I think I've determined that the wasps flying the pasture yesterday were Scoliid Wasps (Scolia dubia) which are are described as: You DEFINITELY want this wasp in your yard. The favorite food for the larvae is the Japanese Beetle Grub. The female somehow locates an underground grub, digs underneath it and lays an egg on it. The egg hatches and the grub is doomed! If you see these in your garden, you also have an infestation of Japanese beetles. They are also very timid - you can brush them off a plant and not get stung. so despite being scary they are mostly harmless, and may help to control the japanese beetles that have been eating everything.

We used to catch those skipper butterflies when we were kids. They're pretty easy to catch. As for that paper wasp nest, I had one hanging in the corner of my science room for years. (It was the science room; the wasps didn't built it there.) Anyway, the A/C blew it, and it just hung from the ceiling by a small stick, but it never fell. It was impressive how strongly it was built.

All around Anchorage, the lamp posts were covered with these flower baskets, in the colors of the Alaskan state flag.

The day lilies are done: But the resurrection lilies are doing their best to shine: