BUGS! (And other critters)

Living in the country Having a garden Having a yard seems to invite a lot of bugs and other critters... Here's proof from just today!

This little leafhopper was probably up to no good, but he was so small I figured what harm could he cause?


And this next little guy was so shiny and green, and clearly wasn't biting in a painful manner like so many of the other flies out here do, so I didn't try to swat the crap out of him. (I'm sure I usually look like I'm doing some crazy little dance in the backyard that the neighbors attribute to homosexual dance-to-some-club-music practice, when really I'm just after the evil flies that are after me!)



I've seen this particular guy out on plenty of occasions - I can tell from the busted right "tail" on it's wing. I think I caught it doing a little "interracial love dance" in the air yesterday when it and a black-and-blue butterfly of the same size kept flitting around with each other. Hey, I'm open-minded - you two do whatever makes you happy!


Yes, I know this next picture is not of any sort of bug/critter. It is, however, setting something up. I've started moving some of the potted veggies back to the garden area. The garden I tilled in isn't doing so hot - it's holding way too much water down in the giant-sized "clay bowl" I carved out, and some of the central stuff is dying. I figured I'd prop this pot of store-bought bush cukes up against a tomato cage, and it's latching on and seeming happy where it is.


And what do cucumbers attract? Cucumber beetles!

This guy spooked off the plant, landed on me, and then on the tomato cage. Unfortunately for the bug I accidentally picked him up, lightly squished him, threw him down on the ground, and stepped on him. Oops. Oh well!


I call this one "beetles behaving badly!"


"Bugs gone wild!" (I'm SO glad I gave all the basil a strong cutting yesterday and made a huge batch of pesto for the freezer!)


Haven't seen this guy before - an "employee" of the garden I wasn't aware I had. TINY little guy - hopefully he'll scarf up lots and lots of bad bugs. Cute - hunh?



This one's not from my garden - Penny at work found it yesterday and brought it in to show off. That's some funky coloring! She freaked out when I let it crawl up on my finger, telling me I needed to wash my hands! LOL EVIL CATERPILLAR! ATTACK! ATTACK! (And I've looked it up - no, it's not poisonous)



My last picture taken today - "Daddy, can I come out and help too!?"