Tiny Terminator - Tiny Tuesday

I know it probably sounds weird to have a favorite assassin bug, but I do, and this is it.  This is a young (nymph) Sycamore Assassin Bug and they are incredible hunters.  Adults can fly which allows them to move around whereas the youngsters have to travel the old fashioned way - on foot.  I found this tiny guy in the milkweed, no doubt looking for caterpillars (of the monarch sort).  I relocated him to the zinnia patch where he will have plenty of non-caterpillar prey.  For perspective, he is about 1/3 inch long (a little shy of a centimeter).

We had some work done on our aircon today - it was all under warrantee so didn't cost us anything, but did take several hours.  Jax, of course, wanted to be all up in their business so I took him outside where he got excited and tipped over a butterfly enclosure, knocking two just-emerged butterflies off their perches.  I quickly got both of them back up on the netting and am happy to say that the 2-foot fall with their floppy wings did neither of them any damage at all.  

This afternoon, I will be releasing both of the dropped butterflies along with 4 others.  Each will fly in memory of someone - parents, spouses, children, friends, siblings.  

I think dark with almonds and cherries today.  And then some fun looking at all the TinyTuesday entries!

xo
Debbi