“Spy vs. Spy, Assassin #bug vs. Soldier bug" I didn’t see how one stealthy #predator caught the other, but the outcome was photogenic. Perhaps declining Autumn numbers of #caterpillars & other small prey make this inevitable? #Reduviidae #Podisus #Hemiptera [Champaign Co., Ill. USA. 14 Oct 2025]

“Spy vs. Spy, Assassin #bug vs. Soldier bug" I didn’t see how one stealthy #predator caught the other, but the outcome was photogenic. Perhaps declining Autumn numbers of #caterpillars & other small prey make this inevitable? #Reduviidae #Podisus #Hemiptera [Champaign Co., Ill. USA. 14 Oct 2025]

“Girl with kaleidoscope eyes” #Coelioxys sp. #Cuckoo #leafcutter #bees parasitize the nests of leafcutter bees by invading & laying their eggs inside that will kill the leafcutter larvae & then eat their store of nectar & pollen. This female was chilling on an aster in my garden.

“Girl with kaleidoscope eyes” #Coelioxys sp. #Cuckoo #leafcutter #bees parasitize the nests of leafcutter bees by invading & laying their eggs inside that will kill the leafcutter larvae & then eat their store of nectar & pollen. This female was chilling on an aster in my garden.

Red-headed beauty! I found this walking #stick #insect (#Orthonecrosia sp.) on at the Jungle Girl Entomology Camp at Trus Madi, Malaysia on Borneo in March 2025. Borneo is amazing, an island of wonder & stick insects! There are currently about 400 described Borneo species of stick insects.

Red-headed beauty! I found this walking #stick #insect (#Orthonecrosia sp.) on at the Jungle Girl Entomology Camp at Trus Madi, Malaysia on Borneo in March 2025. Borneo is amazing, an island of wonder & stick insects! There are currently about 400 described Borneo species of stick insects.

“Who’s in charge now?” If asked, I’d affirm the wheel bug, #Arilus cristatus, as the top predator in my yard. A recent encounter w/ one of the many cross #orbweavers, #Neoscona crucifera, in my yard reminded me that the tables can, and do, turn. #Arachtober #spider #Reduviidae #Araneidae #arachnid

“Who’s in charge now?” If asked, I’d affirm the wheel bug, #Arilus cristatus, as the top predator in my yard. A recent encounter w/ one of the many cross #orbweavers, #Neoscona crucifera, in my yard reminded me that the tables can, and do, turn. #Arachtober #spider #Reduviidae #Araneidae #arachnid

I've been following the "progress" of this little (<1 cm) #inchworm #caterpillar for a couple of days. It is wearing a trio of #ectoparasitic wasp larvae (in Family #Chalcididae). They're siphoning the caterpillar's blood & bodily fluids. It'll die soon & they will form pupae near the cadaver.

I've been following the "progress" of this little (<1 cm) #inchworm #caterpillar for a couple of days. It is wearing a trio of #ectoparasitic wasp larvae (in Family #Chalcididae). They're siphoning the caterpillar's blood & bodily fluids. It'll die soon & they will form pupae near the cadaver.

Three’s a crowd! The wheel bugs (#Arilus cristatus) in my garden seem confused about how many individuals are needed to start a family. They worked it out about an hour after my photos and the “third wheel” hit the road. #Reduviidae #AssassinBug [Champaign County, Illinois. USA. 19 September 2025]

Three’s a crowd! The wheel bugs (#Arilus cristatus) in my garden seem confused about how many individuals are needed to start a family. They worked it out about an hour after my photos and the “third wheel” hit the road. #Reduviidae #AssassinBug [Champaign County, Illinois. USA. 19 September 2025]

This afternoon, a group of #migrants on their way to Mexico stopped in my yard to grab a bite and rest. They are staying the night. I count 64 lodgers tonight. On Saturday evening, I had 142! #butterflies #monarchseason #monarch.

I returned home from work tonight to find a collection of #monarch butterfly wings within and beneath a blazing star plant next to my driveway. Then I noticed the culprit, a giant #Chinese #mantid! The mantid was caught for relocation...to a student insect collection! #invasive

Days like today, when the yard is full of butterflies, remind me why I planted and tend my gardens of prairie plants. [Champaign County, IL. 13 September 2025]

Though they were vastly out-numbered by #monarchs, painted lady #butterflies, were still showing off as they completed for opportunities to sample the floral delights offered up by the Liatris blossoms. #Colias.

