiding out

 Hover fly

 Weevils

 This appears to be a case moth caterpillar's case glued onto a leaf with silk, which I presume would mean that the caterpillar is pupating in there.

 Crane flies

 Lady beetle

 Wasp. I have seen a fair few wasps around lately, but strangely, almost no bees. I'll bet I'd see more bees if the sun would come out...

Arachnid Appreciation:
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You don't often see spiders looking like they have so much joie de vivre.

I'm not sure what's going on here, but this could be a female (left) and male of the same species. Sometimes with spiders there is a great deal of sexual dimorphism.