Camouflage critters by Siwa

I found these in the yard or down at the beach. 

A Lynx Spider (Oxyopes javanus) on a dead Zinnia flower. These are ambush spiders and do not spin intricate webs to catch their prey. Instead they lie in wait on flowers and attack insects drawn to the blooms.

 A planthopper nymph.

 I found this Eared Sea Hare (Dolabella auricularia) lying in the sand early one morning. Mary is holding it. These sea hares look like their back ends have been cut off. If they have been eating red algae they can squirt a purple ink to deter predators.

 A young Pleated Rock Crab (Pachygrapsus plicatus) in a patch of seaweed. There is also a small Lined Sea Hare (Stylocheilus striatus) in the lower right hand corner.

Eight Ruddy Turnstones (Arenaria interpres) searching the tide pools for food. These birds fly all the way to the Arctic to nest every summer.

 A katydid in the grass. These can be either brown or green and make a loud chirping noise at night much like their relatives the cricket.

Ghost Ants rush around tending to their herd of Van Duzee Treehopper nymphs (Vanduzeea segmentata) on a sunflower stalk. The ants have a symbiotic relationship with many sap sucking insects like these. This means that their relationship is beneficial to both sides. Much like the relationship between people and cows, the ants protect,care for and even "milk" the treehoppers. The ants massage the treehoppers with their antennae and the treehoppers produce a sugary juice called honeydew which the ants collect and use as food.

A Van Duzee Treeehopper nymph being "milked".