a little wild   (a small slice of wildlife)

Taking the new macro lens for a walk.  A lot of flies and moths, and not that much by way of identification.  A wonderful walk nevertheless!

This was suggested as more likely to be a cluster fly than a Sarcophagid.  I’ll look into this in more detail; I’m not familiar with cluster flies.

The stiletto fly, Thereva frontalis, I think.  What is it doing with its abdomen, ovipositing perhaps?

A long-legged fly (Dolichopodidae), gorgeous as always, and a closeup.  Something like Medetera?

This Salticid is probably Naphrys pulex:

I believe these are march flies (Bibionidae), perhaps something like Penthetria sp.  But I don’t know how to distinguish this from the dark-winged fungus gnat, Sciaridae (Epidapus or Sciara genus).  Or, for that matter, Axymyiidae.

Perhaps a Prionyx searching for a grasshopper or a cricket to parasitize?  On further thought (look at the orange legs!) something in Sphex, like S ichneumoneus looks better to me.  In any case, it was found on a path in the woods, not necesssarily great grasshopper or cricket area.

Probably a tachinid fly.  A suggestion give to me was this.

Best guess: Toxomerus geminatus.

In Corinnidae, this is Castianeira longipalpa (a male).  This site helpfully adds that “Castianeira” means “endowed with a pre-eminent husband.”  These are considered ant-mimic spiders, but it doesn’t seem that close a mimic to me.

My ignorance of Lepidoptera is profound.  This one is close to Olethreutes fasciatana.

And this beauty is something close to Olethreutes astrolagana.  First July sighting in Massachusetts that was recorded in bugguide.

Crane flies mating, and a closeup of the eyes.  My best guess for the genus is Tipula, maybe paludosa?

Probably a sepsid fly:

Maybe Perithemis tenera (Eastern Amberwing).

After many years of interest in insect photography, I finally went ahead and bought a macro lens.  I got about fifteen minutes today to go into the backyard and see how it worked.  Initial impressions are very positive!  Even though about half way through the session I realized I had my Raynox filter on, reducing the depth of focus.

“Valets do it, surfer babes do it,

Even summertime Syrphidae do it.”

From Tom Murray’s book, I would guess Toxomerus marginatus, based on the abdominal pattern.  I don’t know if you’re allowed to guess species based on that, though.

An assassin bug nymph.  Perhaps Zelus luridus?

Perhaps a katydid nymph (identified for me as genus Scudderia):