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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Spider Wasps, Velvet Ants and allies (Pompiloidea) » Spider Wasps (Pompilidae) » Pepsinae » Mud-nesting Spider Wasps (Ageniellini) » Auplopus » Auplopus mollis
Photo#157471
Wasp - Auplopus mollis - female
Copyright © 2007 Sam Houston

Wasp - Auplopus mollis - Female
Sand Springs, Osage County, Oklahoma, USA
November 19, 2007
Size: 1/2"
I believe this is the same species as this http://bugguide.net/node/view/156257. But, this pic was taken at night. Why would a wasp be coming to a porch light ?
I've just never seen them do that before.
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Contributed by Sam Houston on 19 November, 2007 - 7:43pm
Last updated 18 July, 2017 - 6:24pm

Moved
Moved from Frass.
… Sam Houston, 11 March, 2008 - 8:53am login or register to post comments

Frassed
Moved from Auplopus mollis.
… Sam Houston, 3 March, 2008 - 3:07pm login or register to post comments

Auplopus female (OK)
Probably an Auplopus, perhaps A. mollis. Let's see what the experts say.
… Matthias Buck, 21 November, 2007 - 5:00pm login or register to post comments

 
I would concur.
I would agree, but I'm rapidly learning how much of an expert I'm 'not.' :-) Moving to species page for now.
… Eric R. Eaton, 21 December, 2007 - 2:48pm login or register to post comments

 
The ID...
seems completely reasonable. I have two or three records of Auplopus mellipes being captured at lights. I have no information on why it is more common for this particular genus of spider wasps to show up at lights.
… Nick Fensler, 22 December, 2007 - 6:24pm login or register to post comments

I think so...
or at least a very closely related Spider Wasp. Nocturnal activity is quite rare in this group, and I share your perplexity. Maybe the approaching end of the season induces somewhat aberrant behaviors.
… Richard Vernier, 20 November, 2007 - 3:33am login or register to post comments

Maybe insecticide?
I have seen diurnal wasps out at night before when there was pesticide application (mosquito control adulticiding) conducted earlier in the evening...
The ones that I saw behaved erratically and were not long for the world.
… Sean McCann, 19 November, 2007 - 7:46pm login or register to post comments

 
No
No insecticide....and it wasn't acting erratic....other than the fact that it came to a porch light....
… Sam Houston, 19 November, 2007 - 8:09pm login or register to post comments

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