Blue Mud, Cups, and Velcro's Inspiration

Beautiful day and the temperatures are not so hot as before.  Caught this strange fellow on the way to the park.  He is large for a wasp and when he flew, I thought he might be a small butterfly.

He looks like he is probably a bug commonly known as a Blue Mud Wasp.

Not far from where I found the wasp were a number of Cup Plants.  They are taller than I am.  These are identifiable by the 'cup' that forms at the base where the leaves grow out.  They hold water.

These purple beauties have smooth edged leaves without thorns.  It is attributed to be the inspiration for Velcro.  In the 1700's the French used this plant to make fabric and introduced it to America, where it spread very quick.  It is Burdock.

Enjoy!

~ Robin