Flower of Weed's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus weedii var. vestus or Calochortus fimbriata, Liliaceae) - with a bee and wasp!
This is looking into a fantastic summer flower of Weed's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus weedii var. vestus or Calochortus fimbriata) in the Liliaceae plant family. You can see a fierce-looking Wild Bee (Anthophila aka Apoidae, order Hymenoptera) on a stem inside. And if you look closer you can make out a fantastic (but out-of-focus) Carrot Wasp in the family Gasteruptiidae in the order Hymenoptera - almost certainly genus Gasteruption, maybe Gasteruption visaliae. It's curled up sideways in the base of the flower. D'oh - I didn't notice the wasp when I got the photo. (San Marcos Pass, 3 July 2014)
Flower of Weed's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus weedii var. vestus or Calochortus fimbriata, Liliaceae) - with a bee and wasp!
This is looking into a fantastic summer flower of Weed's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus weedii var. vestus or Calochortus fimbriata) in the Liliaceae plant family. You can see a fierce-looking Wild Bee (Anthophila aka Apoidae, order Hymenoptera) on a stem inside. And if you look closer you can make out a fantastic (but out-of-focus) Carrot Wasp in the family Gasteruptiidae in the order Hymenoptera - almost certainly genus Gasteruption, maybe Gasteruption visaliae. It's curled up sideways in the base of the flower. D'oh - I didn't notice the wasp when I got the photo. (San Marcos Pass, 3 July 2014)