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| 1 | 2 |  » Stats |
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| | Welcome to our newest member, Xalrahc | |  | | 
26-07-2010, 10:22 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Posts: 2,149
| | | Wasp ID?
Hello all - can anyone help put a name to this wasp pictured feeding on my umbellifers yesterday? Any help would be much appreciated!    |
26-07-2010, 10:35 AM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 986
| | | Re: Wasp ID?
One of the digger wasp family -Sphecidae. It was probably looking for caterpillars.
Brian v.
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Brian V. |
26-07-2010, 11:06 AM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Posts: 2,149
| | | Re: Wasp ID?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lord V  One of the digger wasp family -Sphecidae. It was probably looking for caterpillars.
Brian v. | Thanks for that, Brian! Come to think of it, it didn't stay still at all. I think you may be right - it was moving all over the upper (and under sometimes) sides of the flowers, as though searching for something ... |
26-07-2010, 11:46 AM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Lincoln
Posts: 4,826
| | | Re: Wasp ID?
This is one I've seen a lot of this year, it's a spot on match for a female Ancistrocerus gazella
Very good shots, these are small and difficult to get! They don't hang around for long.
Janet
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26-07-2010, 12:43 PM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Wasp ID?
Afternoon Jez,
It's a Potter Wasp from the Eumeninae sub-family of Vespidae ( why they disbanded the Eumenidae family is quite beyond me - splitting and clumping again  ).
I agree, on physical look it matches my Ancistrocerus gazella, but alas you need a specimen with most of these as keys require a view of the posterior face of the propodeum, the second gastral stergite and subsequent keeled furrow, antennal pilosity, clypus notching, etc.
I agree it is definately Ancistrocerus, and A. gazella is the most common - but, there are several possibilities that you can't rule-out on the basis of a field photograph unfortunately. You could try Ancistrocerus cf. gazella.
Lovely wasps though, I saw a lovely small one the other day.
Take care, Jason 
Last edited by Jason Green; 26-07-2010 at 12:47 PM.
|
26-07-2010, 12:52 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Barnsley
Posts: 1,728
| | | Re: Wasp ID?
[QUOTE
I agree it is definately Ancistrocerus, and A. gazella is the most common - but, there are several possibilities that you can't rule-out on the basis of a field photograph unfortunately. You could try Ancistrocerus cf. gazella.
[/quote]
The National Recording Scheme would never accept records of Ancistrocerus based on photos. That's the main thing.
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John Coldwell |
26-07-2010, 12:56 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Wasp ID?
Ah, thanks for the correction - taken on board. |
26-07-2010, 01:39 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Posts: 2,149
| | | Re: Wasp ID?
Thank you all for your input!
I will have to settle for Ancistrocerus spp. on this one, possibly A.gazella.
Presumably, when Brian said she was looking for caterpillars, would that be to lay eggs in or provide food? Or both possibly? |
26-07-2010, 02:34 PM
| | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: London
Posts: 11,830
| | | Re: Wasp ID?
...I'm not too sure of their behavioural patterns, but I suspect to provide food for her young back in the nest. |
26-07-2010, 07:21 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 986
| | | Re: Wasp ID?
Quote:
Originally Posted by jezlee Thank you all for your input!
I will have to settle for Ancistrocerus spp. on this one, possibly A.gazella.
Presumably, when Brian said she was looking for caterpillars, would that be to lay eggs in or provide food? Or both possibly? | Maybe wrong here but I thought they put a few paralysed caterpillars in a nest hole- lay an egg on it and then seal it up.
Pic of similar wasp with caterpillar here http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/...55a56093_b.jpg
Brian v.
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