CLOSED: A biggest wasp was found in the garden; please help I.D.

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 06, 2008

This fella is almost twice the size of an average wasp I've seen in the garden. Here it's nectaring on my milkweeds. Or is he hunting down aphids?

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 06, 2008

Pix #2

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 06, 2008

Pix #3

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wallaby1 Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a) Sep 06, 2008

Looks like a thread-waisted wasp, Family Sphecidae, which one I wouldn't like to guess.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/135/bgpage?from=5

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Sep 07, 2008

This could be a great golden digger wasp, Sphex ichneumoneus - see http://www.cirrusimage.com/hymenoptera_Great_Golden_Digger_Wasp.htm

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 07, 2008

I wished my photo quality is much better. Wallaby? Second opinion? Thanks Ed for helping with the I.D. of this big wasp.

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wallaby1 Lincoln, United Kingdom(Zone 8a) Sep 07, 2008

That's definitely a possibilty, although I can't see any obvious yellow markings on the thorax on yours, maybe a little next to the wing joint in one (using my imagination!). The tail colour also looks to cover a differnt area, but that may be variable and may also be dependant on whether it's a male or female. They are big though, according to the link suunto gave 21mm, over 3/4".

This pic on BugGuide does look closer to yours,

http://bugguide.net/node/view/149894/bgpage

How many other wasps there are which are similar I don't know, suunto may know the answer to that, if they are anything like flies they often have to be examined under a microscope to determine to species level. There are an awful lot of wasps, but the leg colour does match, general shape, dark wings, abdomen, size, so on balance I would 'tentatively' tend to agree.

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Lily_love Central, AL(Zone 7b) Sep 07, 2008

I've noticed this type of wasps often found on moist (newly water garden soil areas) soil if they're not actively nectaring on flowers. Thank you Wallaby for the additional info.

Ed, it is more and more gears toward the great golden digger wasp! Many thanks.

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