Porch Tree

 There is a tree growing through our back porch. It has been there for several years, although it's not very big, because at least twice (and possibly three times, I can't remember) the trunk has snapped off, due to the fact that the tree is growing through a slat between the boards of the porch that is only about half an inch wide. That prevents the tree trunk from growing wide enough to support itself beyond about six feet tall. My husband doesn't like having a tree growing through the back porch, but to humor me he has left it alone. I am sure he is secretly pleased every time it has snapped, but it always makes me sad. However, the tree has a strong will, and it just keeps growing back. I don't know what kind of tree it is, but I think it might be some kind of poplar, mostly just because there have been caterpillars on it in other years that have poplar as their host plant. The tree has been very popular with insects in past years, but not so much this year. It has always been especially popular with aphids, but again, not this year. I spend a little bit of time sitting on the back porch steps almost every day, right next to this tree, so it is surprising to me that just today I noticed that the underside of the leaves of the tree are covered with aphids. The aphid pictures I posted yesterday are from that tree, and for some reason yesterday I only noticed them on one leaf. Today I noticed them on many, many leaves. I don't know if they have only recently appeared on the tree, or if I am just so unobservant that in spite of sitting right next to the tree, and actually checking the tree for insects pretty much every day, I did not notice that it is covered with aphids.

Purples is not a common color among insects in my backyard. I love to see it.

Out of all of these, one with wings.

I found a lot of candy striped leaf hoppers again. They seem to congregate on trees that still have green leaves:

 

These are on a cherry tree.

 

Lots of them on a black birch branch, even though the leaves aren't green anymore. Note at the end of the branch the catkin buds for next year. Also, you can barely see it, but there is a drop of liquid on the lowest catkin. this is from before it rained; I think that droplet is honeydew excreted by the leafhoppers.

 

I didn't realize when I took this picture that I was taking a picture of two stilt bugs. I only noticed one.

 

The case moth caterpillars were out on their threads again today:

 

Sometimes there will be more than one on a thread. I am not sure if they are climbing each other's threads on purpose, or if they just get blown together.

The lower one here has no decorations on its case.

Large milkweed bug

Arachnid Appreciation:

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