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Thread Waisted WaspsBlack and Gold Wasp
Location: Pace, Florida
August 25, 2011 11:56 pm
Dear Bugman, I found this black and gold wasp, dead unfortunately, on the pavement at work. As you can see in the picture, that’s a quarter lying next to it for general measurement purposes. I have never seen anything like this before now. It may not even be a wasp but perhaps a fly of some sort. Any ideas???
Signature: Jimmy
Unknown Gold Backed Wasp
Hi Jimmy,
When it comes to flashy yet understated elegance, this unfamiliar Wasp wins tail’s up. We might have an identification in the near future.
Eric Eaton provides an identification
Hi, Daniel:
This is a female Sphex habenus. The species is in the family Sphecidae and they prey on katydids.
Eric
Thanks Eric,
We will link to the BugGuide information page on the species.
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Comments 2
If you are interested, there is a specimen of this specie on display (amongst other insects) at the South Florida Science Museum. I know this because I collected it myself in the adjoining Dreher Park while I was assisting in its construction. It seemed like it would lend itself well to display so I contributed it (along with a handful of other specimens to the display.
Posted 19 Dec 2011 at 2:57 am ¶Thanks for providing this information for Floridians and tourists.
Posted 19 Dec 2011 at 12:23 pm ¶Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.
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