Ancistrocerus gazella (f)
A European tube (or potter) wasp on the flower border outside an Olhao hotel. This genus is notoriously difficult to identify in the field or from photos because the species are so similar. In particular, A. gazella is extremely similar to A. parietum At least, that is the situation in the UK. In Iberia A. parietum is unknown.
This picture shows one of the features used to tell the species apart - a ridge across the front of the first dorsal abdominal plate (between the waist and the first yellow band). This is straight in A. gazella (as here), but has a clear V-shaped notch in A parietum, Consequently, I'm doubly happy with the ID.
Ancistrocerus gazella (f)
A European tube (or potter) wasp on the flower border outside an Olhao hotel. This genus is notoriously difficult to identify in the field or from photos because the species are so similar. In particular, A. gazella is extremely similar to A. parietum At least, that is the situation in the UK. In Iberia A. parietum is unknown.
This picture shows one of the features used to tell the species apart - a ridge across the front of the first dorsal abdominal plate (between the waist and the first yellow band). This is straight in A. gazella (as here), but has a clear V-shaped notch in A parietum, Consequently, I'm doubly happy with the ID.