Dank

The sky was overcast and the breeze was damp.  The temperature dropped below 70° instead of rising.  Birds were hungry, first titmice, then Carolina wrens, a hummer, and a female goldfinch.  I thought I saw a white breasted nuthatch but it disappeared too fast for certainty.  I could see two spiders without going outside.   Later I located two more in the front yard.  

Mosquitoey

Before my morning meeting, a little green heron was sitting on the dock.  Lots of leaves blew into the water and made Rorschach images.  I visited the Berkley's Polypore and got thoroughly bitten by mosquitoes.  The chrysalis was showing some wing color - fingers crossed that I'm there when it emerges.  I found only one black swallowtail caterpillar and no monarchs.  A monarch butterfly flew past the butterfly milkweed without a glance.  The remaining Argiope seemed fine.  A large silvery feather poked into the ground.  

 

Hot again

I had meetings and didn't get outside till late.  There was noting in the water but leaves.  A persistent mosquito annoyed me despite the lack of rain.   I couldn't find the caterpillars or two of the spiders.  The one that was behind the bench moved back to the rose bush where I first saw it.  A red spotted purple flitted through the yard and kept going.  A crow carried on in the top of the oak.  I got a view of the chrysalis from the other side.  

A different caterpillar

Last night was still cool but the day warmed up into the 80s, at last.  The creek was a sunny mirror at breakfast, but that didn't last once the wind started up.  One of the male cardinals was going bald.  That reminded me of Rosemary Mosco's cartoon.  A Carolina wren worked at the suet.  

A wasp performed jumping jacks on the window at lunch.   Perhaps it was newly emerged and pumping up its wings?  I rescued two more skinks but, thankfully, no more cicada killers. A variegated fritillary caterpillar was hiking across the hot concrete.  I scooped it up with a gladiolus leaf to move it to a better location.  It was dark red with black bristles.  

A red spotted purple flew past but didn't land where I could see it.  I checked on the monarch and swallowtail caterpillars but only saw a couple of each.  The spiders were hiding too.  A wasp with a doomed grub climbed the railing, maybe to have more height for takeoff with such a burden.  Then another skink crossed in front of me.  Maybe it was the same as the one yesterday with the purplish tail.  

 

Skinks

The temperature was still cool but by tomorrow it is predicted to warm up.  A hummer arrived before its feeder was ready.   Again the yellow cat hunted in exactly the same spot as yesterday, apparently fascinated by something on the ground.  I yelled at it.  A tiny skink ran across the patio before I could get a picture.  That was about it for the morning, but when I went out to swim things livened up.  An adult skink that should have known better was floating near the steps.  It wasn't moving and I was worried, but soon it began to paw at the pool wall.  I eased it out and noticed it was very thick in the middle like it might be pregnant.  (Is that the right term for an egg layer?)  

Not too long after, I found a young blue-tailed skink paddling in the deep end. I carried it back to the steps for a posing session.  When I looked later, the silly thing had its nose over the edge peering down at the water.  So I beeped its nose.  It took the hint.

Meanwhile, a cicada killer wasp had also fallen into the water and all my rescue sticks were missing.  I found a dead twig and carefully lifted it out.  As often happens, it didn't want to let go of the twig for a while.  Eventually, it got over the trauma and flew away.  I also rescued a ladybug and some scarabs.  The sky was a deep, clear blue and the sun was hot to balance the chilly breeze.  

I could only find one Argiope, the one behind the bench.  When I checked the rue, the chrysalis was fine.  I noticed a first instar caterpillar, a middle size caterpillar that might have just molted, and only a couple of the big ones.  But I didn't see any more chrysalises.  On the butterfly milkweed, I located the same caterpillars as yesterday.  

Yet another skink hustled across the patio and the steps.  Its tail was so blue it was ultraviolet.  At supper, a punk-looking blue jay wanted barkbutter balls.  A couple of titmice argued over the menu.  The usual species kept the seed feeder busy.  

Windy

The wind from the Northeast continued to push clouds through and keep the air unseasonably cool.  The yellow cat prowled along the far side of the pool.  All the monarch caterpillars were stuffing themselves and I saw a very small, new addition to the throng.  More millipedes were in the water.  From what I read, that may be a sign that the mulch has dried out.  The water was chilly too.  I found the third Argiope, back between the azalea and the nandina.  

Caterpillars

Suddenly four caterpillars appeared on the milkweed.  Two great egrets had a territorial dispute which the camera missed.  A belated money plant kept opening small flowers.  I made my daily check of the chrysalis and located the four black swallowtail caterpillars.  The rue did not look healthy so my fingers are crossed that it lasts long enough for them to pupate.  

A tiger swallowtail swooped past the yard.  A greenhouse millipede pretended to be a branch stub on a floating twig.  I rescued it without dislodging it and got some photos.  Spittlebugs infested the rosemary.  Again a long-legged fly wandered around the morning glory leaves.  I could only find two of the three Argiopes.  A drain fly shared the shower and, no, I did not have a camera with me.