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Project Noah Nature School
Sphecius speciosus
Spotted on Sep 15, 2013
Submitted on Jan 25, 2014
2 Comments
I totally agree with ForestDragon. This wasp is not on Sphecidae family (Cycada killers) in on Scoliidae. Besides color patterns and body shape, Scoliid wasps has some very characteristic wing wrinkles http://www.entomology.umn.edu/museum/lin...
This is a beautiful Scolid Wasp for sure! I believe this is a different species though. Eastern Cicada Killers have pale amber wings and orange legs. Your lovely wasp has dark wings and dark legs.
Check out these two wasps via the links. One is much larger than the other and that may help you determine which one it might be:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/34201
http://bugguide.net/node/view/26760