a little wild   (a small slice of wildlife)

Hymenoptera

Lots of Polistes cf. fuscatus all about. At this time of the year, I think they were likely to be foundresses waking up from overwintering.

Coleoptera

Gorgeous red beetle, need to identify. Best guess is Microrhopala vittata, Goldenrod leaf miner beetle.

Scarabidae. Looks like Bumble Flower beetle, Euphoria inda.

Eyelashes 🙂

And another:

Rove beetle, Staphylinidae:

Hemiptera

Very cute little bug. Isthmocoris piceus, in Geocoridae.

Diptera

Tons and tons of Bibionids, probably Penthetria, mostly males. Notice the larger eyes.

And here’s a female (note the difference in the eyes):

Sarcophagidae. Note that relatively sharp bend in the “M” vein below, which means Oestroidea, rather than Muscoidea. And the three black stripes on the scutum tend to indicate Sarcophagidae. This is perhaps Sarcophaga sp.

I don’t know what this fly was doing, but it was very engrossed and let me take lots of photos — this is a little unusual. Also Oestroidea?

Trichoptera?

I don’t know what this is, but my best guess is caddisfly. Phryganeidae seems plausible.

Ephemeroptera

Lots of mayflies looking for mates. I don’t think we were that close to water, so a little surprising.

Spider

Salticidae. Probably Eris female, perhaps Eris militaris.

Lots and lots of Lycosids. I think this first one is Schizocosa:

and this one is Pardosa. Note the bulbous posterior lateral eyes (PLE) and large spines on the legs.

Trombidiidae

Gorgeous velvet mite