Amblyteles armatorius Male

e6filmuser

These are around each year in late spring/early summer. They are quite recognisable by their colour pattern, their low, slow flight, and their readiness to crawl down grass and other herb layer vegetation, heading towards the ground. The females do this to seek out their hosts, which are noctuid moth pupae, but why the males do it is unclear.

The male has the yellow tip on its tail and a broad black band between the two yellow bands on the abdomen. Getting a shot of them at all is very difficult. The second image shows one of the better ones of a typical view.

These wasps fly at the least movement close to them. The first image was from a rare opportunity of a close shot of one keeping still. The cost was 3 spines of a huge thistly plat resting against the side of my face while it took the shot.

The more distant images, and stereo, where when it landed on some low plants. I decided a distant view was better than none.

These images are from two long sessions, following the wasp around.

The stereo is crosseye.

Olympus EM-1 (aperture priority), Olympus 4/3 x2 TC, Olympus 4/3 50mm f2 macro, f11, f8 & f9 at ISO 800, hand-held.

Harold

GOLDENORFE

good find like #3 best

e6filmuser

Thanks, Phil.

My choice too.

It was around again today but only briefly.

Harold