Wasp Mimic

If you look at this and think "wasp", you'd be wrong.  Just like I was wrong when I spotted it today.  You'd think by now I'd be better at distinguishing the difference between various flies and wasps.  But no.  It wasn't until I'd hauled out several field guides that I realized it was a sawfly in the Genus Tenthredo.  Anyway, pretty little thing.

Another poor night of sleep for me, so I was late getting up today.  Had a nice leisurely chat with my parents and by the time we were off the phone it was nearly time for lunch...and the temps were approaching 90 F outside.  Since getting sweaty isn't high on my list right now, I limited myself to a few quick sorties out in the yard, macro lens in hand.  Although the number of arthropods is still a little light right now, if one takes time to snoop about in the vegetation, all manor of things can be seen.  I found this little creature right at the edge of our woods in a shady area.  

Talked with my fellow breast cancer traveler this afternoon. She and I had surgery on the same day; but her path went in a different direction when she was told she'd need a second surgery.  She's now got both behind her, but is having some reaction to the derma-bond this time and has an itchy rash.  And I have also developed a patch of itchy rash from radiation so we had compared notes and ideas to relieve the itching.

Tomorrow morning I am back in the toaster (radiation) again , starting my third week. Tomorrow is also the day I see the radiology oncologist for my weekly visit, as well as getting weekly scans. I plan to ask if there is anything else I can use on the itchy rash I'm now developing.  Good times...

Today, I'm going for straight dark chocolate ... a little square allowed to melt over my tongue.  

xo
Debbi