shiny bumblebee bum-bum

 I love how you can see the dahlia flower reflected in this bee's hiney.

These bees didn't seem to be sharing very willingly...

The bumblebee is SO much bigger, it sounds like a C3 plane relative to the honeybee.

Such a shiny, profoundly-black animal.

Finally caught it on film.

Been pursuing this creature (or something like it) all summer. =)

 Thank you, providence!

And, thank you dahlias, for drawing so many fascinating creatures nigh.

=) 

xoxobb

An embarrassment of riches

 I was SUPER excited to find this ambush bug (possibly Pacific ambush bug, Phymata pacifica)
in my mint this week. 

Actually, the above photo should be rotated 180 degrees

to indicate its actual position ...

Ambushed.

Looks like its beak is going straight for the neck. Look elsewhere for mercy.

Common buckeye. LOVE these guys.

So beautiful, but subtle, so from a distance they just look brown.

This dahlia makes me think about math: fractals, specifically.

Wee moth sipping mint plant nectar; I bet it's extra refreshing. =)

According to Dan Rubinoff, my mothy friend, it's in the pyralid family

which bugguide.net succinctly describes as "cosmopolitan." =)

Ridiculously glorious dahlia bloom: but wait, there's more!

If you look very closely, the petals have cinnamon sparkles in them (near the lower edge).

An embarrassment of riches, to be sure.

This tachinid fly (tribe Cylindromyiini?) worked this flower

moving its buns in swoopy circles,

very much like how phalaropes feed.

Trying to figure out what this wasp is (still not sure, maybe a sand wasp?),

I kept repeating, while flipping through field guides,

"smiley-face-between-the-wings."

Because, I'm a professional biologist. =) 

Dahlia bunk bed for bumblebees (Bombus sp.).

Close up of how top bee has feet hooked onto petal edge.

Delightful.

While I enjoy all of these flowers & animals,

and I have more to ID and post later, 

 I'm EXTRA stoked my garden has an ambush bug--that was a first! =)

xoxobb