Cat-Faced Spider - Araneus gemmoides

I love that name "Cat-faced Spider."  I found this one up in the Fylton Forest on one of the rose bushes beside the path. It can hide really well as you can see from the first photo. I was hoping to get a better look so I went back and checked every few hours and on one occasion I was lucky enough to find it finishing a meal.

Metallic Wood-boring Beetle - Buprestis lyrata

Brenda spotted this beetle right by one of the tall trees across from the barn. Very colorful head on this one.

Ants (Formicidae) - Lasius umbratus

I was wandering around the Fylton Forest one afternoon when I decided to gently lift one of the logs that is used as a stool. I was happy to find these ants farming aphids and some with larva. I've often wonderd how they work together. Then I found this quote by Dr. James C. Trager on Bugguide.net

Western Yellowstriped Armyworm Moth - Spodoptera praefica

Moths are so underrated, they are excellent pollinators and also quite beautiful.  I found this one by the veranda on the south side of the house.

.

Treble-bar Moth - Aplocera plagiata

Every morning I went out to check if there were still some moths around the porch light and I was never disappointed.  In fact, most mornings there were quite a few of these around. They are an introduced species used to control St John's wort.

Western Boxelder Bug - Boisea rubrolineata

What a lucky find. I managed to get shots of three different stages of its development.

Hemlock Looper - Lambdina fiscellaria - Hodges#6888

I love the pattern on the wings of this moth. It kind of looks like a bat.

Douglas-fir Spittlebug - Aphrophora permutata

I saw quite a few of these spittlebugs flying around up near the Joan Heriot Centre. In fact, one landed on Sharon's cap while we were talking one afternoon.

Marsh Crane Fly - Tipula oleracea

I love crane flies! They kind of fly gracefully. I often smile when one of my co-workers describes one to me saying "I saw the biggest mosquito ever." I found this crane fly by one of the flower pots on the east side of the house.

Crackling Forest Grasshopper - Trimerotropis verruculata suffusa

It only makes sense that I found this Crackling Forest Grasshopper up in the Fylton Forest.