Over the past few days, there have been 2 of these hovering close to the ground in a zig zag, similar to Nomada species. These seem to have appeared when the Nomada aren’t as prevalent.
My garden has a lot of ground nesting solitary bees, and I assumed this entrance belonged to one. But I just observed this wasp digging into it, disappearing for a min, then flying off. She left too fast for me to see if she was carrying prey.
As she was leaving, another insect- either a bee or wasp, was right behind her. But didn’t come out, instead disappeared back into the ground.
Is she preying on solitary bees? Or digging these entrances herself to locate some other prey? She did fly into another one immediately after leaving.
She has purplish wings, and white markings on her face.
I see them all day, but these photos were taken at dusk.