I took a drive through Dolans Lake a couple of weeks ago and found lots of wildflowers. This “Wild Bergamot” was just gorgeous. The bees and butterflies were lovin’ it! They are “Fritillary Butterflies” …. these are the “Aphrodite Fritillary” (Speyeria aphrodite)
Wheel Bug, Arilus cristatus
This silver-gray insect is the largest assassin bug. The “Wheel Bug” gets its name from the structure on its thorax which resembles a gear or saw blade. It has a
hinged Beak used to inject poisonous digestive fluids into its prey, which can immobilize it in seconds.
It is then used to extract the digested Insect or Caterpillar,
leaving only the empty skin of its victim as evidence of the event
Although assassin bugs are not considered dangerous, most can bite, and should not be handled.
I was outside talking on the phone with Jan when I saw this “assassin” on my old petunias. They are truly one ugly bug!
Look at the larger size to see just how ugly he is 🙂
Size: 3/8"
Life Cycle Eggs are thrust into soft plant tissues in early spring.
Saliva injected into a plant by this leafhopper blocks plant tubes essential for the transport of sap, causing the plant to wither and drop leaves.
This beautiful leafhopper is a brilliant green to blue-green, with lengthwise bands of orange-red on wings
The image below is OOF but you can still see the bubble … so I named him “bubble butt”
