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Photo#1015803
Tri-colored Wasp on ivy - male

Tri-colored Wasp on ivy - Male
Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County, California, USA
October 25, 2014
Size: ~3mm
Male? This is an often seen but seldom successfully photographed (by me at least) wasp. It's long legs and antennae give make is seem larger than it is. It's flight is sort of mosquito-like constantly bobbing and weaving. Wings are fairly clear except very dark stigmas. Notice even the abdomen is tri-colored anterior being white, transitioning to red, and posterior end being black. The hind tibia have at large spikes. The hind trochanters are black, the hind legs as a whole are tri-colored. The moth has at least two thin appendages on each side with two or more segments. I'm not sure, but I think it preys on some tiny winged plant parasitic insect. I think it may have one in the third frame. Sadly ID would probably have to be based on prior familiarity with this distinctively marked wasp.

Images of this individual: tag all
Tri-colored Wasp on ivy - male Tri-colored Wasp on ivy - male Tri-colored Wasp on ivy - male

Moved
Perhaps the small insects you are perceiving as prey are aphids. It wouldn't prey on the aphids, but it would feed on the honeydew they deposit on foliage.

Moved from Ichneumon Wasps.

 
That makes sense!
And thanks for the ID and info!

I sort of hate to plague you with another question / observation, but I have noticed lately that a lot of my Ichneumon photos show the position of the second frame with rear legs off the ground. Maybe it's a grooming thing? Just funny to keep seeing it.

 
Hind Legs
Yes, I think it is a grooming thing.

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