Big black wasp?

[dtknow]

I saw something hanging around the restroom at school which shocked me.

It was a big black wasp. In fact, it was only a tad smaller than a tarantula hawk. It had a similar build but this gal had a head more or less the same width as her thorax...perhaps a little wider. The entire body was jet black, including the wings. The antenna were not swirled as in some Pepsis species from what I remember. Perhaps a cricket hunter? I know we have a lot of house crickets on campus(I suspect some prankster released a bunch of them).

I didn't have anything to catch it in besides my backpack and of course it took off when I tried to trap it. The amusing thing is that a guy or two had just entered the bathroom and passed right by it without noticing. Luckily it was on the boys and not the girls side or all hell would have broken loose!

 

[lucanidae]

Although it could be just about anything, my initial thought from reading this was that it might be a sawfly, the big ones being the Cimbicidae.

Check here: http://bugguide.net/node/view/13385/bgpage

 

[dtknow]

I don't think so...it was definetly a wasp.

It appears in those photos that sawflies tend to rest with their wings spread. This gal was running around with her wings folded over her body. From a distance tarantula hawk popped into my mind and then"we don't have those here so..."

 

[Waspman]

What state are you in? There is one species of Pepsis that is in the eastern US (Pepsis menechma). Wings are dark and the antennae are orange. It could be another genus or even family without a picture though.

Antennal convolution isn't a reliable character, since most wasps can uncurl them (including tarantula hawks). It also isn't a reliable way to sex wasps.

 

[dtknow]

Sorry. Central Valley, CA.

 

[Black Widow88]

Here's what you need to do the next time you see one:

GET PICS! And if you don't I'll come down there and make you.....Do you understand now sweetheart? Now mommy has to go and feed the large praying mantis sitting in on the window screen in her room now....

*Kisses hugs*...... Oh man I wonder what this could be though. Sounds tempting.....and I won't rest until I find out what it is.....YOU HERE ME?! NOW GO OUT THERE AND FIND THE PRETTY WASP! εĭз

Black Widow88

 

[dtknow]

I've kept my eyes peeled but haven't seen it again. I will be carrying around something to cup it in though. Funny as I tarantula hawks give me the heebie jeebies...even dying ones on the trail make me nervous.

 

[Black Widow88]

I can understand that since Tarantula Hawk Wasps are vicious little things. But since you already know that they don't live in your area you have nothing to worry about. It could be another type of spider wasp but I don't know if their temperament varies between different species.

I think it should though since it's the same with social wasp. I hope you find one again and capture it with out any kind of problems and get some pics. εĭз

Black Widow88