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Photo#504396
Female Pseudomasaris on Phacelia in Anza-Borrego - Pseudomasaris maculifrons - female
Copyright © 2011 Aaron Schusteff

Female Pseudomasaris on Phacelia in Anza-Borrego - Pseudomasaris maculifrons - Female
In washes of bajada below Henderson Canyon, Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego County, California, USA
March 31, 2011
A bit blurry in-flight shot...but shows what I think may be diagnostic character for species ID: a white spot on the frons.

Images of this individual: tag all
Female Pseudomasaris on Phacelia in Anza-Borrego - Pseudomasaris maculifrons - female Female Pseudomasaris on Phacelia in Anza-Borrego - Pseudomasaris maculifrons - female Female Pseudomasaris on Phacelia in Anza-Borrego - Pseudomasaris maculifrons - female
Contributed by Aaron Schusteff on 10 April, 2011 - 2:40am
Last updated 21 April, 2011 - 10:07am

Moved
Moved from Pseudomasaris.
… Hartmut Wisch, 21 April, 2011 - 10:07am

Hi Aaron
This is a female P. maculifrons. Very similar to basirufus, but with an extra white spot on the frons. This is visible thanks to your photo of the wasp in flight.
I wish I had the time to go on those forays!
… Hartmut Wisch, 21 April, 2011 - 10:07am

 
Thanks for the Confirmation, Hartmut
The remarks and info you've given on your many Pseudomasaris posts help a lot...allowed my to make a good hypothesis on what this one was. She was only on the Phacelia for a few moments, then flew off. Luckily I was prepared. Didn't see any others...male or female. (Often I do if I linger near their host plants.) Guess this gives a CA BugGuide (and San Diego Co.) record for maculifrons.

I hope you find the time soon to get out on some forays...you find fascinating things and take great photos of them! :-)

PS: I still have some Pseudomasaris images from (at least) two locales in the Tule River basin & Greenhorn Mnts of Tulare County from last June. Haven't had chance to post them (and so much more!).
… Aaron Schusteff, 21 April, 2011 - 11:12pm

 
Please post those Pseudomasaris, Aaron!
Would be good to have those here, though I know there isn't always enough time to accomplish all we want to do.
I recently found Thereva comata in Pasadena. This took me back to my files where I rediscovered two other spp., one of which -Thereva cordata- is known from only 7 specimens found in Inyo and Mono counties (Holston & Irwin, 2005).
… Hartmut Wisch, 22 April, 2011 - 12:42pm

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