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Today I noticed there were two piles of 'Red Soil' in one of my flower beds and I have never seen this before. Then just at dark I saw this guy come in for a landing. I didn't get a very good photo because he/she was moving fast apparently trying to find the entrance since I had scattered the soil trying to figure out what was there. My bed is amended at least 2' and is not 'Red Soil' so I'm wondering if he/she dug straight down that deep to knock up the 'Red Soil' or possibly it is from under the house??
Also need to know if this is a good guy or bad guy!
This is a 'good guy' (or gal, as the case may be); it is a wasp in the family Scoliidae, whose larvae are parasitic on the larvae of scarab beetles (such as Japanese beetles). The adults are pollen feeders, and may play a role in pollination of some plants/This specimen may be in the genus Campsomeris.
Yes! Give me 30 lashes with a wet noodle, as Ann Landers used to say. There was something about the abdominal maculations on this specimen that bothered me, but I was so fixated on scoliids that I overlooked other characteristics. Nevertheless, it's still a 'good guy,' and definitely non-aggressive towards humans. I've witnessed them busily provisioning their burrows in the midst of many passers by, and never saw any hint of aggression on the wasps' part.
Hey - You are the smart one here. I only did a search with the names you gave me until I found what looked like this guy. This is the very first time I've ever seen one around here. Glad that he is a good guy too because I do grow MANY Morning Glories.
Thanks again suunto -
I appreciate your help VERY MUCH . . .
