The Insect Arena

I can never remember if these are the stinging kind or not. I have to look it up every single time. The orange spots on the sides should make this the Fir Tussock Moth (Orgyia detrita), which while still having urticating hairs, they are not attached to venom glands as they are in the White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma). They can still cause irritation in more sensitive people, but not as ouchy. March 2023. Largo, Florida, USA.

Blue Dashers (Pachydiplax longipennis) aren't an uncommon sight in most of the United States. I was so focused on the dragonfly that I didn't see the spider's web it pretty much landed right on or the spider (lower right hand corner) that thought better of trying to take down the comparative giant. The way it was holding its front legs made me think Long Jawed Orb Weaver (Tetragnathidae), but I don't think there's enough info there to really tell for sure. March 2023. Tampa, Florida, USA.