donnalucas's Favorites

A small moth on a Lithospermum caroliniense blossom in a xeric sand prairie. I'm not a moth expert, so please consider this merely a suggested ID until confirmed or corrected. The two photos depict the same individual.

Interesting series of photos. Cue the ominous music. The bee circled the flower twice, both times seeming to be oblivious to the spider and escaping capture - barely. After the 2nd time around, the bee turned the tables and ran the spider off the road. Backed it up, right off the edge of the petal. The bee flew away and the spider eventually returned to its hunting perch.

Group of spiderlings in a nursery(?). Constructed at the tips of Snow Buckwheat twigs with plenty of prey caught in the mesh. See microscope photos of an adult and spiderlings here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/241395179

A medium sized sand wasp. I took it to be a Tachytes, but the bot says Tachysphex. It seemed large compared to the wasps I've ID'd as Tachysphex in the past, but field size estimates are difficult. These photos are on common St. Johnswort, but I photographed a similar wasp (probably the same one) moments earlier nectaring on whorled milkweed. I photographed a similar one nearby about the same time of year in 2019 and ID'd it as Tachytes, but maybe that was in error. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/30511154

On Rhexia virginica in the marshy bottoms of Bogus Run. I've read that Rhexia virginica is buzz pollinated, mainly by bombus but despite obvserving this flower many times I can't recall seeing that. However, this series seems to show Augochloropsis buzz pollinating R. virginica, and to me they are a better fit for this little flower, in terms of size. Photos may be more than one bee, and are not in chronological order.

Hunting for a victim it appeared -- on a nettle or similar broadleaf herbaceous plant on the sand banks of Betty's Pond. Arotes looks right, but Spilopteron formosum is, to say the least, similar so please consider this a preliminary suggestion.

Not sure, but it appeared to be interested in nectar from this Rubus flower. ID based mainly on location -- I'm not sure if there are any other species here. But please don't rely on this speculative ID.

Found just below ground level on Ericameria nauseosa. The galls were discovered after the plant had been in decline for a year and was removed.
Most galls were hard and dry, but image #2 shows a water droplet forming when the gall was damaged. Is this a form of crown gall? Possibly Allorhizobium vitus?