Though they were vastly out-numbered by #monarchs, painted lady #butterflies, were still showing off as they completed for opportunities to sample the floral delights offered up by the Liatris blossoms. #Colias.

Days like today, when the yard is full of butterflies, remind me why I planted and tend my gardens of prairie plants. [Champaign County, IL. 13 September 2025]

I returned home from work tonight to find a collection of #monarch butterfly wings within and beneath a blazing star plant next to my driveway. Then I noticed the culprit, a giant #Chinese #mantid! The mantid was caught for relocation...to a student insect collection! #invasive

"I'm an #inchworm caterpillar, but I identify as stick." When disturbed, some #Geometridae family #caterpillars will straighten out in a stick-like posture to avoid detection. It's an effective form of #crypsis even the color/texture doesn't match well. [Champaign County, IL. USA. 5 September 2025]

Have you ever seen a #pelecinid #wasp? Well, you have now! Say "Hello" to #Pelecinus polyturator. Their larvae live as internal parasites of wood or ground dwelling scarab beetle larvae. Until 3 weeks ago, I'd only ever seen 1 individual. Since then, I've seen a dozen females.

That look! A #katydid leans in to ask, “I can’t hear you with all the tree-cricket racket, can you talk into my ear?” Conveniently, katydid #ears are located on their prothorasic legs, just below the "knee". Can you see them? #insect

Hanging around or hanging on! A nightwalk revealed #insects exploited by other #arthropods. Doomed big & little Paw Paw #sphinx #caterpillars parasitized by #braconid wasps, an #inchworm bearing more #wasp #cocoons, & a crane fly #Über allowing 2 #pseudoscorpions to hitch a ride (called #phoresy)

Have you ever seen a #pelecinid #wasp? Well, you have now! Say "Hello" to #Pelecinus polyturator. Their larvae live as internal parasites of wood or ground dwelling scarab beetle larvae. Until 3 weeks ago, I'd only ever seen 1 individual. Since then, I've seen a dozen females.

That look! A #katydid leans in to ask, “I can’t hear you with all the tree-cricket racket, can you talk into my ear?” Conveniently, katydid #ears are located on their prothorasic legs, just below the "knee". Can you see them? #insect

Hanging around or hanging on! A nightwalk revealed #insects exploited by other #arthropods. Doomed big & little Paw Paw #sphinx #caterpillars parasitized by #braconid wasps, an #inchworm bearing more #wasp #cocoons, & a crane fly #Über allowing 2 #pseudoscorpions to hitch a ride (called #phoresy)

Singularly fantastic & uncommon #arachnid. #Orsima ichneumon, the kaleidoscope #ant #mimic #spider #Salticidae, is found in SE Asia. This female was shadowing an ant while patrolling a leaf @ Trus Madi Jungle Girl Entomology Camp. #Sabah #Borneo. It has fewer than 50 records at #iNaturalist

Singularly fantastic & uncommon #arachnid. #Orsima ichneumon, the kaleidoscope #ant #mimic #spider #Salticidae, is found in SE Asia. This female was shadowing an ant while patrolling a leaf @ Trus Madi Jungle Girl Entomology Camp. #Sabah #Borneo. It has fewer than 50 records at #iNaturalist

"Move along. Nothing to see here. Just a leaf." Checkered-fringe #prominent #caterpillars (#Schizura unicornis, Family #Notodontidae) tuck themselves into the gaps they create while feeding to disguise interrupted leaf outlines that might give them away to a predator.

If you have Paw Paw trees, it's likely a good time to see caterpillars of the Pawpaw Sphinx Moth - Dolba hyloeus. I saw ≥30 at various developmental stages last night (8/15) in an east-central Illinois forest. Two weeks ago they were only 1/2 as abundant.

“Don’t go far!” Tiny, newly-emerged nymphs of the green stinkbug (Acrosternum hilare) congregate next to their eggs. They will soon disperse and begin to feed. There are 5 immature stages before becoming winged adults.

