Knowledgebase
It's like a dragonfly in an Ironman costume. #769750
Asked August 29, 2021, 8:54 PM EDT
Crook County Oregon
Expert Response
It's difficult to provide a more specific identification that to say the insect is likely to be a wasp, perhaps a mud dauber that preys on spiders.
If so, it's a story of IPM (Integrated Pest Management) at work. The story goes like this: The wasp stings the spider to paralyze it and then seals it in a mud cell with a wasp egg. When the wasp egg hatches, the larva (youngster) has fresh food readily available.
Thank you for your reply!
Narrowing it down to possibly a mud dauber was very helpful. Based on your information, I looked at images of mud daubers and I don't believe it is one. The shape of the back end (wrong terminology, I'm sure) doesn't look right. That information led me to images of other wasps in the Sphecidae family and I think I found it. The shape and coloring looks very much like an Ammophila. The wasp in my image was pretty dusty, but it was digging around in dry, Prineville sand, so not surprising.
I understand they are not usually aggressive to humans and, as this wasp was over 1" long, I don't think I want to see the spider that's buried in the hole. She's welcome to it.
Thanks,
Susan
As I mentioned, it was difficult to see detail on the insect. Next time you need an ID, consider sending 2 views: One from above, another from the side.
In any event, I believe you've nailed the ID. (Good job!) Seems that the kind of prey varies according to which genus it belongs.
