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Species Pseudomasaris vespoides

Pseudomasaris vespoides - male Pollen wasp - Pseudomasaris vespoides - male Another Female Pollen Wasp from Tulare Co - Pseudomasaris vespoides - female Which Pseudomasaris? - Pseudomasaris vespoides - female Pollen wasp on monardella - Pseudomasaris vespoides - male Pseudomasaris from Diablo Range - Pseudomasaris vespoides - female I look like Vespula but I'm not -- who am I? - Pseudomasaris vespoides - female Masarinae - Pseudomasaris vespoides - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)
Superfamily Vespoidea
Family Vespidae (Hornets, Yellowjackets; Paper, Potter, Mason, and Pollen Wasps; and Allies)
Subfamily Masarinae (Pollen Wasps)
Genus Pseudomasaris
Species vespoides (Pseudomasaris vespoides)
Explanation of Names
Pseudomasaris vespoides (Cresson 1863)
Identification
A sharp transverse ridge right above antennal sockets
Fore basitarsus with a long posterior fringe
Hind basitarsus is curved and distally lobed (more distinct in males) (1)

Males:
Antennal club is 'paddle-like'
Gastral tergite VII (almost always) has a pair of dorsal tubercles
Range
w US (WA-CA to SD-NM) to Baja(2)
Habitat
Mountainous areas
Season
Apr-Aug
Food
Adults found on/near Penstemon spp., often on blue species. Adults feed on nectar, sometimes from plants other than Penstemon.
Life Cycle
Univoltine.
Remarks
Probably the most common species of Pseudomasaris.
Print References
Bradley J.C. (1922) The taxonomy of the Masarid wasps, including a monograph of the North American species. UC Publ. Entomol. 1: 369-464. (Full text)
Cresson, E. T. 1863. Description of a new species of Masaris, from the Rocky Mountains. Proc. Ent. Soc. Philadelphia 2:69 (Original Description)
Longair R.W. (1987) Mating behavior at floral resources in two species of Pseudomasaris (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae). Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 89: 759-769. Full text
Torchio P.F. (1974) Mechanisms involved in the pollination of Penstemon visited by the masarid wasp Pseudomasaris vespoides (Cresson). Pan-Pac. Entomol. 50: 226-234. Full Text
Internet References
Works Cited
1.New records of Pseudomasaris Ashmead (Hymenoptera:Vespoidea, Masaridae), with notes on P. phaceliae Rohwer and P. cazieri Bohart
Richards O.W. 1966. Proc. R. Ent. Soc. London (B) 35(3-4): 47-55.
2.Checklist of species of the subfamily Masarinae (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)
Carpenter J.M. 2001. American Museum novitates 3325. 40 pp.