Six-Legged Critters!

All insects have 6 legs, 3 body parts (head, thorax, abdomen), 1 or 2 pairs of wings and a pair of antennae. They come in all shapes and sizes. These are a few of my recent favourites.

Hologram Moth - found during backyard mothing!

Snowberry Clearwing - they don’t often rest, but I caught this one napping!

Spongy Moth (formerly Gypsy Moth) laying eggs. In years when their population cycles are high, the caterpillars can cause a lot of damage to tree leaves. They are a natural part of the ecosystem.

Mating Moths - possibly Early Fan-foots.

Caterpillars of the Great Spangled Fritillary prefer violets. Without violets, there would be no fritillaries. Adults will drink nectar from many native flowers such as mints, butterfly weed and Joe-pye-weed. Female Great Spangled Fritillaries seem to be able to find violets even after they have wilted. Some scientists who study the species believe it is possible for fritillaries to actually smell the roots of violets!

https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-of-the-month/fritillary

Red-spotted Purple, the name makes more sense when the underwing is visible, as is evident in the lower photo.

Silvery Checkerspot - some of the dark squares contain a silvery colour!

I rarely get to see the upper wing of the Northern Pearly-Eye butterfly as they usually rest with closed wings. They prefer shaded, damp habitats such as wetlands, swampy woods, and coastal dunes. Unlike most butterflies, they mainly fly in cloudy weather and can even be spotted on rainy days. Adults feed primarily on decaying organic matter including tree sap, dung, and rotting fruit.

https://insectic.com/northern-pearly-eye-butterfly/

Bald-faced Hornets are among the largest wasps found in North America. Despite the name, they are not true hornets but belong to the yellowjacket subfamily. The bald-faced title comes from the white markings on the face and body which contrast sharply with the rest of the insect. They are well known for their impressive paper nests, aggressive defense behaviour and role in controlling pest insect populations.

https://waspworld.com/bald-faced-hornets-nesting-sting-pain-size-identification/

If you look closely, the pink, tongue-like proboscis of this Digger Bee species is slurping up water from the mud puddle!

Fraternal Potter Wasp drinking from a Figwort cup. Figwort plants produce "large" amounts of nectar in the cups making them popular with insects. Beneficial Wasps are attracted to the plants. These beneficial wasps will eat other insects that can be detrimental to gardens.

New instar for a Monarch caterpillar. The old skin shed is still attached to the caterpillar which has now grown to about 3 cm in length. True caterpillars only have  6 legs, all located on the thorax. Additional legs on the abdomen are called Prolegs. True legs are segmented and jointed, used for walking and gripping and have claws. Prolegs are fleshy with tiny hooks for gripping that aid in movement and help to cling to surfaces. Prolegs don't have claws and disappear during pupation.

https://meadowia.com/does-a-caterpillar-have-legs/

Widow Skimmer, resting in the meadow.