CLOSED: Sand Wasp (Bembix sp.) ?

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wolfie_pt Lisbon, Portugal Aug 16, 2007

Hi everyone!
I need a little help to ID this wasp.

I found this one near a beach, here in Portugal.
It seems to be a Bembix sp. Am i correct?
I searched the link referring to the Sand Wasp (Bembix sp.) but it had no photos and not much info to help me (http://davesgarden.com/guides/bf/go/1487/)

Thanks a lot for your help!

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wolfie_pt Lisbon, Portugal Aug 16, 2007

Another photo to see if it helps with the ID.

Thumbnail by wolfie_pt
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katie59 Woodinville, WA(Zone 8b) Aug 17, 2007

I don't know what it is, but awesome photos!!!

Kathy

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kennedyh Churchill, Victoria, Australia(Zone 10a) Aug 17, 2007

wolfie_pt,
Your wasp certainly does look like a sand wasp of the genus Bembix. Searching on the net, I found 9 species of Bembix which are found in Portugal:
Bembix bidentata
Bembix bolivari
Bembix integra
Bembix oculata
Bembix olivacea
Bembix rostrata
Bembix sinuata
Bembix wagleri
Bembix zonata

I have only found image of a few of these, but your does look very close to Bembix oculata: http://www.galerie-insecte.org/galerie/ref-3534.htm
http://www.galerie-insecte.org/galerie/ref-3533.htm

Note that authorities vary as to which family this wasp belongs in. Early records record itr as in the Sphecidae, but the more recent thinking has been to split off a large chunk of the Sphecidae into a new family the Crabronidae. I have just updated all our Sphecid wasps, dividing them between these two families and Bembix should be added to the Crabronidae.

Kennedy

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