with male band-winged dragonlet as prey (Erythrodiplax umbrata)
After seeing these wasps, I read up on them a little. Orussus occidentalis is the only species of Orussus in North America with the abdomen predominantly red according to this research paper, although some species in eastern North America have red at the tip of the abdomen; its nearest relative and the only other species in the genus with a similar extent of red on the abdomen ranges across the Palearctic. Also, wasps in this genus use the antennae and forelegs to echolocate their host species inside the wood! So the use of echolocation may be why they walk in such odd ways--intermittently with many pauses, forward, backward, repeatedly turning around, etc., some of which is visible in the video here (individual on the left), although the video also shows two individuals interacting when they meet.
Eventually it left unscathed from the ants.
Have many other angles. If key ID features are missing I may have a photo showing it
Why is it color green? Update, looked for hours multiple days after the 13th of August in Oak Openings with no luck, as I figured. Sent photos to some universities trying to gain some knowledge.
Feeding on swamp chestnut oak. Parasatoid wasps regularly laying eggs in some individuals of this species.
We came across this mating pair hovering in a "sun-speck" along the creek-adjacent, woodland trail/road though Mitchell Canyon. To the naked eye it wasn't entirely clear what it was, though I thought I could make out a foamy "nuptial gift" (suggesting a balloon-bearing empidid).
However, I didn't realize it was a mating pair until zooming-in on a photo on the camera display. We observed the two in (roughly) "stationary hover" for over two minutes...don't know how long they were hovering before we noticed them.
After posting this, I noticed @kueda made a very similar observation very nearby about 9 years earlier (with nice accompanying info, and a wonderfully sharp image!)...as did @abmdjoe about 3 weeks earlier here. Seems there's a stable population in the area :-).
Globular springtail infected by neozygites or pandora species fungus?
67 photos focus stacked
Caleana Major and Lophyrotoma zonalis
Dolerus sp.
A Common Sawfly awkwardly sitting on a blade of grass.
Highlands, BC.
While taking a picture of this Eastern Hognose Snake, observation at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/79960222, this butterfly landed. Friends?
Robber Fly that caught a dark morph Eastern tiger swallowtail
Mallophora fautrix
26 Jul 2018
CA, SBE Co., CSUSB
This is Pergagrapta gravenhorstii, id from ANIC collection by Kim Pullen. This is a valid name on ALA but iNaturaliat does not allow it.
specimen for ANSP 23:17
Distance between threads = 0.6 mm
First record for site, 2nd iNat record for Louisiana; only 16 total for iNat
Growing on a sawfly larva (Arge quidia).
Some kind of winged ants or termites hatching in the yard - area ~1 square meter totally covered.
Pointed out by Valerie B.
After I had just been researching Pergidae adults and lamenting how I rarely observe any. I come across 2 the very next day!
Found on Black Wattle.
Female also observed along same trail- https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/200808974
Gall with exit hole on huckleberry oak (Quercus vacciniifolia).
A Queensland Fruit Fly resting on the stalk of a banana in a kitchen
A mating pair, I suppose -- though my first impression was predation. Perched on a Rubus leaf in the marshy bottoms of Bogus Run. With yellow legs, black antennae, dark wings, and additional body markings one would think these would be identifiable at least to genus. But I didn't find a photo that looked to be a good match, nor any reference to this curious behavior. Medium-sized sawflies.
Tiny hover fly in a Venus' looking glass flower at Yonahlossee Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is the only picture I have of this fly so it may be impossible to identify to species.
Flightless soldierfly Boreoides tasmaniensis female, Hartz Mountains, Tasmania, October 2017
collected on grass, ID tentative
10.05. pics 1+2 with length ~5 mm
12.05. pics 3-7 with length ~8 mm
13.05. pic 8
17.05. pics 9-11, length 11-12 mm
21.05. pics 12-14 length 20 mm
25.05. pics 15-16 length 24 mm
28.05. pics 17-20 prepupa, last measured length the day before 25 mm