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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Apoid Wasps (Apoidea)- traditional Sphecidae » Thread-waisted Wasps (Sphecidae) » Chalybion » Blue Mud Wasp (Chalybion californicum)
Photo#187919
blue bug? fly? spider killer? - Chalybion californicum
Copyright © 2008 martha

blue bug? fly? spider killer? - Chalybion californicum
Manton, Shasta County, California, USA
Size: 1"+ -
Found this insect at about 3,000' elevation in early June. Mixed forest, Mediteranian climate. I later saw one in the garden dragging a large spider. Does anybody know it? I don't even know if it's a bug, fly, or what? Thank you. Martha
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Contributed by martha on 5 June, 2008 - 10:13am
Last updated 21 June, 2008 - 8:02pm

Chalybion californicum
I have an entire nest of these guys at my house. They tend to be much smaller than Chalybion caemntarium.
… kiel.kietlinski, 6 June, 2008 - 5:51pm login or register to post comments

Spider wasp (Pompilidae) possibly...
similar to Anoplius which is a common wasp in the west. Resembles the blue mud dauber sphecid except for the size.
… Ross Hill, 5 June, 2008 - 11:59am login or register to post comments

 
It 'is' a blue mud dauber.
This is not a spider wasp, but, if it was in possession of a spider, it has to be a blue mud dauber, Chalybion californicum. The nearly identical, but usually larger, cricket killer, Chlorion aerarium, preys only on Gryllus crickets.
… Eric R. Eaton, 5 June, 2008 - 3:41pm login or register to post comments

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