Some days are more remarkable than others. But certainly there are always treasures to find!
The read end of a Queen caterpillar on Green Milkweed (Asclepias viridis)!
Queens have been the most abundant butterfly species at our house this year.
Ganoderma fungus on a dead Honey Locust! Looked happy. LOL.
Furthermore tucked in between the layers was a Fungus Moth caterpillar and a Fungus Weevil (Euparius marmoreus -tentatively). Can you find them both?
Tawny Emperors’ larvae prefer the tougher leaves of summer and fall. So the adults will be laying their eggs for the next generation soon.
It was two frog morning at our obelisk. See the next photo for the second frog.
A Red Paper Wasp (Polistes carolina or P. rubiginosus) came for a drink. The Cricket Frog did not move an inch. 😉
Close up of the Cricket Frog!
Here I never got an overhead shot. So it came down to either a Western Bush Cicada or a Bush Cicada (Megatibicen tremulus or M. dorsatus). Indeed it was fun to watch as it mostly went backwards down the branch!
At first I thought it was a piece of a dead leaf on the Red Oak. However I checked to make sure. And I was glad I did! It was only about 5-7 mm. Indeed the Red-Fanned Planthopper (Apache degeeri) was amazing! It is in the Derbid Planthoppers family (Derbidae). The Derbid Planthopper adults, like this one, are all plant sapsuckers. However the immature Derbidae are assumed to feed on fungal hyphae. Yep, a remarkable life-form!
Saw two of the fungus cats on there. A lower one too. That fungus looked like a fried egg sunny side up. Great other creatures. The rear end of the upside down queen cat brought a chuckle out of me.
Wow! That plant hopper. So pretty. The fungus on the locust looks like a pastry. Yum
You need to go get a donut. 😂
Saw two of the fungus cats on there. A lower one too. That fungus looked like a fried egg sunny side up. Great other creatures. The rear end of the upside down queen cat brought a chuckle out of me.
Sharp eyes! I should have mentioned actually there are three cats, tho. Third one is on the left.
Interesting article about the endangered desert petroglyphs!
Yes!
So many creatures – especially like that red plant hopper and queens rear end.
The plant hoppers seem to come in all sorts of wonderful colors and patterns. That fungus looked like food to me too, but I thought of a biscuit.
You were hungry?
Wow on that plant hopper!
Wondrous creatures!