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Photo#24310
Paper Wasp? - Polistes aurifer
Copyright © 2005 Hartmut Wisch

Paper Wasp? - Polistes aurifer
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens, Claremont, Los Angeles County, California, USA
July 14, 2005
One of several insects feeding on Asclepias fascicularis (including three wasp species, this one, a scoliid submitted separately, as well as a sphecid I'll post)
My guess is a male, perhaps a Polistes. Have not found an image sufficiently close. Well, I see some similarities to images of the Golden Polistes.

Images of this individual: tag all
Paper Wasp? - Polistes aurifer Paper Wasp? - Polistes aurifer Paper Wasp? - Polistes aurifer Paper Wasp? - Polistes aurifer - male
Contributed by Hartmut Wisch on 15 July, 2005 - 9:59pm
Last updated 27 April, 2006 - 1:29pm

Pollinarium on fore-tarsus?
When enlarged, there appear to be several pollinaria on the front leg. Great shot! Mike
… Mike Quinn, 1 November, 2006 - 5:58pm

 
Hadn't noticed these -
Last year I purchased a classic, "The Fertilization of Flowers", by Hermann Müller, transl. by D'Arcy W. Thompson, with a foreword by Darwin. Wonderful book with exquisite illustrations, including the Asclepiadaceae.
… Hartmut Wisch, 1 November, 2006 - 6:09pm

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