Other Common Names
Keyhole Wasp (note: this name may also be applied to various cavity-nesting species of Eumeninae and Trypoxylon)
Explanation of Names
Pachodynerus nasidens (Latreille 1812)
nasidens = from the Latin nāsī ('nose') + dēns ('tooth')
Size
♀ 7.0-9.0 mm; ♂ 6.0-8.0 mm
(1)Identification
Not readily distinguishable from P. pulverulentus, with which it co-occurs in TX & AZ. Separating the two requires comparison of the density of punctation on the second segment of the abdomen (P. nasidens has punctation throughout the segment, decreasing in density towards the anterior, whereas P. pulverulentus has punctation restricted toward the posterior margin).
P. nasidens (left) versus P. pulverulentus (right)
Range
so US (AZ, s. TX, s. FL) to South America; introduced in S. Pacific islands
(2)See Also
Brachygastra mellifica has a much shorter and narrower first gastral segment. Range: c. TX to tropics
Hoplitimyia mutabilis (Syrphidae) - as a fly, has the hind wings modified as halteres. Range: AZ, TX-FL