Backyard Bug of the Day:
Net-winged beetle
Flying away!
The double-toothed prominent caterpillar that has been devouring all of the leaves of a small sapling has disappeared; it was there last night, and gone today. Based on its size I would say it went away to find somewhere to pupate. While searching the little tree to see if it was just blending in really well, I spotted this:
Another double toothed prominent, but a small one, the smallest I have seen of that species, much earlier instar than I have ever noticed before.
It hasn't developed all of its "teeth."
And then I found another one.
The little monarch is still there... and has grown quite a bit in the last couple of days.
I found another monarch today, about twice the size of the one above(which I know you can't tell from the pictures), and big enough that I can't believe I haven't spotted it before now. I LOOK for these, they are brightly colored–I don't know why I have such a hard time finding them!
Hoppers
Assassin bug nymph
This is one of my favorite ways to find bugs, silhouetted on a leaf.
A closer look
Fly
Tree cricket
I saw four butterflies, all different species, the first time in days I have seen a butterfly. This skipper was the only one I was able to photograph.
Can you spot the two Lepidoptera in this shot?
Moth
Caterpillar–I think it's a banded tussock moth.
That tree was full of insect activity:
Bark lice nymphs
A couple of them have mites on them.
Another banded tussock moth
Another fuzzy caterpillar
Wasp
Hemiptera of some kind
There was no blog post for yesterday because the weather–extreme heat followed by a long-lasting thunderstorm–kept me from doing my bug walk until it was almost dark, and of course it got darker by the minute while I was out there. I saw some bugs, and took about 50 pictures, but none of them were worth posting. Mostly I saw milkweed tussock moth caterpillars. There were a lot of them, and not in groups on a leaf together, but individuals on leaves–milkweed leaves–all over the backyard.
Today I saw only one.
Hemiptera of some kind
This next picture is kind of disturbing. It depicts an animal that is alive, but has been injured. If you think that will be upsetting to you, then don't go any further, or if you really want to see the spiders, zoom past it really fast. You have to really look at the picture to see what is awful about it.
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This bunny was hopping around and eating the lawn, so it seems to be okay, but it has a pretty awful looking wound on the top of its head. I don't have any idea what happened to it, but I would assume there was a failed attempt by a predator to catch it. I debated whether to post it, but I decided to do it just to show that nature is cruel, but also resilient.
Arachnid Appreciation:
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