Good Bugs

As we all know, there are a lot of people who don't like bugs. And among those people who don't like bugs, there are probably certain bugs that they hate more than other bugs. And there is a tendency to lump all bugs together, or all bugs of a certain kind together, and say, "I hate..." whatever. I've gotten past that to a certain extent. I could say, "I hate mosquitoes," but in reality I only hate the ones that bite and spread disease. I have found out that there are species of mosquitoes that only feed on flower nectar, and whose larvae feed on the larvae of other mosquitoes, the kind that do bite people, and so those would actually be very good mosquitoes. I like those. So I can't say, "I hate mosquitoes," because it's not completely accurate. Cockroaches are another nearly universally despised insect. But that is mostly because of the kinds of cockroaches that infest people's houses, and I totally understand why people hate them if they have them in their kitchens. In fact, they are a health hazard for some people, triggering asthma and allergies (according to my allergy tests earlier this year I am allergic to them). However, there are many species of cockroaches, and not all of them are household vermin that make people sick. Some are even kept as pets (I am not ever going there, I should add). And some are just a part of the natural world, performing a function in nature (as decomposers, to be specific), outside, where we should all agree they belong. Some are even beautiful.

Like today's Backyard Bug of the Day:

 Cockroach. I can't find the species in my books. It's quite pretty, though. This is the one that always makes me think of the Edgar Allen Poe story, one of his less creepy ones.

It's hard to believe that just about 2 weeks ago I had such a huge bonanza of bugs in my backyard, because now I am having a hard time finding them. Here's today's Other Bugs:

 Cricket. It was hiding behind the rain gauge. I found it when I emptied it of last night's 2.5 inches of rain.

I saw lots of crickets today, from a couple of species, not all of which wished to be photographed.

 Crane fly

 Red-banded hairstreak butterfly

 Woolly something-or-other caterpillar.

 Stink bug

 Fly

 Cocoon. Could be a white hickory tussock moth? Based on the hairs woven in?

 Uncooperative beetle

Arachnid Appreciation:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

 There was a lot going on on this sprig of goldenrod, including a flower crab spider lurking within.