2016 September 23

   Welcome to the first full day of Fall.  The equinox was at 1:44 PDT yesterday, but today is the first full day.

The mystery of Mike Yip’s swarming insects (see yesterday’s posting) is now solved, at least to Family.  Mike got a close up picture of one, and it is an ant.

Ant (Hym.: Formicidae)  Mike Yip

Aziza Cooper writes: Two Variegated Meadowhawks were in Beacon Hill Park, yesterday, Sept. 22. Also there were three large metallic green dragonflies which wouldn’t perch for a photo. I saw just one Cabbage White butterfly in two hours.

Variegated Meadowhawk  Sympetrum corruptum  (Odo.: Libellulidae)  Aziza Cooper

Jody Wells comments that when an insect lands on his arm, it might want to be photographed.   Here is a caddisfly on Jody’s arm.

Caddisfly (Trichoptera)  Jody Wells

The one below one was on Jody’s truck.  Thanks to Jeremy Gatten for pointing out that it is a Western Conifer Seed Bug, and not an assassin bug as originally posted.

Val George sends pictures of grasshoppers.  The first from Island View Beach, September 15.  The other two from Uplands Park, September 22.

Carolina Grasshopper, also known as Mourning Cloak Grasshopper

Dissosteira carolina (Orth.: Acrididae)

Val George

Red-winged Grasshopper Arphia pseudonietana (Orth.: Acrididae)   Val George

Pink Grasshopper Trimerotropis fontana (Orth.: Acrididae)  Val George