These are a couple of bees, but not he domesticated honey bees. The left is a big bumblebee, the one on the right, with the green head is a tiny sweat bee. The bumble bee is easy to notice, the little sweat bee is much harder to find. This one was sleeping on the wall at night where I work, they are only a few millimetres long.
This moth was on our window curtains yesterday. It is easily the width of my hand and the wings flash a bright red/pink when it flies. They are underwing moths and the first ones i have found. I put it into a petri dish to get a good picture of the pink, but he did not co-operate, so I released it outside. How he snuck into the house undetected, I have no idea. His face has an awesome furry, upturned snout, with big, expressive eyes.
Someone recently asked why there are so many cicada killer wasps out right now. I said it was because there were so many cicadas around. Of course, most people don't see their evidence. There are cicada molts in a lot of bushes, there are cicada emergence holes on the ditch paths (the young toads use them to hide during the day), and the cicadas themselves are all around in person, or buzzing from the trees.
Other than the cicadas, many other insects are emerging to start a different life, such as these baby spiders
Other insects are migrating north. There are probably monarchs around (look in the milkweeds) but these guys I spotted are likely viceroys; a closely related species
Also annoying; some raccoon finally was smart enough to fish out my rescued tadpoles and eat them. This happens every year as the bandits find a way past the barriers. I guess I will try again when the monsoons finally bring out the spadefoots again. I still have a menagerie of a spadefoot, red spotted and woodhouse YOY toads (Young of year) in yogurt containers in my front porch. The spadefoot is going to need a bigger container soon but they like small spaces most of the year.
The cicadas hide out underground most of their lives, growing legs and wings only when it is time to reproduce. Many beetles are the same, going from grub looking things, to tiny armoured tanks when it is time to get mobile. The variety can be astonishing, surpassed only by the wasps, but it is harder to get close to wasps, obviously.
The velvet ant on the R is a male, which has wings and acts like a wasp, but has no stinger. The female has a stinger, for laying eggs, but has no wings and acts like a beetle. Nature can be confusing.
Also annoying; some raccoon finally was smart enough to fish out my rescued tadpoles and eat them. This happens every year as the bandits find a way past the barriers. I guess I will try again when the monsoons finally bring out the spadefoots again. I still have a menagerie of a spadefoot, red spotted and woodhouse YOY toads (Young of year) in yogurt containers in my front porch. The spadefoot is going to need a bigger container soon but they like small spaces most of the year.
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