A Bug's Life

If you are squeamish about bugs,
and I know some of you are, don't read this!!

I think I have said it before, but if you were an entomologist, you would have a hay day where I live. Around every corner there are interesting critters. Right now there is a plethora of toads and frogs, small and large, but that's another blog.
Yesterday alone, there were "bug" anomalies everywhere.

There were more than the usual birds flocking around the back door area of the house, chirping up a storm, very excited. As I looked around closer to see what had attracted them, I saw hundreds of these little gnats in swarms and the swarms were everywhere glistening in the morning light, like little tornadoes right above the wet grass. It was amazing. This photo is a little blurry, but you get the idea. I had to encounter them, dodging left and right as I tried to sneak down to the pond to get a photo of a blue heron that I had seen land there, but whoosh - whoosh, as soon as he heard me, he was gone. I guess I need to be more elusive, like walk on air.

Then, this guy lives in our garage under the air tank. We aren't going to disrupt him right now, as he is doing his job on Earth and that is probably taking care of other bugs, we can' take care of all of them. It is a wolf spider.

Lastly, here is Charlotte, all tucked away for the day. You are only seeing her abdomen as she contorts up into a tight ball at the top of my back door alcove. She comes out at night and spins and checks her catch for the day. She has been in this spot sleeping day after day, but this morning, the webs are gone and so is she. Wonder where she went?