shaken not stirred

naturally, James Bond comes to mind whenever i cast my eyes

to the goldenrod in our yard.

Goldfinger.  Golden Gun.  GoldenEye.  Goldenrod.

Ailanthus Webworm Moth

that's as far as i get with the similarities.  then the insects start distracting me.  this goldenrod is Insect City, each yellow-tasseled stalk hostess to an array of bugs intent on gorging themselves into a nectar stupor.

Blue-Winged Wasp with Soldier Beetle to the left

there are a lot of bumblebees of varying sizes,

but i don't pay much attention to those.

a dime a dozen.

BUT

i was quite enamored of this one!

the insects are focused...and quite polite.  no pushing or shoving.  no dive-bombing others.  and they completely ignored me and my camera, poking right up into their private orgies.  i was especially amazed to see several different kinds of bugs nimbly co-feasting.  i wondered if these close calls provoked any anxiety.... some of the bugs looked lethal.

 would love to know what kind of caterpillar this is -

do you know???

closer examination of this tassel, which seemed dusted with little red bumps, revealed...ants!  doing the hard work of helping open the flowers.

 i loved how so many of the insects matched the goldenrod.

 this all-black insect (wasp?) was just spectacular
when the sun shimmered on its wings.

aren't they beautiful?

just as the wind started to pick up, these two beetles
provided a James Bond moment

(okay, minus the wine bottle-wielding attacker - da plane!)

fat raindrops started falling,

& the leaves of the goldenrod looked as if

an invisible pianist was playing a tune.

i vastly prefer the more 'dated' James Bond movies.

the newest ones are just too violent.

it was much better when things

were just, you know,

insinuated.

but my all-time favorite Bond film is this one.

& i want a silk robe just like the one she's wearing.