Trichostema lanceolatum. How cool is this? Ok, it's common, but I still hadn't run into it until this afternoon. This might not be the most beautiful light, but it does show off this flower's unbelievable morphology. Reminds me of a French horn. Also, the smell was AMAZINGLY vinegary.
Damn, tarantula hawks are hard to get. So fidgety and flighty. They're unspeakably cool, though, so maybe I should go out with a net and an ice pack. I think this might be Pepsis mildei, given the large size and orange antennae. Are there other options?
Then again, the last time I ID'd something as a mutilid it turned out to be a bradynobaenid, and the last time I ID'd something as a wasp it was an ant, so my track record is... not so good.
