Wasp
We have reader Cornelius to thank again for another beautifully-composed shot of a hard-to-identify insect! I love this photo. I could have cropped it in really close to zoom in on the bug but I really like the layout and color contrast of this shot. In fact, if you’d like a gigantic version of it for wallpaper (or just for getting really close to that bug, you can click here).
I must appeal to our wiser readers for an identification on this bug. The wing coloration seems like it should indicate a solitary wasp. Wing coloration is often too broad for identification, however, and the shape of the abdomen and waist is more commonly found in social wasps.
So, I dunno. I know it’s a pretty one, and that’s about it. Thanks again, Cornelius!
tceisele said,
January 22, 2008 @ 7:32 am
It is a beautiful shot. It looks quite a bit like one of the “spider hawks” in the family Pompilidae. The shape and general coloration is right, and it has those two spines on its hind legs that are listed as characteristic ID features of this family, although it’s hard for me to narrow it down much more than that. An actual expert would probably do better. I didn’t see any pictures in BugGuide with the orange wings, orange antennae, *and* orange legs, but some of the “tarantula hawks” in the genus Pepsis look awfully close. Where is Cornelius located, again? Is it someplace where there are tarantulas?
Dragoness said,
January 23, 2008 @ 10:58 pm
I know I’ve seen these or something very similar on the central coast of California. Yes, there are tarantulas. I think they are related to tarantula hawks, but they’re smaller. I think I have one in my collection… if the Dermestid beetles haven’t eaten it
Cornelius said,
January 24, 2008 @ 10:35 am
I’m located in the South Africa… as for the actual wasp - there were actually two flying around, and they never stopped moving, but at the time of shooting - only that one was present.