If you have Paw Paw trees, it's likely a good time to see caterpillars of the Pawpaw Sphinx Moth - Dolba hyloeus. I saw ≥30 at various developmental stages last night (8/15) in an east-central Illinois forest. Two weeks ago they were only 1/2 as abundant.

“Don’t go far!” Tiny, newly-emerged nymphs of the green stinkbug (Acrosternum hilare) congregate next to their eggs. They will soon disperse and begin to feed. There are 5 immature stages before becoming winged adults.

#Spider #mating or a midnight snack? There's both a male & a female orbweaver (perhaps #Neoscona crucifera) in there. I think it's more #marriage than mealtime mayhem as they were suspended from a single silken strand.

#Predator & Emperor of my garden, #Arilus cristatus, the wheel bug (Family #Reduviidae), prowls the vegetation looking for a meal!

#Predator & Emperor of my garden, #Arilus cristatus, the wheel bug (Family #Reduviidae), prowls the vegetation looking for a meal!

#Spider #mating or a midnight snack? There's both a male & a female orbweaver (perhaps #Neoscona crucifera) in there. I think it's more #marriage than mealtime mayhem as they were suspended from a single silken strand.

A dark morph of the #tiger #swallowtail, #Papilio #glaucus, was also nectaring on whorled #milkweed. I snapped photos of the top & underside of the wings. [Champaign County, Illinois, USA. 9 August 2025]

Coming in for a landing! Black #swallowtail #butterflies, #Papilio #polyxenes, approaching & landing to nectar on whorled #milkweed, #Asclepias verticillate, in central #Illinois, #USA

A dark morph of the #tiger #swallowtail, #Papilio #glaucus, was also nectaring on whorled #milkweed. I snapped photos of the top & underside of the wings. [Champaign County, Illinois, USA. 9 August 2025]

Coming in for a landing! Black #swallowtail #butterflies, #Papilio #polyxenes, approaching & landing to nectar on whorled #milkweed, #Asclepias verticillate, in central #Illinois, #USA

In the last fews days, my yard & the east-central Illinois area has been invaded by 100's of Hypena scabra, green cloverworm moths. They primarily feed on legumes including clover, alfalfa, soybeans, & garden beans. I suspect they're splatting my car when I drive through the area in the evening.

In the last fews days, my yard & the east-central Illinois area has been invaded by 100's of Hypena scabra, green cloverworm moths. They primarily feed on legumes including clover, alfalfa, soybeans, & garden beans. I suspect they're splatting my car when I drive through the area in the evening.

These boy bees are catching ZZZs! Melissodes bimaculata is in the same family as the honeybee, Apidae. The males roost together overnight on vegetation, while females stay in their individual nest holes in the ground.

These boy bees are catching ZZZs! Melissodes bimaculata is in the same family as the honeybee, Apidae. The males roost together overnight on vegetation, while females stay in their individual nest holes in the ground.

Dinner for two! A pair of #Podisus stink bugs sharing a Virginia #ctenucha (Ctenucha virginica) is my favorite stink #bug #predation image. This gristly tableau yielded a number of photos because the evenly-matched bugs were doing a little “tug-of-war” over their shared #moth feast.

I think you hunt #ants! Every time I find this jumping #spider, #Tutelina elegans, with prey, it is an ant they are clutching. This adorable species is commonly found prowling among my milkweed plants & purple coneflowers. #Salticidae

Three’s a crowd. Old fields surround #Illinois woods have been alive w/ the amorous blinking of #fireflies for weeks! I’m giving firefly #3 an “A” for enthusiasm, but there is inevitable disappointment in his future! #Lampyridae #macrophotography

From a woodland nightwalk. I love walking thru woods at night. We encounter surprising night creatures in the darkness. The nocturnal world is alive w/ #insects, like #katydids, #robberflies, pap paw #sphinx moth #caterpillars, and some #flies killed by #fungi!

Nighttime visitor. A male #polyphemus moth #Antheraea polyphemus, visited my yard last night. The caterpillars feed on #trees including #elm, #birch & #willow. I’ve reared them on #oak, #Quercus. Males have feathery #plumose #antennae used to locate females broadcasting #pheromones at night.