Look at this beautiful wasp! I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mind. I frequent what I call the "magic field", where cool critters can always be found. Late this summer...

Mark Sturtevant Loc: Grand Blanc, MI

I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mind. I frequent what I call the "magic field", where cool critters can always be found. Late this summer there was a bonanza of cicada killer wasps in the field, and I've had a fine time staking out their burrows to photograph their comings and goings. But meanwhile I was also noticing a lot of these beautiful blue wasps racing to and fro over the ground -- they seldom flew and never flew far. What were they? Too small to be a mud dauber. They weren't spider wasps. In any case, they were far too fast and alert to allow me to photograph, and it was a bit discouraging even though I’d come for the cicada killers.
But then on one occasion I saw one dragging a small ... thing. Of course they will prey on something, paralyzing it with a sting and using the meat to feed their young in a burrow somewhere. But this would be a clue to the ID. On my approach, the wasp dropped its prey and retreated (but it did not go far -- she wanted it back!). It was a field cricket, with its hind legs removed, no doubt for efficient carrying and stuffing into a burrow (ain't nature grand)? I put the cricket back down, and she immediately dashed forward, grabbed it up, and was off.
A quick check in BugGuide for "cricket wasp" immediately returned the ID: This is the Steel-blue cricket hunter (Chlorion aerarium), and wow, they are pretty! I had to get a picture.
So a return trip was all about catching one of these wasps. That turned out to be very easy. Back home, I was hoping to get some staged pictures under controlled conditions where I might do this lovely thing some justice. I have a big soft box to contain and photograph flying and jumping insects, and so into it she went. But how to get her to hold still? This wasp was dialed to "11" in terms of activity, and she wanted out! But sometimes just giving an insect some water or food will do the trick. So I arranged for her to come across a drop of dilute honey, and bingo. She stopped dead in her tracks to lap it up. Then sat for a time for a quick grooming (Insects groom themselves a lot). I got lots of pictures, and here at last is one picture that is actually a composite of two pictures to add greater depth of focus. She is amazing!
I will repeat this procedure under various conditions, and then let her go.
Thanks for looking!

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Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mind. I frequent what I call the "magic field", where cool critters can always be found. Late this summer there was a bonanza of cicada killer wasps in the field, and I've had a fine time staking out their burrows to photograph their comings and goings. But meanwhile I was also noticing a lot of these beautiful blue wasps racing to and fro over the ground -- they seldom flew and never flew far. What were they? Too small to be a mud dauber. They weren't spider wasps. In any case, they were far too fast and alert to allow me to photograph, and it was a bit discouraging even though I’d come for the cicada killers.
But then on one occasion I saw one dragging a small ... thing. Of course they will prey on something, paralyzing it with a sting and using the meat to feed their young in a burrow somewhere. But this would be a clue to the ID. On my approach, the wasp dropped its prey and retreated (but it did not go far -- she wanted it back!). It was a field cricket, with its hind legs removed, no doubt for efficient carrying and stuffing into a burrow (ain't nature grand)? I put the cricket back down, and she immediately dashed forward, grabbed it up, and was off.
A quick check in BugGuide for "cricket wasp" immediately returned the ID: This is the Steel-blue cricket hunter (Chlorion aerarium), and wow, they are pretty! I had to get a picture.
So a return trip was all about catching one of these wasps. That turned out to be very easy. Back home, I was hoping to get some staged pictures under controlled conditions where I might do this lovely thing some justice. I have a big soft box to contain and photograph flying and jumping insects, and so into it she went. But how to get her to hold still? This wasp was dialed to "11" in terms of activity, and she wanted out! But sometimes just giving an insect some water or food will do the trick. So I arranged for her to come across a drop of dilute honey, and bingo. She stopped dead in her tracks to lap it up. Then sat for a time for a quick grooming (Insects groom themselves a lot). I got lots of pictures, and here at last is one picture that is actually a composite of two pictures to add greater depth of focus. She is amazing!
I will repeat this procedure under various conditions, and then let her go.
Thanks for looking!

I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mi... (show quote)

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Mr. B Loc: eastern Connecticut

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mind. I frequent what I call the "magic field", where cool critters can always be found. Late this summer there was a bonanza of cicada killer wasps in the field, and I've had a fine time staking out their burrows to photograph their comings and goings. But meanwhile I was also noticing a lot of these beautiful blue wasps racing to and fro over the ground -- they seldom flew and never flew far. What were they? Too small to be a mud dauber. They weren't spider wasps. In any case, they were far too fast and alert to allow me to photograph, and it was a bit discouraging even though I’d come for the cicada killers.
But then on one occasion I saw one dragging a small ... thing. Of course they will prey on something, paralyzing it with a sting and using the meat to feed their young in a burrow somewhere. But this would be a clue to the ID. On my approach, the wasp dropped its prey and retreated (but it did not go far -- she wanted it back!). It was a field cricket, with its hind legs removed, no doubt for efficient carrying and stuffing into a burrow (ain't nature grand)? I put the cricket back down, and she immediately dashed forward, grabbed it up, and was off.
A quick check in BugGuide for "cricket wasp" immediately returned the ID: This is the Steel-blue cricket hunter (Chlorion aerarium), and wow, they are pretty! I had to get a picture.
So a return trip was all about catching one of these wasps. That turned out to be very easy. Back home, I was hoping to get some staged pictures under controlled conditions where I might do this lovely thing some justice. I have a big soft box to contain and photograph flying and jumping insects, and so into it she went. But how to get her to hold still? This wasp was dialed to "11" in terms of activity, and she wanted out! But sometimes just giving an insect some water or food will do the trick. So I arranged for her to come across a drop of dilute honey, and bingo. She stopped dead in her tracks to lap it up. Then sat for a time for a quick grooming (Insects groom themselves a lot). I got lots of pictures, and here at last is one picture that is actually a composite of two pictures to add greater depth of focus. She is amazing!
I will repeat this procedure under various conditions, and then let her go.
Thanks for looking!

