Today's Topic: Is The Author Insane?

Yes, I was about 3" away from these guys. Yes, they did notice . .

. . . though not as much as these guys did. The yellow-jackets above were actually remarkably complacent about bright lights being flashed in their proverbial windows. They stared, but it was a, "Huh. That's weird. We'll keep an eye on that," sort stare. These guys above, though? Not. Pleased. There was annoyed staring, there was agitation, there was some vibrating of wings. That was when I decided to leave them be.

The location of either of these is being kept undisclosed, as I suspect it would not contribute to the longevity of the residents if I made their existence known - and they're really not hurting anything, they're out of the way and, obviously, not that aggressive. (Protecting your sources - not just for reporters!)

Look at its eyes. They're striped. How cool is that?

I know this is rather blurry at full size, but it's staring at me. Its expression was just too nifty not to post.

. . and another in the series of bugs with challenges; this guy's only got one back leg. He was getting around just fine without it; I even saw him make a short jump. How in the heck he can get an accurate trajectory, I don't know, but he landed where he was looking, so I think he can.

It seems I did move the preying mantis far enough away from the katydid to prevent the former from eating the latter, 'cause look! It's all grown up!

. . I *think* this is a she, but I'm not entirely positive.

Other things that proved the world is an awesome place, tonight:

Fork-tailed Bush Katydids Have More Fun

I have not dropped off the face of the earth! . . . almost dropped into the pond/pool balancing on the side to take pictures of hatching dragonflies . . but have not dropped off the face of the earth.

Today's post is going to be all about katydids, 'cause they're just cool.

A nymph - if I were really impressive, I could tell you its stage of development and all that. I'm not that impressive. But isn't it cute? It's washing its little foot!

"Hi, big freaky mammal-thing. Why are you flashing bright lights at me?"

"Oh - 'cause I'm cute, with my striped antennae. Alright then."

It's an antennae contest! (Other bug is a cricket)

It's a baby! (I know, I'm so scientific.) But look! It's got bitty stubby antennae and its leg are the width of the ridges in my fingerprint. How adorable is that?

"World veryvery big, and it very dark out. Me tiny. That long way down."

" .. and something's flashing bright lights at me. Me so confused."

Still a nymph, same species, believe it or not. (Not the same individual bug; I actually saw this guy (gal?) a few nights before the two above. When it's a grown-up, it'll have wings.

. . right now it just had these cute little fin-like wing-stubs, which you can see in this picture, kinda behind the knee of its middle leg. It's eating my gladiolas, but I can't really care, 'cause it's posing so nicely.

This is not a katydid, as hopefully even the least bug-oriented of observers could tell. :) This is the preying mantis that was stalking the above teenaged-ish katydid. It was relocated (though possibly not far enough, 'cause I haven't seen that katydid again). However, it gets a few cool points of its own, on account of turning itself pink to match the daylilies.