Unidentified Jewel Wasp

[GuyF]

Hi everyone,
I found these two in mid June.


I'm not sure whether they are male and female of the same species or two different species, but the first individual was slightly smaller and bluer than the second.
This is the owner of the nest they were attacking (sorry for the very poor photo!)

It was fascinating to watch them investigating the entrance hole to the nest (in a pine log). Whenever the host returned and found one at the entrance it attacked it vigorously, but the jewel wasps would escape, settle a few centimetres away and watch until the host wasp left again.
I know these are part of a very tricky group, and my photos are not good, but I'm hoping that the plain blue-green colouration may help narrow it down a bit.
Thanks very much for your help,
Guy

[oxycera]

The only one I know with that colour is Trichrysis cyanea.

[Jason Green]

Evening Guy,

What a gorgeous wasp! Lovely-looking thing - nice photo too. Well done John on the ID!

Would I be right in thinking the black wasp is a Pompilid? It, like the group in my opinion, has a pretty distinctive facial look...

Take care,

Jason

[GuyF]

Thanks very much John and Jason, looking on the bwars site that seems to be a very good match. The caption on their photo says 'female investigating nest of Trypoxylon sp.', and looking at images of Trypoxylon sp. my host wasp does look similar, although my photo isn't really good enough to be sure!
Thanks again,
Guy

[oxycera]

It does have the look of Trypoxylon.

[Matt Smith]

It is a Trypoxylon sp.

[oxycera]

Originally Posted by Matt Smith

It is a Trypoxylon sp.

No wonder it had the look of one then

[Jason Green]

...I've just realised my massive typo in the last post - Pompilid came out instead of Crabronid. I need a new keyboard

[GuyF]

Thanks again for your input Matt, John and Jason,
Guy