Bugs, bugs, bugs

A cinnabar moth caterpillar feeds on the flowers of a tansy ragwort weed growing on a hillside near Elkton in rural western Oregon. The colorful moth incorporated toxins from the ragwort into its body which renders it non-palatable. Its bright color is a danger signal to potential predators. The hairs on the caterpillar are poisonous to humans and can cause a rash if touched.

 

A pair of grasshoppers mate while clinging to a plant on a hillside near Elkton in rural western Oregon. Thousands of grasshoppers were busy mating and feeding on the grass and weeds growing in the remote pasture.

An adult mosquito floats on  the surface of a cattle water trough after emerging from its pupa stage on a farm near Elkton in rural western Oregon. Diseases that are spread to people by mosquitoes include Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue, and malaria.