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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Ants, Stinging Wasps, and Hornets (Vespoidea) » Velvet Ants (Mutillidae)
Photo#333750
Wasp-like insect - female
Copyright © 2009 dmarkoch

Wasp-like insect - Female
Rainbow Valley, San Diego County, California, USA
July 1, 2009
Size: 1/3 inch

Images of this individual: tag all
Wasp-like insect - female Velvet wasp-like insect - female
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Contributed by dmarkoch on 16 September, 2009 - 5:21pm
Last updated 28 September, 2009 - 12:15pm

Nocturnal velvet ant, genus ??
The nocturnal velvet ant females are very poorly known. Great find!

Moved from ID Request.
… George Waldren, 16 September, 2009 - 8:28pm login or register to post comments

Wasp is correct, Velvet Ant, Family Mutillidae
That looks like a Velvet Ant to me, though I don't know which one. That's pretty small. Most I've seen have been quite a bit bigger.
… Andrew Williams, 16 September, 2009 - 5:37pm login or register to post comments

 
Comparison
Photos in bug guide look like Pseudomethoca or Sphaeropthalma, could it be one of those?

What about Chyphotes like in photo at:
http://www.alexanderwild.com/Insects/Bees-Wasps-and-Sawflies/4230200_rPV88/3/248207116_t7ZL8#248207217_QgiTv
… dmarkoch, 17 September, 2009 - 1:32pm login or register to post comments

 
One of the nocturnal genera
Definitely not Pseudomethoca. It could be Sphaeropthalma or Odontophotopsis, or one of the other nocturnal genera. I can't make out if the dorsal setae are plumose or not. Kevin will be able to narrow it down.
… George Waldren, 17 September, 2009 - 2:37pm login or register to post comments

 
Sphaeropthalma
This is in the genus Sphaeropthalma, mostly based on coloration and head shape. The distribution, color, and shape of the petiole suggest that this is Spheropthalma edwardsii.
… Kevin Williams, 2 October, 2009 - 10:07am login or register to post comments

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