Weird Things Are Beautiful

I have been watching nature documentaries about bugs the last couple of nights - featuring Richard Attenborough, so you know they are top notch. It has been a fascinating couple of evenings, very educational, and very beautiful. But the fun part for me (and I am not sure how much fun this part is for my husband), is when Sir Richard starts talking about a bug and I can say, "We have that in our yard!"

Yes, the bugs in my backyard are documentary worthy.

It is only natural, then, that I should have trouble choosing a Backyard Bug of the Day. Today there were several viable candidates, and I thought I had chosen one, but I have had to break down and go with two, because... well, it was too hard. I almost decided on an eenie, meenie, miney, moe match, but no, I am just going to give you two bugs.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #1:

 My five-year-old niece, who has a very high regard for zebras, called this a zebra fly. I have no idea what it is really called, but that's a good name for it. I didn't realize when I was taking the pictures that it has a purplish tint to it, which is quite lovely, and how it got chosen as BBotD. Also, it was very accommodating - when I was taking its picture it kept turning part way around and then pausing, as if posing so I could take its picture from different angles.

Backyard Co-Bug of the Day #2:

I don't know what this is, either, except I believe it is a Hemiptera.

Backyard Bud of the Day:

Hawkweed. In various stages, but at least some of them are buds.

Now for your daily dose of random uncooperative bugs:

 Yes, thank you for your cooperation. Now I am posting a picture of your butt on the internet.

 Kind of a cool butterfly...

 But it kept landing in very inconvenient places, and wouldn't let me get close for a picture.

Okay, this one is not uncooperative. And yes, I just posted a picture of a squashed bug in the road. But I can't help it, because it is, in spite of its circumstances, stunningly gorgeous. A six spotted tiger beetle. Is this weird? Yes. Is it beautiful in its own way? Definitely. Look at those delicate, colorful legs!

I spotted this inside a curled up leaf:

I don't know if this is a cocoon, or contains eggs.

I saw a lot of ant farmers today:

 This ant has a lot to attend to. It's kind of unusual to see one ant with so many aphids.

 Usually it's more like this.

Actually, this one may not be farming. It may just be eating this aphid.

Flowers. We need flowers...

 Whatever this tree is, it's blooming.

 White clover

Honeysuckle

Arachnid Appreciation:

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 It wasn't a stellar day for aphids...

 I need a closer look...

 Ah, zoom!