Just another insect?

This is a tiny wasp called a sawfly. It cannot sting you. There are many kinds of sawflies in North America. I am not sure, but I think this one is called a black-headed ash sawfly.

Sawflies are common even though you might not recognize what one is even if it sits on you. An adult is only about an inch long, and it will probably fly away quickly. The sawfly gets its name from the female's ability to cut a small gap in a tree leaf or a weed stem in which it lays its eggs.

I photographed this one when it flew up and landed on a lawn chair with me on a warm Sunday, Feb. 25, afternoon. There are so many insects in the world that added together they weigh many times more than all the humans!

Horrell is an artist and outdoorsman. He lives in Chaffee. He owns Painted Wren Art Gallery in Cape Girardeau.