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While this isn't the greatest photo, it does nicely show why the bandy wings of these flies might help them to mimic jumping spiders. Face-on, the black bands on the wings look like two pairs of slightly folded jumping spider legs. As jumping spiders are a major predator of flies like this, adaptations to discourage attack are beneficial. This fly is haunting its host plant, a goldenrod (Solidago sp.).
For a fun review of insects thought to have spider-mimicking markings, see: Hill, David E., A. P. C. Abhijith, and João P. Burini. "Do jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) draw their own portraits." Peckhamia 179.1 (2019): 1-14.

On new upper leaves of Solidago rigida, Stiff Goldenrod. Largest gall 6.5 mm diameter. Opening on bottom of leaf. About half the galls had very frisky orange larvae or pupae. The other half had an apparent wasp parasitoid pupa hanging from the top of the gall as in the second to last photo, or a tiny quiet larva as in the third to last photo. 4th photo shows larva’s topside, 5th show its bottom side with maybe prolegs. Last photo is to confirm ID of host plant, a bit worse for the wear after being in my pants pocket for half a day and the fridge overnight.

Gall collected yesterday (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/33726733) and opened today to attempt clearer photos of what I think is a larva (the tan thing?). Other galls from same plant are in sealed terrarium hoping insect will emerge for ID.

Host Hazardia squarrosa. 2nd sighting, different location (1st obs https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/116514246). Pocket gall form. Very slight puckering felt. Several examples here from one plant; abaxial/adaxial leaf shots, except for last.

This midge emerged from Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum) flower bud galls collected on 5/14/2022 and left in a small plastic container inside at room temperature. See image of a dried gall, and a pupa dissected from the same cluster of galls, here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/119774261