Spineybacked Orb Weaver

This spider looks like some kind of medieval tool.

It looks as though I have it staked out on a sheet of paper…but it’s in a web with the white of the boat as background and you can’t see it.

This is the underside, and you can see parts of it’s web. This one is near the bottom of the boat with the black bottom paint in the background and it shows off the web.

Here’s one walking on the boat trailer.

There are several on and around the boat….outside….thank God. I don’t really like spiders….love to watch them build web…but coming inside my living space …be it boat or camper…..they are an endangered species.

The day after I took these pictures I found 2 Honey Bees trapped in it’s web. I was surprised the web was that strong for such a small spider. I’ve since removed all the webs. They’ll have to build elsewhere.

Long-tailed Skipper

This Long-tailed Skipper was determined to have it’s picture taken.

Looks like one of it’s tails is missing and the blue was much more striking with the sun hitting it.

They have such big beautiful eyes.

Because of their small size most people never really look at them.

OK…..what is it?

It was sitting on one of the white plastic chairs on my back deck by the stack of firewood.

Very unique looking.

I checked all the grasshoppers and kin on the bug guide. I can’t find anything with that pointed face.

And the other end is different too..

If you know what it is…please let me know.

Dragonfly

I think Dragonflies are beautiful. Never realized just how beautiful until I started taking pictures of them.

This one is much larger than most of the ones I see in the yard. I was checking my Giant Milkweed plants for caterpillars and it sat there and posed for me.

The colors on it’s body are beautiful.

Two Lined Walking Stick

I’ve seen these Two Lined Walking Sticks before. I guess they like the sides of my building for breeding. That’s the only time I see them.

If you look closely you can see the small one on the top…I am guessing male…has itself connected to the larger one….guessing female.

Don’t mess with them…they squirt foul smelling stuff and I’ve read it can burn your eyes if you get it in them. I know it smells bad….I touched them to get them to move.

They are really quite pretty….if you like bugs…..and I do.

Painted Bunting (first of the fall)

I moved my feeder to the backyard and was afraid they wouldn’t find it.

Isn’t he beautiful?

I was surprised to see him. Jim is under the trailer a short way away, welding and chipping at the slag. Noise usually scares them off. Especially the squeak of the back door when I try to sneak out for pictures.

This is the first one I’ve seen this fall. I will enjoy watching them at this feeder now. There is a Jathropa bush to the L of the feeder and a Bottlebrush bush and birdbath to the R. The round feeder has sunflower seeds for the Titmice and Cardinals.

 

The PVC pole has some claw marks in it but so far the Raccoons and Squirrels haven’t been able to climb it. There are a few scraggly milkweed plants around the bird bath… the caterpillars have them pretty well eaten up.

Behind those bushes is “wet lands”. It has standing water when it rains a lot. The soil is black like potting soil. I planted Cana Lilies, Needle Palms and Swamp Hibiscus in there to help suck up the water.

Tree Frog

Nature always amazes me. When we were truckers we’d see birds picking bugs off the bug screens on the front of the big rigs. The critters of this world have learned to live with us and take advantage of some of the things we have to offer.

Today I was going to take the bug light down and clean it with the air hose. You can see from the photo that it really does a good job of getting mosquitos.

I was surprised to see this little Tree Frog lying on one of the fins. Is he smart or what?

I have to have a porch light on at night for Raisin. Her eyesight is getting very bad. Figured it might as well do something besides attract insects.

It’s really a very pretty green. I wasn’t able to get it’s true color. I’ll check tomorrow and see if he’s moved so I can clean it off.