This little tickler was crawling on my arm the other day. I managed to convince him to sit on my thumb. Bugguide has helped me decide this is an assassin bug nymph (instar). A very early one.
![assassin bug nymph](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJg7iJHY-8_jZexqlhi0p78T1CXmaSoviyZhjVAL6SaTS4qOx-bz7DHg5rvWVxlMARCCIWU-Zl-M-VMGrc0SZ-OFHv1KR5Lb6n4Ni-bYSzIjm6AD2snioeCdSk-EsO9UtJtIR6EdM8MIM/s280/AssassinBug01.jpg)
Here's looking at you!
![assassin bug nymph](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFqnJjJFTL1IEzxQf6pIoggrm0B2_Q8it8HO7X_XOvaPDYOZIFqf1JxcYfukUOz3bYiFUXnZ-JgyHzkWaIN4GgL80v7xSVei5VeGNU451mtF2TJSrhwN7TPNOWAquO93xSVO-KloEebk/s280/AssassinBug02.jpg)
The next day I found this interesting tracing in the duckweed at the edge of Hamlin Lake. Since I love patterns, I had to snap it.
![circular pattern in duckweed](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9M1pzlqw_ZehycVd0_ELr-YKMy474wPd11Foqp-MWYkT9zXPLLyrDR2H-f4GUTaZJbvvW-2OFKggqBv7zQARNPpPMbTL8DY_zBH_RZf1i4_HY2A91Z9R-UokQt7vfIYD3HLtKAjNxCFs/s280/duckweed01.jpg)
But what would have caused it? Turns out the gentle waves were forcing the little green floating leaves out of a small notch in the edge of this sharp rock every time a wave bounced off the seawall, creating a line. Then they would float out and be caught by the next wave coming in, so they would circle around... and again and again....
![pattern in duckweed](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeePXU4Lxm82LNFFXnQhqrBdhs_sHiGq09piYkuwuXFwNIKGH0h1cSQVTe1DlZiw6CPpiA7OkCfxAQbs-6W39ERusWNazPOOBhZFcmfplnPXjvN3dRCkDpXa9632qbW-aZOp9FCoQnt9M/s280/duckweed02.jpg)
In other news: I applied for two things having to do with books. I'll let you know if anything comes of either of those endeavors. I wrote a chapter in DMS Mistletoe. And I did laundry.
![]() | See A Good Day to be Green (katydid instar) |
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Interesting little bug. I don't think I've ever seen one like that
ReplyDeleteI like your bug. He is so little!
ReplyDeleteThat assassin bug nymph is a cutie pie.
ReplyDeleteAnn- I had no clue. Had to go get help to ID it
ReplyDeleteLin- yes it is!
Chuck- they get pretty ugly when they grow up