Now that the days are getting colder and the nights frequently dip beneath freezing, it’s time to get out all your nice, warm, fuzzy, fluffy… Woolly bears? Yes, its Woolly Bear Caterpillar season once again! Last year I wrote about the wanna-be weather predictor woolly bear (aka Isabella Tiger Moth Caterpillar). This year, let’s talk about a different woolly bear, the Yellow Woolly Bear Caterpillar.

Eight legs? Check. Fang-like looking mouthparts? Check. Hanging out near the scene of the crime? Check. I’m afraid you match the description of the spider suspect we’ve been looking for… We’re going to have to book you. What do you mean you’re not a spider?! You match the description… Tell it to the judge!

If you are the squeamish kind – I apologize. You may want to skip this article. Unless you’re a dog owner. Then you may want to continue reading. Not while eating though. This story will be a bit gross. Fascinating, in a horrifying sort of way, but definitely gross. You have been warned.

So lovely, bright, and delicate. Despite their dainty appearance, these pretty little creatures are deadly killers. The stuff nightmares are made out of… If you’re a caterpillar that is :)

While most spiders and many mites are beneficial in the ecosystem (outside and even in your house), there are some not so good arachnids. Like the much dreaded, super tiny, nightmare of nightmares to your houseplants - the spider mite.

Ok. So - I was trying to be good. I finally got myself to start working on cleaning my office up a bit. I figured taking out the long overdue recycling would be a good way to start… And then I immediately got distracted and never finished. Can you guess why? Well - There was a bug in the box I was about to throw out. So of course I stopped everything to photograph it! And here we are… 😂

We all know butterflies can fly. And flit. And float, and flutter. Sometimes they even dart. But have you ever thought of them skipping? Well, someone did! Introducing the nimble-footed Silver-spotted Skipper!

Are your cucumber plants looking less than green? Are you seeing spots? Or spots and stripes? On your cucumber plants that is… Yeah, me too. My poor hardworking cucumber plants. Who would have thought such tiny critters could cause so much destruction?

Do you ever wonder where bees sleep? Well, in my garden, some are sleeping on a bright gold bed of petals – right inside my squash flowers!

Has all your spinach long since bolted? Too hot to get new seedlings going? Hate the rising grocery store prices and constant E. coli scares? Yeah, me too. How about a free spinach alternative that you may already have growing in your backyard or garden? Sounds good to me…