Do you mean that bird Glen?

With the glare, it looks like a huge "Spirit Mosquito" or alien.

Maybe the "Bugs n' Critters" category in the next ATP/NGA photo contest?

It is a mystery to me, too, Ann and Rick: I assume it flew in front of the lens just as the flash went off. I wasn't using the telephoto.

(Twilight Zone theme song ...)

I know that bug, Stone, because I had them before. It's a seed eating bug, I think a mallow or hibiscus bug... need to go look to find the name. Is that a hibiscus?

I went right to it. They are pretty colorful little things!

Niesthrea louisianica ~ https://thevlm.org/whats-on-th...

Thnx Christine...
Seashore Mallow (Kosteletzkya Virginica)

I'd already knocked them into a bucket of water....
Thought they were harlequin bugs, but either way... don't need more seed eating bugs, already have an infestation of leaf foot bugs, and milkweed bugs...

How 'bout this caterpillar?



From the same plant... kept the cat.

Always keep the caterpillar!

mellielong said:Always keep the caterpillar!

Howza bout these dudes?

Are those army worms?

Keep the caterpillars, ditch the worms. ** Unless they're Earthworms**

Okay, maybe not those caterpillars. Armyworms eat everything! And anything!

This beautiful caterpillar was dining on scratch daisy... Closest thing I could find on google was Cucullia convexipennis - Brown-hooded Owlet... which is supposed to be well north of here.

Incidentally... those army worms were eating amaranth... not really a problem...
Now... in town, I suspect they were responsible for consuming the entire patch of spinach that I'd recently sowed...

They really are pretty.

Stone, I tried to find your caterpillar... I think it might look more like Cucullia speyeri, although that one is also found north of your area?

http://bugguide.net/node/view/...
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/20...

wildflowers said:Stone, I tried to find your caterpillar... I think it might look more like Cucullia speyeri, although that one is also found north of your area?

another Yankee moth...
Well thanks for trying...
Not sure why mine with the solid yellow stripe doesn't show up...

Ok... tried it with the botanical name of the host plant (Heterotheca)
how about cucullia alfarata?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/...

Hello!

I always wondered where the insects went during rainy weather....we just had about 6 inches of rain in 3 days (a LOT for my little spot in the Appalachian Mtns, VA) and everything is flopping over...

Well, I guess this photo partially answers my question....under this one spicebush leaf

I see some Tulip Poplar and Goldenrod in the background. Where are you at? Be sure to fill out your profile so we can see. I'm guessing the Appalachians because that looks like Grandma's place in WV to me! Got any Pawpaws?

You got it Your grandma and I are neighbors....I'm in VA near Mt. Weather! Paw paws EVERYWHERE! Kind of sad actually because though they are native and I love them and I'd never hurt a leaf on their branches....they crowd/shade other plants out. There wouldn't be so many if it weren't for the deer. The deer won't touch paw paws but they mow everything else down leaving the paw paws to take more than their fair share. Does you grandma have a lot of Lindera benzoin (spicebush) too? I *think* I've identified at least 5 species of goldenrod and the mountain mint (Pycnanthemum incanum) is incredible!

PS I'll fix the profile thing later I'm in the middle of transplanting sycamore seedlings from the middle of the driveway

Grandma is in Lincoln County, WV so closer to KY than VA. But I still got it right! My grandpa loved Pawpaws and planted them purposely. They grow more as an under story tree where she is. The house is right along the Guyandotte River. My aunt lives about a half mile down the road and they both have Spicebush growing in their back or side yards. It seems like the Spicebush Swallowtails prefer to use Sassafras more in their area, though.

By the way, I'm the moderator of the "Gardening for Butterflies, Bees, and Butterflies" forum so come check us out sometime! http://garden.org/forums/view/...

And if you haven't checked out the Mid-Atlantic Forum, I think they're a pretty active bunch. http://garden.org/forums/view/...