Spider Wasp: Tachypompilus ferrugineus

Subject: Red body w/black stripes, blue wings Location: Northeast Ohio (Fairport Harbor) August 13, 2017 2:39 pm I searched an insect identification website and could not find anything that matched this. It’s similar, but different enough from a flying carpenter ant or digger wasp. This insect was found in my basement, in an empty laundry … Read more

Spider Wasp

Subject: Blue Wing Bug Location: Hong Kong January 19, 2017 2:41 am Would you please help to identify this bug? It’s around 30-40mm long, blue wings, orange head and legs, dark blue body. Thanks a lot! Signature: Alex L Hi Alex, This is a Spider Wasp in the family Pompillidae.  We will attempt a species … Read more

Spider Wasp

Subject: Tarantula Hawk Long Beach Location: Long Beach CA April 20, 2016 2:49 pm Hi, I first saw one of these beauties scouring my yard in the early mornings and late afternoons 3 years ago. I could not find anyone who’d seen one here and my tentative identification of Tarantula Hawk seemed insane. But they … Read more

Spider Wasp from South Africa

Subject: Insect identification South Africa Location: wellington, western cape, South Africa January 30, 2015 12:16 am Hi there, we found this insect on the farm that we live on in the western cape. It appears that he kills spiders larger than himself and then carries them away to eat. He has very long legs. Please … Read more

Spider Wasp

Subject: Black and Orange ? Location: Claremont & Upland California May 3, 2014 10:39 am Area found Claremont and Upland, Ca Found in April and May 2014 One was about 1/2 the size of a dragonfly and the other was a little over 1 ” long. 25 years of gardening and I have never seen … Read more