I find more stuff in California Poppy blossom early in the morning ...
A friend saw this Brown Leatherwing crawling on his hat that he had placed on the ground at the softball fields in the Whittier Narrows Recreational Area. His hat was placed on the grass, under some Sweet Gum trees.
Time: 11:15 a.m.
Temp: 85 F
Sunny, clear skies (but we saw the Brown Leatherwing in the shade of some Sweet Gum trees.
Podabrus sp. Soldier Beetle (Cantharidae), Redwood City, San Mateo County, California - April 2010.
Female. Length about 2.5 mm. Beaten from Pittosporum eugenioides, but more commonly found in long grass on campus here, and elsewhere.
perhaps the common P. pruinosus, according to the always helpful v. belov of BugGuide
On a fava bean plant. Oranger in real life.
Plague Soldier Beetles (Chauliognathus lugubris) -- mating aggregation.