Wasp Challenge ID? (Ketton, Rutland) (1 Viewer)

[DoghouseRiley]

Hi All

I saw a couple of Ectemnius wasps on the edge of woodland, at a Ketton NNR. Much of which is
old quarry workings.

I know these are not easy to identify from photographs but one of them in particular stood out
with a wide black band across the abdomen. I think the first two pics might be Ectemnius rubicola.

The third one, I am not sure of at all.

Could someone please take a look and advise me?

Yours, Gareth

 

[paddyluke]

possibly
no.1 ancistrocerus gazella(european tube wasp
no 2 & 3 ectemnius continuus(male & female?)

 

[Ficedula]

possibly
no.1 ancistrocerus gazella(european tube wasp
no 2 & 3 ectemnius continuus(male & female?)

All 3 look like Ectemnius to me.

 

[DoghouseRiley]

All 3 look like Ectemnius to me.

Me too but can you get the one with the wide black band (in pics 1 & 2) down to species?

 

[Ficedula]

Me too but can you get the one with the wide black band (in pics 1 & 2) down to species?

1+2 are E. continuus or rubicola. Why do you think latter? cant see any key features?

 

[DoghouseRiley]

1+2 are E. continuus or rubicola. Why do you think latter? cant see any key features?

It was more to do with size really. They were almost constantly on the move in low vegetation. And what atruck me was the fact that they were much smaller than I was "expecting". I remember thinking that I was photographing "minature wasps" - difficult to explain.

 

[Ficedula]

It was more to do with size really. They were almost constantly on the move in low vegetation. And what atruck me was the fact that they were much smaller than I was "expecting". I remember thinking that I was photographing "minature wasps" - difficult to explain.

well rubicola is on average smaller than continuus, but they overlap, males in particular can be small. Separating features not visible to me on my screen. Couldn't be certain what sex it is, which is a necessary starting point. rubicola is much less common than continuus but not rare so certainly possible.

 

[DoghouseRiley]

well rubicola is on average smaller than continuus, but they overlap, males in particular can be small. Separating features not visible to me on my screen. Couldn't be certain what sex it is, which is a necessary starting point. rubicola is much less common than continuus but not rare so certainly possible.

Thanks for your input, I expected species identification was going to be near impossible. G