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Photo#291879
Bentsen Vitacea - Vitacea admirandus

Bentsen Vitacea - Vitacea admirandus
World Birding Center at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, Hidalgo County, Texas, USA
October 10, 2008
I encountered this critter entirely by accident. I had some Mexican Unicorn Mantids in captivity, bound for a breeding program at the Dallas Zoo, so went out to net some food for them, primarily Snout butterflies. I took one net-load back to the office and noticed what I thought was a Polistes wasp, and tried to figure out how to extract it from the net without getting stung. Then I noticed that it wasn't really a wasp! Took a few photos in the office, a few more outdoors; Charles Bordelon and Ed Knudson dropped by my office a few days later and ID'd the critter from these pics.

Images of this individual: tag all
Bentsen Vitacea - Vitacea admirandus Bentsen Vitacea, ventral view - Vitacea admirandus Bentsen Vitacea, back outdoors - Vitacea admirandus Bentsen Vitacea, side view - Vitacea admirandus