Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Photo#8085
All black - Pseudomethoca

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.

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

 
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.

 
Thanks:
Thanks to all for the scholarly comments!

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.