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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Vespoidea » Vespidae » Pollen Wasps (Masarinae) » Pseudomasaris » Pseudomasaris vespoides

Species Pseudomasaris vespoides

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References · Works Cited
Pollen Wasp - Pseudomasaris vespoides - female 51 - Pseudomasaris vespoides 62 - Pseudomasaris vespoides 77 - Pseudomasaris vespoides 111 - Pseudomasaris vespoides Pseudomasaris vespoides? - Pseudomasaris vespoides - male Black and Yellow Wasp - Pseudomasaris vespoides Masarinae - Pseudomasaris vespoides - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)
Superfamily Vespoidea
Family Vespidae
Subfamily Masarinae (Pollen Wasps)
Genus Pseudomasaris
Species vespoides (Pseudomasaris vespoides)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Masaris vespoides Cresson 1863
Pseudomasaris vespoides Della Torre 1904
Identification
A sharp transverse ridge right above antennal sockets
Fore basitarsus with a long posterior fringe
Hind basitarsus is curved and distally lobed (more distinct in males) (1)
Males:
Antennal club is 'paddle-like'
Gastral tergite VII (almost always) has a pair of dorsal tubercles
Range
w US (WA-CA to SD-NM) to Baja(2)
Habitat
Mountainous areas
Season
Apr-Aug
Food
Adults found on/near Penstemon spp., often on blue species. Adults feed on nectar, sometimes from plants other than Penstemon.
Life Cycle
Univoltine.
Remarks
Probably the most common species of Pseudomasaris.
Print References
Bradley J.C. (1922) The taxonomy of the Masarid wasps, including a monograph of the North American species. UC Publ. Entomol. 1: 369-464. (Full text)
Cresson, E. T. (1863). Description of a new species of Masaris, from the Rocky Mountains. Proc. Ent. Soc. Philadelphia 2:69-74 (Original Description: Full Text; Plate 4)
Davidson, A. 1913. Masaria vespoides. Southern Calif. Acad. Sci. Bull., 12(1):17-18. (Full Text)
Hicks, C. H. (1927). Pseudomasaris vespoides (Cresson), a pollen provisioning wasp. Can. Entomol., 59(4) : 75-79.
Hicks, C. H. (1929). Pseudomasaris edwardsi Cresson, another pollen provisioning wasp, with further notes on P. vespoides (Cresson). Can. Entomol., 59(6): 121-125.
Longair R.W. (1987) Mating behavior at floral resources in two species of Pseudomasaris (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae). Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 89: 759-769. Full text
Torchio P.F. (1974) Mechanisms involved in the pollination of Penstemon visited by the masarid wasp Pseudomasaris vespoides (Cresson). Pan-Pac. Entomol. 50: 226-234. Full Text
Internet References
iNaturalist
GBIF
Works Cited
1.New records of Pseudomasaris Ashmead (Hymenoptera:Vespoidea, Masaridae), with notes on P. phaceliae Rohwer and P. cazieri Bohart
Richards O.W. 1966. Proc. R. Ent. Soc. London (B) 35(3-4): 47-55.
2.Checklist of species of the subfamily Masarinae (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)
Carpenter J.M. 2001. American Museum novitates 3325. 40 pp.
Contributed by Beatriz Moisset on 23 January, 2006 - 3:55pm
Additional contributions by Hartmut Wisch, Aaron Schusteff, v belov, Nathaniel Green
Last updated 7 June, 2025 - 9:14pm

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