Raking

I didn't have time to do a full bug walk today, and for a lot of the day it was probably too cold, but I did spend some time working in the backyard this afternoon as we planted bushes, and normally there would be bugs just appearing in that situation, either from the leaf litter that was raked up to make a spot for the plants, or in the digging, or just seeing them on nearby trees while standing around idly while letting someone else do all the work, and all I saw in that time was 1 sowbug. I know that spring is taking a while to really arrive (it got down to freezing last night, and yesterday when we were out driving, their was a bit of snow mixed in with the rain), and my memory for how things are in past years is unreliable, but it feels to me like there are just not a lot of bugs around this year. I spent a bit of time raking out garden beds this week, and didn't find ANYTHING in the leaf litter. It's weird...

Backyard Bug of the Day:

 This moth behaved in a way that I have not seen before. Instead of flying away when it got too close, it walked away (though it did eventually fly away, so I know it could fly), and it walked with its wings up.

 Can you spot the insect?

 It's a thrips.

 

 Many of the young caterpillars are still huddling around their egg mass, but some are venturing forth.

It was sunny today, so in spite of the chill, there were a few bumblebees in the rock garden. 

They were uncooperative.

Arachnid Appreciation:
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Jumping spider under the picnic table