What's Bugging You?

On any given day you can find me multi-tasking somewhere in the yard.  Weeding, gardening, watering, goofing off, umm, I mean, being very productive at something, all with camera in hand.  And more often than not, when I am trying to photograph something a little bug flies in the way, or sits in the way on whatever it is that is patiently waiting to be remembered forever in a photograph.  These little bugs apparently like to be photographed so I oblige them, then shoo them away.  Then we head inside and google away until we figure out what it is.

So, this post is dedicated to all things that are bugging us up here in the north.

Scudder's Bush Katydid nymph

This cute little guy will not be cute much longer.  It is in general a Scudder's Bush Katydid baby or nymph.  Scudder's Bush is a generalized category for all sorts of these katydid's and until I see it full grown I can't tell you specifically which one.  And when they are full grown they are not nearly as cute as this.  From some other photographs I found on the web it probably is a Fork Tailed Katydid or Scudderia furcata to be scientifically correct.

Brown Leaf Katydid

I didn't realize this little guy was actually a bug until I tried to brush it off and it started to crawl away from me.  I left my dirty gardening thumb in the picture so you can see how tiny he is.  Still not totally positive if the identification is absolutely correct but it is the closest I could find and I could not find the scientific name.

Clavate Tortoise Beetle

This is one weird looking bug.  When we were de-potato-bugging our potato plants I saw one and told the kids "Eww, bird poo" and then it flew off.  What?!?!?  So we found another and snapped some pics and googled away.  It is a Clavate Tortoise Beetle or Plagiometriona clavata.  Seems like they can do a little damage to your plants so we are going to have to watch our for these little guys.



Colorado Potato Beetle or Potato Bug

Our nemesis!!! We hate, hate, HATE, these little guys.  Although they are really kinda cool looking.  And they are awesome at the whole color coordination thing.  But they do terrible, terrible things to our poor potatoes.  So we have been busy plucking them, their larvae, and their eggs off of all three rows of potatoes.  Ugh, can't wait for their season to be over.

Green Metallic Bee or Augochlora Sweat Bee

This was one of those get in my way moments.  While the kids were loading up the paddle boat at the dock I was wandering and finding little flowers hidden here and there and saw these little flowers.  And this little bee kept buzzing in the way.  He was very pretty though.  I found him called by those two names there.  Scientific name is Augochlora pura.

Long-Legged Fly

Flies, flies, they are everwhere. . . and usually much uglier than this green jeweled beauty.  Not much more to tell other than that, scientific name is Condylostylus and there are a number of species names after that depending on your region.

I have no words of wisdom for you on this one.  Have you ever tried to google "spider" to identify one?  Creepy!  It just makes me squimish and I can't get very far, so for now she is our friendly brown and black spider.

Loads of butterflies

cute fuzzy caterpillars



Jeweled Dragonflies

So many things to "bug" us around here.  And don't get me started on the bugs!  Har, har.  Anyway, so many more pics to show you but my computer is starting to drive me nuts so I am signing off for today.  Love, hugs, and kisses to you all.

Photo of the Week - Week 25 - Insects

Week 25 of 52

Location:  Mecosta, MI
Subject:  Caterpillar

This cute little fuzzy guy was first found walking up the outside wall.  We thought he would be more happy on the hydrangea bush.  Who knows, we probably disrupted his travel to a very important destination.  In either case he happily posed for us for a little before moving along.

And just for giggles.  Here is Z. examining one of the many dragonfly visitors we get here.  They love the garden and these hydrangea bushes.

Whew! What a Weekend!

Such a busy, great weekend that it has taken me all the way to Thursday to recuperate and have a few minutes to sit down and chat with you.

The camping was great.  We were camping for our convention.  The boys were dissapointed that it wasn't out in the middle of the forest somewhere, but there was a pool so I guess that was compensation enough for them.  I love camping.  Camping in a pop-up for the convention though, hmmm, it wasn't horrible and I would do it again, but my plea for a regular camper has now made its point.  Yeah!  We camped with 4 other families from our congregation and the rest of the camp was full of brothers and sisters from all over Michigan.  Saturday some of us sat around the campfire and studied our Watchtowers together.

There are my cute kiddos along with a couple of their cousins.  The convention was awesome as always.

When we got home we had to get to work on the garden.  Amazing what happens when you aren't here to tend to it for 4 or 5 days.  The weeds went crazy mad and the deer, of course, ate more things, and the stupid potato bugs went haywire.

hard at work

J.'s job was to try and get as many of those potato bugs and eggs and larvae off of the potato plants as he could.  They stripped down like three or four plants while we were away.  GRRRRR

The enemy!  They are pretty cool looking though.

He was pretty happy he finally got a tomato off his grape tomato plant that is just for him.

Showing off what they were picking.

And as always we had some flying visitors.

Damselfly

 

dragonfly

We also had a very pretty little butterfly but she refused to be still so I could snap a photo.

Busy time never seems to end around here.  But I must be off.  I am being dragged to a Taylor Swift concert tonight.  The girls are all so excited.  They have been planning for weeks.  They each have little binders and notebooks filled with lists of every little thing imaginable that they need to do to prepare for the concert.  So cute.

So Good To Be Home

Next week marks 8 whole months since we packed up the family and moved up here to Michigan.  We have had ups and downs, tears and laughter, sadness over what we left behind, joy on what lies ahead.  Mostly we are enjoying ourselves immensely. 

Friday I flew with Reuben back to Arizona for what was supposed to be a quick turn around trip of a couple of days.  He needed to get his truck and needed someone to help him drive it home.  We were supposed to leave Saturday and be home by Monday.  As always, things did not go according to plan.

We arrived Friday and my brother in law picked us up in Mesa.  No one had told my big sis we were coming so she was completely surprised.  It was really good to see her again.  We spent the night with her and my other big sis just happened to be coming to stay the weekend so we surprised her too.

Saturday we headed to Tucson, then to Willcox to get the truck.  Saturday night I surprised a good friend of mine at her work and she ditched out early so we could spend a little time together.  Turns out the next day she was headed to the Circuit Assembly where all the people I planned on surprising Sunday just happened to be.  So off to the assembly I went.

It was so nice to see everyone again.  Lots of smiles and hugs and tears.

Then I had to say goodbye to everyone again.  I hate that!  It is absolutely the worst part.  Especially saying goodbye to the family.  I still have to not think about it too much or I cry again.  I love you my sissy's and can't wait to see you again.

The drive home went quickly and we watched the scenery change from dusty brown to brilliant green.  Yesterday I had to get back in the car again and head to Grand Rapids with Cameron but today I have been enjoying wandering around the house seeing everything that has changed in the few short days I was gone.

The weather is so nice.  60 warm degrees.  Sun is shining brightly and the cool breeze comes and dances on your skin every few minutes.  New flowers have bloomed.  The garden is doing awesome with new sprouts up everywhere.  And the dragonflies are back.  Last year when we arrived they flooded the yard for a few days and then were gone.  A couple even landed on my arm and said hello.  AWESOME!

I miss everyone in Tucson and wish I could bring them all home with me.  I miss them, but it is so good to be home!