Hole-Searching Wasp - Stenodynerus

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Vespoidea » Hornets, Yellowjackets; Paper, Potter, Mason, and Pollen Wasps; and Allies (Vespidae) » Potter and Mason Wasps (Eumeninae) » Stenodynerus » anormis-group (Stenodynerus anormis-group)

Photo#684861

Copyright © 2012 Aaron Schusteff

Hole-Searching Wasp - Stenodynerus

Mori Point, Pacifica, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Mateo County, California, USA
June 23, 2012

This wasp was systematically searching every small insect hole in the dirt of an area of larger jumbled and intersecting burrow holes made small mammals. It would briefly enter some hole and then, after a few seconds, come back out and go on to inspect and/or enter another. It was so intent on its business that it didn't seem to mind me bending over very nearby to try to photograph it.

I tried to go through Huber & Goulet(1) but without much success (Vespoidea?)

Photographed in grassy area with nearby coastal scrub atop coastal bluffs.

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Contributed by Aaron Schusteff on 5 August, 2012 - 12:16am
Last updated 31 January, 2013 - 6:41pm

Moved

Moved from Potter and Mason Wasps.

… Matthias Buck, 31 January, 2013 - 6:41pm

Moved

Moved from Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies.

… John S. Ascher, 5 August, 2012 - 11:23am

Thanks, John

I'm thinking genus Euodynerus, based on similarities with various BG posts, all from coastal CA (cf. thumbnails in my comments under 2nd & 4th images in series).

Unfortunately, this species doesn't appear to be covered in the (excellent!) online atlas to northeastern Vespidae(1), and I couldn't find any other web-accessible keys/treatments of the genus that would cover (upper) CA. Looked under the older synonyms Odynerus and Rygchium too, but no success.

… Aaron Schusteff, 5 August, 2012 - 5:11pm

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