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Photo#450966
Sphecid? - Chlorion aerarium - female

Sphecid? - Chlorion aerarium - Female
Sutter Buttes, Sutter County, California, USA
October 8, 2005
Size: wasp ~3cm
Wasp flew into Argiope trifasciata web as I was watching. Wasp had initially been perched on a nearby branch and appeared to be focused getting the spider when it flew in, but was promptly wrapped up.

Images of this individual: tag all
Sphecid? - Chlorion aerarium - female Sphecid? - Chlorion aerarium - female Sphecid? - Chlorion aerarium - female Sphecid? - Chlorion aerarium - female Sphecid? - Chlorion aerarium - female Sphecid? - Chlorion aerarium - female

Moved

Moved
Moved from ID Request.

Given the whole drama
isn't it more likely Pompilidae?

 
Not saying...
it isn't possible, but in all the years I have studied spider wasps I have never seen a hunting female pompilid caught in a web. Most orb-weaving spiders will actually recognize a spider wasp and drop in "fear". I have seen female Episyron and Poecilopompilus enter a web, seemingly with purpose, to get the spider in a better position to paralyze it. I have also seen female Anoplius virginiensis entering the funnel webs of Agelenids without entanglement. Judging from my observations I would say it is less likely to be a pompilid since it is has been captured.

 
thread-waist
If you look at the final shot of the series, the "thread waist" is visible. I don't think any Pompilids have this feature and if it's a blue mud-dauber or related species, they are known to go after spiders; but, I could be wrong too.

Wow!
Wow - high drama on the Sutter Buttes! Great series of photos!

Just a guess on the wasp: Blue Mud-daber Chalybion californicum; hopefully an expert can confirm this or give correct ID.

 
it does resemble Chalybion
but it could also be Chlorion

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