ID help?

I was hoping someone might be able to tell me something about the insect in this first shot. I have no idea what this is. I found it in this flower in Topanga Canyon (a very dry canyon near the Pacific Ocean in Southern California). I only managed a couple shots, as it seemed quite committed to running away from me as quickly as possible.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/gatorlinked/7​554071908/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/gatorlinked/7​554072758/

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …s/gatorlinked/7​554072266/

Great shots of some very interesting looking critters!...I have no Idea what they are.

wow, your photos give me the chills. they're very good, such detail.

very nice,and havent got a clue!

Lovely captures.
#1 a plant bug larva
#2 possibly an owl fly

Excellent work.

Thanks for the comments, folks

Thanks for the ID help, Brian. I suspect you're correct on the first one. I would love to narrow it down a bit more, but that will certainly do. Your second guess was a good one, but in looking for owl fly photos that matched, nothing was really close enough. Then, I discovered what I believe is the correct ID: adult antlion. I have some shots from further back not posted here that helped me confirm this as the likely ID. I had no idea that the antlion we all know and love is just the larval form, and the adult is actually a winged insect similar to a damselfly in looks but not at all similar in taxonomy. You learn something new every day!

very nice captures!

agree a Plant bug nymph, there is a good gallery for UK species on the web but none match this Californian insect.

Thanks, alquimista and Toby. That UK gallery is quite nice. I wish there was something like that for my area.