There have been a few days in the upper 50’s here recently, and I’ve gotten out for a couple of insect walks. Above is a member of the dirt-colored seed bug family, but this little bug with the oversized forearms must be from a place with rusty or red dirt. It’s hard to tell, because the insect was in the shade when I took this photo and I had to boost the exposure, but it’s actually quite a bright red color. In spite of its impressive front legs and attractive color, I wasn’t able to find much information about the species, which I’m fairly sure is Gastrodes pacificus.
The other day I found these two alder leaf beetles sitting next to one another, and no matter what angle I looked at them from, they were definitely two different colors. Sources describe the species as “metallic blue.” And it’s true, most of the ones I’ve seen are deep blue (although the color is difficult to photograph), but the Altica ambiens on the left above is most definitely green. It was cool to see the two shades of beetle side by side. In researching their color, I learned from a UK source here that females will have a coating of orange under their hardened wings when they are ready to lay eggs.
Enjoy your bonus (leap) day this week!
Ticklehead 
Beautiful photos and interesting info.
Thanks!