Author Gary Taylor â—¦
Seeing a few Bembix (sand wasps) on the bee group lately (Bembicini mostly) so here’s another one that bares an uncanny resemblance to a bee, Bembix vespiformis…
Sure, this close up you can tell it’s a wasp but when it’s glimpsed from a slight distance, tucking in amongst the Eucalyptus flowers (and you’re on the hunt for native bees), the red tip to the abdomen, then black with a bit of white, the underside white like it’s laden with pollen, the furry face and big round (no indentation) eyes with mid-set antennae… they can easily get the hopes up for a fraction of a moment…
Then you see their size and lack of hair… I’ve started calling them Meganopes ‘cos that’s how quick it is from the first peripheral glimpse of hope to disappointing realisation… “Was that a Mega… nope…“, yes, it was a mega nope…😄




Photographs © Gary Taylor
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Footnote & References
- Bembicinae, Ausemade, https://ausemade.com.au/flora-fauna/fauna/insects/wasps/bembicinae/
- Bembix, Ausemade, https://ausemade.com.au/flora-fauna/fauna/insects/wasps/bembix/