Vai al contenuto principale
Openbook
Mark McCaughrean
@markmccaughrean@mastodon.social
1 giorno fa

Well, I'm bamboozled 🤷‍♂️

This jewel is a Chrysidid wasp in tribe Elampini. But beyond that?

The green-blue & red colour scheme suggests either Hedychrum gerstaeckeri or Holopyga generosa (less likely), but it could be a male Hedychrum nobile, a female of which I saw yesterday.

Will seek help on iNaturalist 🤞

🏰
📷️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️
🐞
🔬
🪰
🪲

A small wasp seen side on, from above and in front, feeding from some yellow goldenrod flowers. The wasp is dimpled metallic all over, with a green-blue head and thorax, and a red abdomen, the latter turning more golden around the sides and end from certain angles. The black compound eyes are widely separated, with three black ocelli between. The antennae have a first metallic green section, then bend 90 degrees, but it's not possible to count the segments. The legs are also metallic green with fine hairs, and the hind femora are quite chunky. The wings are folded over the back and are dark grey-brown clear. The same wasp seen from above, showing that the back of the head is quite rounded, a sign that this probably isn't Holopyga generosa, which has quite angled "cheeks". The wing venation also suggests the same, as it doesn't match H generosa well. A more side-on view from the front, showing the double-sectioned antennae with the 90 degree bend, and also that the head is quite pointed towards the mouth. The golden sheen can be seen at the back of the abdomen, which is domed on top, but more flat below. The chunky hind femora can also be seen. Another view from above and the side, showing the rather large abdomen, again looking golden towards the rear of the red. The dimples or craters on the thorax are seen to get progressively larger towards rear, away from the head. Again, the wing venation is fairly clear, which should aid identification.

#photography #macrophotography #bugoftheday #heidelberg #insectsofmastodon #backgardenentomology

45

Caricamento...

2
20

Caricamento...

Commenti (2)