Fabulous photo series! But the winged insect is not of a bee. This is actually a member of the Wasps (Hymenoptera), specifically Sphecidae ammophilinae http://www.bugpeople.org/taxa/Hymenoptera/Sphecidae/Ammophila1999-0820-3201-00443/Ammophila1999-0820-3201-00443Page.htm ). This is member of the thread-waisted Digger wasps. At first I thought it was a male member of the Ichneumon family (with the long slender waist and abdomen), but there were two things very wrong: the huge mandibles and the antennae (too short and too few segments). So after a bit of a tussle, I finally found the ID. I knew it looked very familiar. The caterpiller it is attempting to carry off and bury for its young, looks like a monarch larvae... but it could be one of a dozen other butterfly larvae: they are a bit difficult to id. ": )
Nice gallery. I do enjoy the fly-fishing shots. I notice that you participate in your local fly-fishing groups - GREAT! I am a member and past president of the Tippecanoe Fly Fishers (http://www.tippeflyfishers.org ) and have been flingin' flies since I was about 5 years old ... a long time ago now!! I don't tie flies, but I do illustrate them and scenes of fly-fishing. See them at my art site http://www.ooak.com ) [NOTE: The site is not back up to full-speed yet - only a shell right now; should be back in business in a month or so.]
Wonderful to see you're involvement. Say .. ever heard of the listserv Flyfish@ ? It's the longest running listserv, under the same ownership, on the Internet - and it is the genesis for ALL online fly-fishing presences. To get a feel for 'what it's like', take a gander at the web site put up by owner Danny Walls http://www.uky.edu/~agrdanny/flyfish/main.htm). Click through the list. It's quite a community. We talk fly-fishing and about anything else under-the-sun. It's just a like a regular old-time fly-shop. You never know what you're going to get when you walk in, but you generally get something you'll either enjoy - or get you to commenting; most times ... ": P
BTW, how's the fly tying coming? Your flies aren't all that bad. Besides, like your one commenter said, it's the ugly ones that usually catch the most fish! ": ))
Take care. Keep clicking and may your casts be on-target and your drifts natural ...
