Belonging to the species Pseudabispa bicolor, genus Pseudabispa is this Australian potter wasp, Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides. It is one of 4 subspecies.

Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides, Alice Springs, NT
Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides (Potter Wasp), Alice Springs, NT

A smallish potter wasp, this sub-species appear to have the distinct two colours of black and orange. Two-thirds of the antennae is black, with the other third being orange. It has a black head, orange and black abdomen, and tinted black wings.

There are currently 5 species of the genus Pseudabispa, that include:

  • Pseudabispa abispoides
  • Pseudabispa bicolor
  • Pseudabispa confusa
  • Pseudabispa ephippioides
  • Pseudabispa paragioides

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Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides (Potter Wasp), Alice Springs, NT
Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides (Potter Wasp), Alice Springs, NT

Many thanks to the members of iNaturalistAU for helping to ID this species.


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Vespoidea
  • Family: Vespidae
  • Subfamily: Eumeninae
  • Genus: Pseudabispa
  • Species: Pseudabispa bicolor
  • Subspecies: Pseudabispa bicolor infrasp. nigrocinctoides
Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides (Potter Wasp), Alice Springs, NT
Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides (Potter Wasp), Alice Springs, NT

Footnote & References

  1. Pseudabispa bicolor nigrocinctoides, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:biodiversity.org.au:afd.taxon:c5c7498c-fb9e-43b1-9b37-6ee881480ff1#overview
  2. Pseudabispa bicolor, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/638068-Pseudabispa-bicolor
  3. Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides, iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/1361936-Pseudabispa-bicolor-nigrocinctoides

WaspsAustralian Large Wasps Australian Mud Nest Wasps Mud Wasp Abispa ephippium Acarozumia amaliae Aulacidae Australodynerus Bembicinae Bembix Blue Hairy Flower Wasp Braconidae Chrysididae Cryptocheilus bicolor (Orange Spider Wasp) Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp) Eumeninae Ferreola handschini (Orange-collared Spider Wasp) Flower Wasps Gasteruptiid Wasp Hairy Flower Wasps Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp) Lissopimpla excelsa (Orchid Dupe Wasp) Mutillidae Paralastor sp. Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides Radumeris radula (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Radumeris tasmaniensis (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Sceliphron laetum Thynnid Wasps Tiphiidae Yellow and Black Wasp

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera (True Bugs) Mango Planthopper Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Syrphidae Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub