Sunshine and Swarms

Today was a little bit warmer (closer to "normal" November temperatures, but still under), a lot sunnier, and a bit buggier than it has been lately. I heard crickets for the first time in days, but just down by the street where it's warmer, and found more bugs that just a couple of aphids on the rain gauge. The two woolly bear caterpillars were gone, but there were two other caterpillars from yesterday that were still in the same place:

 The one that was just on the rain gauge post has moved up to the top of the rain gauge. I have no idea what they are doing up there, since there's nothing to eat...

 ... but I wonder if this one is getting ready to become a pupa? I have never seen one with its prolegs splayed out like that.

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Wasp

Other Bugs:

 I only found one candy striped leaf hopper today.

 A surprise find: dragonfly basking in the sun on the side of a tree.

The winter crane flies were swarming today:

 They are the bright speckles in front of the tree trunk.

They were swarming up and down like a column.

A different swarm, that I was able to get close to, which is rare, because usually if I get close, the insects all land on the ground.

 Small Hemiptera nymph

 There were a lot of flies around today, mostly basking on tree trunks. This one is on the morning glory vine.

 

 I lifted up a piece of wood on the ground and found an earwig, a rove beetle, and some other kind of beetle.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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 There were a lot of tiny spiders around today. This kind...

 

 ... and this kind.

Interesting thing: Usually in the autumn I see these spiders on the trunks of trees all over the backyard. There may be one, but often two a male and a female. This year I have hardly seen any, a few about a month ago, and this one today.