I need a wasp ID'd

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nephiliim
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I need a wasp ID'd

Post by nephiliim »

Hey folks, found this feller in our garden, but I can't seem to get a good determination. The markings are always aberating. The jaws where of a wasp, the ocella (3 eyes on top of the head) are those of a wasp, it even had a stinger.. but I can't find a correct ID.

Please HELP!!!???

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All the best,

Tom
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nzmacro
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Post by nzmacro »

Interesting Tom. From this shot, it looks like it could be a mimic.

I'll have a hunt around Tom and see what we can find.

All the best Tom.

Danny.

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nephiliim
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Post by nephiliim »

Thanks Danny, I have been searching some more, it looks most like some kind of paperwasp.

Can't it perhaps be a queen?? Those I have never seen on photo on the net.

Tom
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twebster
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Post by twebster »

Hi ya' Tom :D
The jaws where of a wasp, the ocella (3 eyes on top of the head) are those of a wasp, it even had a stinger.. but I can't find a correct ID.
You couldn't find it because you were looking for a wasp. Look at the insect overall first. This definitely looks like a bee to me. I don't know of too many wasps that are very hairy...


Family: Megachilidae
Genus/species: Anthidium manicatum
Sex: Male
Common Name: Cotton Bee or Woolcarder Bee
Reference: http://bugguide.net/node/view/9452/bgimage

Enjoy! :D[/quote]
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nephiliim
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Post by nephiliim »

I didn't know that bees had ocella's tom. Thanks for the ID.

All the best,

Tom
Sometimes smaller is better!
*nodge nodge :D*

Comments and advice always welcome
My little website

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twebster
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Post by twebster »

Hi ya' Tom :D

When identifying insects you have to look at the insect overall, first. Get the general impression of the insect. I know this is kind of hard for less experienced people but, after you successfully ID a few insects, it gets easier the more insects you ID. This allows you eliminate 75% of the "possibles" and allows you to concentrate on the other 25% of the "probablies".

Try never to zero in on a single characteristic early in identifying an insect unless it something you know to be specific to a single family or genus. Insects display a wide variety of characteristics even within the same family. Always try to work from broad characteristics to more narrowly defined characteristics.

One warning, however. I am always wary of IDing most insects from purely photographic images. Butterflies and moths are fairly easy and dragonflies can be fairly easy if there is a good image of the wing venation. I would say at least 85% of insect species cannot be identified past family level purely from photographic images. Too many genera and species are classified based on wing venation and the shape of the sex organs. Two similar looking flies, for example, may actually be different species due to the shape of the sex organs. Superficially, they look the same on the outside. However, because the sex organs are different in shape, the two flies can't interbreed and remain separate species.

This holds especially true for tropical insects. Since the climate in most tropical environments is reasonably steady there is less need for insects to specialize and adapt to specific environmental pressures. In the tropics there are a lot of successful insect species that are mimics of other successful insect species that are also mimics of yet another species. Identifying wasps, flies, and beetles in the tropics can be an incredibly difficult job :!: :D

Best regards as always, :D
Tom Webster
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wxman

insect ID

Post by wxman »

Unless my eyes deceive me, this creature has two wings (as opposed to four), meaning it is in the diptera, or fly family. Thus, this would be a mimic, and not a member of hymenoptera (bees, wasps, etc.), who have four wings.

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Post by twebster »

wxman,

This is definitely a bee. Please check the link to bug guide that I provided in my earlier post. If you look very carefully, especially at the right side of the bee, you can see two attachments for the front and hind wing. The hind wing is simply tight up against and under the forewing.

Best regards,
Tom Webster
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Phoenix "The Valley of the Sun", Arizona, USA

Think about this...maybe Murphy is an optimist!!!

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