Disaster averted!

[rose_cat]

My concerns were unfounded; both camera and macrolens appear to be A-OK. YAY! Here be photos.

These are monarch butterfly caterpillars in a pot of tropical milkweed plants. The pot is about 14 inches high and 16 inches in diameter.



I'd expected to see some fights -- these guys are competitive enough that they sometimes kill each other -- but apparently there was plenty for everyone that day.



Let's see one of you smug vertebrates try THIS.



I have no idea how these two got out of this, but when I came back later they were elsewhere on the plant and looked fine.





This female red-backed jumping spider was hanging out on my miniature roses. Usually jumping spiders are, well, too jumpy for me to take photos, but this one was more relaxed. (You can tell she's female by the black stripe.)







Somebody else's (much better) photos, showing a "dating" couple.



This green lynx spider was protecting her brood. The spiderlings are below and to the right of her, in and around what's left of the egg sac. Mama could see me and the camera just fine, and she wasn't happy about either of us. It's been a couple of weeks since I took this, and most of the youngsters have dispersed, but she's still got a few to watch over.



And here's seventeen-year-old Missy. PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE CAT BEHIND THE CURTAIN.