Beauty Is...

...in the eye of the beholder, and I think this bug is gorgeous!

It's a Western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis), native to parts of the western United States, but it has expanded its range and now is considered invasive in some parts of Europe.

"Western narrow tongue" is the meaning of its Latin name; these bugs use their narrow tongues to suck the juices out of the seeds growing in cones of as many of 30 species of trees, according to one of the references I found.

This one seemed a bit lost, as it was on of the large rocks holding down the cover on Phil's big barbecue grill in the back yard. I don't think it noticed the looming photographer at first, but this is one of my later shots, and it's clearly looking up and saying, "No more pictures, please!"

(We're relishing a sunny day today, and I know I should have found some sunlit scenic landscape, but I have a soft spot for interesting insects.)