October 20, 2024

We have now gone from Fall to Spring and back - sometimes every day or two.  The outdoor temperature has been as high as 65 F and as low as 40 F.   The water temperature is settling down onto 50.  (Yesterday it was 48 F.)

I should get the bad news out first.  I haven't seen either of the usual Froggs for a week and a half.  The last photos were taken with leaf-netting over the pond.  The Froggs seemed to wonder what that was all about but didn't look distressed.  Since I next took off the netting, I haven't seen either of them.  I put it on and take it off depending on how many leaves are falling.  Sigh.   Here are some of the last Frogg pictures I've gotten since, both under the net.  That's been about a week or two ago.  They may have already gone down deeper into the water, where they will spend the winter.  I will truly miss them.  Oh wait.  I just snapped picture 3 (having removed part of the net) showing one of the Froggs on the edge of the pond.  Thanks Frogg or Froggette, for saving my week!

Other creatures have seemed less impressed with the weather changes.  It almost seems as if the smaller the creature, the more resilient it is.  This little white Bug is magnified quite a few times.  For instance, the Leafhoppers, about a quarter-inch long, are much more present than earlier, when it was warmer. 

For a while I thought I'd lost my Barklice, but it turned out I wasn't looking low enough on the siding.  Now I will have to drag that ratty old chair along with me as I pseek Psocids.  First here is Polypsocus corruptus, then Graphopsocus cruciatus, and finally one of the latter who has just shed the moult above and to its right.

Here is Echmepteryx hageni.  (Try to say that.)  Next is in the genus Trichadenotecnum, a very hard genus to identify to species.   Third may be Valenzuela flavidus.  

I've no idea what these ones are.  I will have to force myself to search harder on Bugguide and not depend on iNat, since the people on iNat who are interested in Barklice seem to be few and far between.  The first seems to have some false colors due to the wavy lines.  The third one may be Xanthocaecilius sommermanae, which has these whitish eyes and light grey body.  I haven't gotten a "yes" or "no" answer yet.  

Here are a few nymphs, immature forms.  

Let's see some of the Beetles of the Week.  It was definitely Asian Lady Beetle week.  I never saw so many in so many variations!

And Bugs?  First and second show the Eastern Boxelder Bug, a sure-fire clue that it's Fall.  Then your old favorite, the Assassin Bug, Zelus luridus.  Third is the Green Stink Bug, which you may have seen last week.  

Oh.  Let's take a Bug Break and look at some of the colors of the season.  These are some of the trees on my street.

Let's see a few spiders from this week.  Here are a Spotted Orbweaver , an Ant-mimic Spider (maybe a Long-palped one), and an American Nursery Web Spider. 

That is about what's happening in our neck of the woods.  I hope you will all find a spot to cherish so that we can get a handle on the terrible global climate change!   Love, Martha