All black - Pseudomethoca - BugGuide.Net

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Photo#8085

Copyright © 2004 Lew Scharpf

All black - Pseudomethoca

Auburn, Alabama, USA
October 15, 2004

Only had one shot of this specimen....about 3/8" in length. All black with slight silvery tinge to hairs.
Will appreciate ID.

Contributed by Lew Scharpf on 19 October, 2004 - 9:06pm
Last updated 6 January, 2006 - 2:41pm

Mutillidae

actually, the nature of the pubescence and the dark wings rule out Tiphiidae.

… Doug Yanega, 2 November, 2005 - 9:10pm

Definitely

I am pretty sure this is a Pseudomethoca species, probably Ps. simillima. I think that Ps. simillima is the only entirely black Pseudomethoca species East of Texas, other than the tiny Ps. frigida. There is another form of male Ps. simillima that has partially red integument, but the females for the two cannot be distinguished. Eventually this male will probably revert to the former name Ps. geryon.

… Kevin Williams, 5 November, 2005 - 12:40am

Thanks:

Thanks to all for the scholarly comments!

… Lew Scharpf, 5 November, 2005 - 9:43pm

Tiphiid or Mutillid

This is either a tiphiid wasp or a male velvet ant (family Mutillidae). Can't tell without more images from different angles, or the specimen itself.

… Eric R. Eaton, 20 October, 2004 - 2:21pm

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