Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
BugGuide Gathering
Smoky Mountains
University of Tennessee Biological Field Station
August 8-10, 2008
Details...
 
Photos from the last gathering (Minnesota 2007)

TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Vespoidea » Yellowjackets, Paper Wasps, and Hornets; Potter, Mason and Pollen Wasps (Vespidae) » Pollen Wasps (Masarinae) » Pseudomasaris
Photo#55921
Pseudomasaris vespoides (Vespidae) in Colorado Springs - Pseudomasaris - female
Copyright © 2006 Adalbert Goertz

Pseudomasaris vespoides (Vespidae) in Colorado Springs - Pseudomasaris - Female
Colorado Springs Foothills, North Cheyenne Canyon, El Paso County, Colorado, USA
June 5, 2006
Size: L = 20 mm
This pollen wasp was found on Penstemon unilateralis - One-sided Penstemon. Note the club-antennae. H.E.Evans states that only males have club-antenae. I think that this is P. vespoides, but it shows a different pattern from photo #21773 or #41500. Dr. Boris C. Kondratieff of Ft. Collins agrees with my ID. I saw same species on the same date in 2002 in the same area. Check also here

Images of this individual: tag all
Pseudomasaris vespoides (Vespidae) in Colorado Springs - Pseudomasaris - female Pseudomasaris vespoides (Vespidae) in Colorado Springs - Pseudomasaris - female Pseudomasaris vespoides (Vespidae) in Colorado Springs - Pseudomasaris - female
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Adalbert Goertz on 5 June, 2006 - 2:32pm
Last updated 12 January, 2008 - 5:56pm

Neat indeed, Adalbert!
Regarding gender I agree with Eric and Richard, that this is as female; you still have it marked as male. Because I'm about to post images of both males and females, I'm reviewing what's already on this site.
Eric identified my first Pseudomasaris, and communicated a sense of wonder which has been amplified by further observations and reading. Thanks again, Eric!
… Hartmut Wisch, 28 April, 2007 - 7:45pm login or register to post comments

Neat!
Very respectable images of the live insect, Adalbert! Thank you for sharing. Hopefully we can get a species ID for you. Oh, pretty sure this is a female. Males have much, much longer antennae, at least in the specimens I've seen personally.
… Eric R. Eaton, 5 June, 2006 - 3:15pm login or register to post comments

 
I agree
Besides antennal dimorphism, this one insect has six visible urites (gastral segments), while most aculeate (and all vespid) males have seven of them. Both geographical variation and sexual dimorphism could account for the difference of color pattern with the male Adalbert is alluding to.
… Richard Vernier, 6 June, 2006 - 10:52am login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2008 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
Site Map
Contact