parasitic wasp ID please

[Michigander]

I've been searching to identify this wasp. I initially assumed it was female, but the closest image I can find (in ref. book, and on the web) is Family Tiphiidae: Genus and species: Methocha ichneumonides. It seems that the female of this wasp has a red thorax and no wings. This example appears to be a male. This raises the question as to why he was carrying prey and searching for a nook. I've never read of wasp behaviour where the male contributes any further effort after insemination. Could he have been bringing a 'present' as part of a courtship ritual?

Or am I wrong about the species?

Dana

[eucera]

This is a female pompilid wasp (not possible to get further than that from this pic I'm afraid), and it is carting a spider back to its nest burrow.

Male Methocha are very sleek looking insects, and play no role in provisioning the nests

[Michigander]

Thanks, eucera!

Guess I need to get a bigger book. The one I have only shows a couple of species from each family.

Dana

[crazylilthing]

Hi Dana,

This looks exactly like two of the wasps I've been watching in my garden over the last few weeks.

They were especially active during the hot spell. One made a burrow in a gravelly bed and the other repeatedly returned to a hole between two courses of mortar in a brick wall.

Do you remember if they showed a characteristically vigorous 'twitching' behaviour of the antennae and body?

[Michigander]

Yup, that's why the wings aren't in focus in one of the photos.

Dana

[crazylilthing]

Originally Posted by Michigander

Yup, that's why the wings aren't in focus in one of the photos.

Dana

Well, thanks for providing the pics anyway -- you did very well to catch one of such a continuously lively insect. I don't think I've seen one at rest yet, and I've been looking for weeks.