I think it’s a carpenter bee. Several varieties have all-black females with little to no fur. It might have been small because it’s newly hatched. I want to see a male someday- they are yellow and super fuzzy.
I believe you’re right, the photos at the 2nd and 3rd links looked a lot like the one I saw.
The male reminds me of something from The Banana Splits or Yo! Gabba Gabba.
Tussock moth of some kind?
I’ll be damned, I was sure those yellow things would turn out to be parasite cocoons.
It does look like that.
I used to grow caterpillars in jars as a kid. So many times right as the Caterpillar got to the pupal stage the parasite larvae would burst out and spin their cocoons next to the corpse.
Some make them on the caterpillar while it’s still alive. Metamorphosing organisms are like a box of chocolates…
(Edit: fuck you to hell Google Keyboard.)
The venue makes it.
https://bbs.boingboing.net/t/unicorn-chasers/ after that image
Cool, thanks!!
I hate it that I now have this knowledge; sometimes ignorance IS bliss.
Not in Flagstaff?