Scarab Hunter

Subject: What type of bee is this?
Location: Payson, AZ
September 23, 2013 9:56 pm
I found a beautiful orange and black bee on our property, in Arizona, that has black and blue iridescent wings. I took a photo of it that I am attaching.
Would Love to find out what this beautiful creature is! :O)
Thanks for your help!
Signature: Vicki

Scarab Hunter
Scarab Hunter

Hi Vicki,
This Scoliid Wasp is positively gorgeous.  According to BugGuide:  Wasps in the family Scoliidae are commonly called:  “Flower Wasps, Mammoth Wasps, Scarab Hawks,  [or] Scarab Hunters” and the “female digs down to the host grub, stings it, and lays an egg on the paralyzed grub” and those eggs develop into “Larvae [that] are parasitoids of ground-dwelling scarab grubs.”  Thanks to BugGuide, we have identified you Scarab Hunter as 
Triscolia ardens.

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