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Galls on Common Box (Buxaceae: Buxus sempervirens). These were most likely last season's galls as there are several visible exuviae left by the exiting adult midges. For those that are interested, there are photos of intact galls from this same plant considerably earlier in the year here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/69096553

8.5mm
Came rappelling down from the thatch roof overhang.

At first, it played dead (last two pictures), but then it realised it was just a photo shoot and it posed quite nicely, showing off its dapper outfit.

A scrappy expanse of silky refuges and capture webs littered with body parts of previous victims. When preferred prey is entangled, the female spiders emerge from their 'nests' and overpower it by grabbing its extremities. In this case, a wasp https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9319446.
Presumably they inject venom because after a minute or so the prey stops struggling. Then they snip it out of the web and carry it into one of several 'nests' or refuges.
Unwanted prey, often beetles (see https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9319435 ) are also killed but sometimes left in the web, uneaten. Ants, in this case, Maranoplus ( https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/9319390 )scavenge around the periphery of the webs, feasting on unwanted beetles or other left-overs.

I have no idea what this is. There's entire orders of tiny arthropods I'm not familiar with beyond name and general morphology, but still, it's strange to get good clean shots of a thing and still have no idea what I'm looking at.

Edit: We have a professional ID! https://bugguide.net/node/view/1977688/bgimage

On Scotch Broom (Asteraceae: Cytisus scoparius).

For reference/comparison:
http://influentialpoints.com/Gallery/Ctenocallis_setosa_broom_hedgehog_aphid.htm

(Thanks to my partner-in-crime, @psyllidhipster, for the assist in identification.)

compare with Observation 231787

Substrate: on twig of living Rubiaceae

Habitat: Northwest Andean montane forest (NT0145)

Collectors: D. Newman & R. Vandegrift

Collection #: RLC1323

Photomicrography and molecular data forthcoming

Rooting weevil inside the root of purple loosestrife that was dug up. This species is hard to find since their young mature inside roots and the adults are active at night. This is an approved biocontrol species for the noxious weed purple loosestrife, to help maintain and reduce the vigor and spread of this weed. There are also 2 other more common biocontrol insect species for purple loosestrife. This is a private location near where the Sammamish River meets Lake Washington

http://invasives.wsu.edu/biological/hylobiustransversovittatus.htm

Been waiting to see this mushroom for a few years after gawking at it on the cover of MOTRC every day.

Thank you for the inspiration @leptonia @noah_siegel

Growth in primarily conifer second and old growth forest with interspersed hardwoods. Plenty of Russula nigricans around but not at the site of this fruiting.

Small sclerotia present upon further examination at home.