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Photo#578911
Large Metallic Blue Wasp - Chlorion aerarium

Large Metallic Blue Wasp - Chlorion aerarium
Selah, Yakima County, Washington, USA
September 19, 2011
Size: 2 inches
There were about 10 or 12 of these large blue wasp on a single small tree. They seemed to be competing for the the "best" spots on the tree as they would fight with each other over position. The wasp in this photo is seen making a threat display to another wasp of the same species attempting to dislodge it from its pearch.

Images of this individual: tag all
Large Metallic Blue Wasp - Chlorion aerarium Large Metallic Blue Wasp - Chlorion aerarium Large Metallic Blue Wasp - Chlorion aerarium

Moved
Moved from ID Request. They may be feeding on oozing sap. They do that down here in Arizona, too.

Sphecid wasp
Not sure if this wasp is in genus Chalybion or Sphex. Since sphecids provision their nests with insects and/or spiders, they may have been fighting over the best positions from which to access prey.

 
Neither.
These images are of a female Chlorion aerarium, and represent a state record here on Bugguide. Congratulations! They are only locally common in the Pacific Northwest (I collected a handful in The Dalles, Oregon in the early 1980s). Nice shots, thanks for sharing!

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