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Project Noah Nature School
Physoconops obscuripennis
Canal/deciduous habitat
Looks like a potter wasp of some kind. I did not get a side shot unfortunately.
Spotted on Jun 11, 2014
Submitted on Jun 12, 2014
6 Comments
Thanks VivBraznell!
Nice spotting beaker98
Great! Thanks for being so helpful ForestDragon. I definitely learned something here.
The antennae are one giveaway, but the most telling thing that can help you discern a fly from other insects are the halters: http://bugguide.net/node/view/112964
Only flies have them. I have a spotting of a Thick-headed Fly as well. I don't even want to tell you how long I spent looking through pictures of wasps! I noticed the behavior was different as well. It made much more sense once I figured out that it was a fly.
Ha! Too funny! No wonder I wasn't getting anywhere looking in the potter wasp section! Thanks ForestDragon:) Is it the antennae that give it away? I was really focusing on them while searching and it just didn't feel right.
You've been fooled by the mimic! This beautiful insect is called a Thick-headed Fly. They are wonderful wasp mimics. I am not sure which species it is. Here is a link that may help: http://bugguide.net/node/view/97229/bgpa...