This black wasp, along with about 40 bumblebees, was working over a milkweed plant in bloom. I used my radio slaved flash, as with my current camera it's the only way I've found to "stop" insects like this.
Canon XTi, Sigma 70-300 lens, radio slaves & Sigma 500 sumthin flash. F18 1/160 sec.
It looks like a blue mud dauber. Very colorful, did you paint those antennae?
Upon closer examination, there doesn't seem to be a threadlike connection between the thorax and abdomen which typically gives the wasp a long-waisted look.
Other option: blue-black spider wasp; short-waisted between abdomen and thorax, which your photo suggests. Did you notice if the wasp flickered its wings as it moved about? That would make it the blue-black spider wasp.
Best,
Don
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on August 8, 2008 at 8:42 AM
Interesting specimen in any event Bruce. I like this a lot compositionally, good position of your subject and the milkweed provides a solid foundation. I don't know if the coloration is this vivid in real life or maybe a bit over saturated but I like it. A bit more detail in the deep blacks would have really been nice.
Don the main thing I remember is that it was HUGE! 1 1/2" maybe longer, I kind of remember the wings flickering, however the antennae were definately curling and uncurling as it repositioned.
Wayne, looking at it now, in the morning, I can agree I probably oversaturated the milkweed in compensating for the flash. I will try and cut it back later. I will stand by the color on the wasp. It was every bit that colorful.
Oh yes, they hunt spiders, sting them, insert them into a tube nest made of mud, deposit an egg, seal the opening and let the emerging juvenile eat the paralyzed spider alive.
Discussion
6 repliesCanon XTi, Sigma 70-300 lens, radio slaves & Sigma 500 sumthin flash. F18 1/160 sec.
BTW Don Kurz, what is she?
It looks like a blue mud dauber. Very colorful, did you paint those antennae?
Upon closer examination, there doesn't seem to be a threadlike connection between the thorax and abdomen which typically gives the wasp a long-waisted look.
Other option: blue-black spider wasp; short-waisted between abdomen and thorax, which your photo suggests. Did you notice if the wasp flickered its wings as it moved about? That would make it the blue-black spider wasp.
Best,
Don
Wayne, looking at it now, in the morning, I can agree I probably oversaturated the milkweed in compensating for the flash. I will try and cut it back later. I will stand by the color on the wasp. It was every bit that colorful.
Thanks for the kind words.