Larvae-palooza

It was raining caterpillars in Dutchess County this past week. You could hear the frass, the poop, dripping down from the leaves—I found more frass than ticks on the dog—while silk-suspended larvae dangled everywhere.

A selection:

(Shh, I’m a twig!)

(This one had just been jabbed by a parasitic wasp.)

(A twofer)

All this meat lead to some carnage:

These Complex Formica pallidefulva ants were having a field day.

The local Robins’ nestlings were been fed well (here with some earthworms).