I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mi... (show quote)

Great story. And your pics are always the best.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

You are correct. That wasp truly is beautiful and in a lovely shade of blue. I loved the dialogue too.

Dennis

EnglishBrenda Loc: Kent, England

Well done in your determined effort to get a pic and ID - yes that is a beautiful colour.

sippyjug104 Loc: Missouri

Oh, Yeah..!

srg

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mind. I frequent what I call the "magic field", where cool critters can always be found. Late this summer there was a bonanza of cicada killer wasps in the field, and I've had a fine time staking out their burrows to photograph their comings and goings. But meanwhile I was also noticing a lot of these beautiful blue wasps racing to and fro over the ground -- they seldom flew and never flew far. What were they? Too small to be a mud dauber. They weren't spider wasps. In any case, they were far too fast and alert to allow me to photograph, and it was a bit discouraging even though I’d come for the cicada killers.
But then on one occasion I saw one dragging a small ... thing. Of course they will prey on something, paralyzing it with a sting and using the meat to feed their young in a burrow somewhere. But this would be a clue to the ID. On my approach, the wasp dropped its prey and retreated (but it did not go far -- she wanted it back!). It was a field cricket, with its hind legs removed, no doubt for efficient carrying and stuffing into a burrow (ain't nature grand)? I put the cricket back down, and she immediately dashed forward, grabbed it up, and was off.
A quick check in BugGuide for "cricket wasp" immediately returned the ID: This is the Steel-blue cricket hunter (Chlorion aerarium), and wow, they are pretty! I had to get a picture.
So a return trip was all about catching one of these wasps. That turned out to be very easy. Back home, I was hoping to get some staged pictures under controlled conditions where I might do this lovely thing some justice. I have a big soft box to contain and photograph flying and jumping insects, and so into it she went. But how to get her to hold still? This wasp was dialed to "11" in terms of activity, and she wanted out! But sometimes just giving an insect some water or food will do the trick. So I arranged for her to come across a drop of dilute honey, and bingo. She stopped dead in her tracks to lap it up. Then sat for a time for a quick grooming (Insects groom themselves a lot). I got lots of pictures, and here at last is one picture that is actually a composite of two pictures to add greater depth of focus. She is amazing!
I will repeat this procedure under various conditions, and then let her go.
Thanks for looking!

I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mi... (show quote)

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

A beautiful creature!

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

Mark Sturtevant wrote:

I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mind. I frequent what I call the "magic field", where cool critters can always be found. Late this summer there was a bonanza of cicada killer wasps in the field, and I've had a fine time staking out their burrows to photograph their comings and goings. But meanwhile I was also noticing a lot of these beautiful blue wasps racing to and fro over the ground -- they seldom flew and never flew far. What were they? Too small to be a mud dauber. They weren't spider wasps. In any case, they were far too fast and alert to allow me to photograph, and it was a bit discouraging even though I’d come for the cicada killers.
But then on one occasion I saw one dragging a small ... thing. Of course they will prey on something, paralyzing it with a sting and using the meat to feed their young in a burrow somewhere. But this would be a clue to the ID. On my approach, the wasp dropped its prey and retreated (but it did not go far -- she wanted it back!). It was a field cricket, with its hind legs removed, no doubt for efficient carrying and stuffing into a burrow (ain't nature grand)? I put the cricket back down, and she immediately dashed forward, grabbed it up, and was off.
A quick check in BugGuide for "cricket wasp" immediately returned the ID: This is the Steel-blue cricket hunter (Chlorion aerarium), and wow, they are pretty! I had to get a picture.
So a return trip was all about catching one of these wasps. That turned out to be very easy. Back home, I was hoping to get some staged pictures under controlled conditions where I might do this lovely thing some justice. I have a big soft box to contain and photograph flying and jumping insects, and so into it she went. But how to get her to hold still? This wasp was dialed to "11" in terms of activity, and she wanted out! But sometimes just giving an insect some water or food will do the trick. So I arranged for her to come across a drop of dilute honey, and bingo. She stopped dead in her tracks to lap it up. Then sat for a time for a quick grooming (Insects groom themselves a lot). I got lots of pictures, and here at last is one picture that is actually a composite of two pictures to add greater depth of focus. She is amazing!
I will repeat this procedure under various conditions, and then let her go.
Thanks for looking!

I like to tell stories, and I hope people don't mi... (show quote)

Beautiful wasp, Mark. In the sunlight they can be an Iridescent Indigo color.

When I lived in Jamaica, I was rarely seen without a butterfly net in my hands.
For practice, I used the various species of Odonata that were plentiful.
We had a huge solitary wasp, 2-3", that was the same color as yours. It could be heard coming from over a 100ft.
I later identified it as some variation of the Giant Scoliid Wasp. This made sense as there were Scarabs (Dung) everywhere due to the amount of free range livestock in much of the rural areas.

Here is a page some of the bug folks may like: List of largest insects.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

Mark, I like the metallic blue, is it also available in other colors, it would sell better.

On the serious side, bug parts seem to be from a central parts warehouse, the head is sort of roach-like and the legs look so common to other bugs. What works in the design of one bug works in another. As you said Mark, "ain't nature grand."

tinusbum Loc: east texas

thats a beauty!

topcat Loc: Alameda, CA

Nice