Sunday, October 30, 2016

Fawns losing their spots, and a spider

I know you were wondering when a new update to the backyard blog would appear. It's today. These first pictures are from mid-September. Notice that the fawns still have their spots.




























   









By late October, it appears that all the spring fawns have lost their spots.























Recently while I was taking a walk along the property, I noticed a funny-looking spider among the fluffy seeds dispersed around a milkweed plant. I looked it up, and found out that it is a "green lynx"spider.


The green lynx spider. Notice its green thorax and yellow abdomen. What looks like a brown tail is actually a milkweed seed.

The spider is clutching and guarding an egg container that it creates for its eggs. That brown lump that looks like a rock is the container. Disguised quite well, isn't it? 


I was going to collect the seeds, but after seeing the spider I just left them alone!