A number of black and white wasps were nectaring on Scale-Broom (Lepidospartum squamatum) on a hot, sunny afternoon at the Claremont Colleges' Bernard Field Station. I assumed at first they were all the same species, but now I'm not sure. For instance, some of the wasps had their wings folded over the abdomen, and others held they spread out. Consequently, I'm posting a bunch of photos of different individuals in the hope they can be sorted out. The quality of the photos is not great – most of the wasps were on the interior of the shrub where they were shaded and hard to get close to, and the yellow reflected off the Scale-broom flowers makes them appear a little yellower than they seemed in the field. Once we see how far we can go with identification, I will frass some or all of the photos. Any information will be greatly appreciated!

Wasps 1–4 were all on the same shrub. Wasps 3 and 4 are definitely different individuals. I'm not sure about 1 and 2.

Wasp 1 – above!

Wasp 2:


Wasp 3:


Wasp 4:


Wasp 5 was on a different shrub at some distance from the first one.

Wasp 5: