Ya Wanna Swing WC610

Perfect for this challenge....looks very evil!

I really like the pose you captured of this wasp clinging on some flower buds. The drops of dew add lots of nice interest to this image; I especially like the pattern of drops and lines visible under the resting wings. The blurred, colorful, and light background works well to show off your main subject.

Thanks Lucy and Carolyn...

Great shot David. How big is this critter? Is this a scoliid or a mutillid wasp? Either way, it appears to be a parasitic wasp that preys on other ground dwelling insects. Mutillid (velvet ants) males have wings and females do not. The females find the burrows of immature bees and other wasps, paralyze their victims with a sting and then lay eggs, which hatch and their larvae slowly eat their hosts while they are still alive, at least for a while. . . truly creepy.

Man, this is just a gorgeous image, David! The dew-covered wasp is so beautiful, I am having a hard time thinking of it as creepy. But I suppose if you concentrate on the head, it does look kind of sinister. Good job all around: composition, lighting, colors and details.

P.S. Just noticed Ed's comment. Good question, Ed. Now that you mention it, this really does not look like a Sphecid. From the antennae, I would guess Scoliid, and I know some of them have this red/black coloration even though most are yellow and black. I'm not that familiar velvet ants -- especially the males, but the antennae don't look right for Mutillidae.

Thanks for the comments, it is almost an inch in length. I have not got a clue about which type "scoliid or a mutillid wasp". Glad you like it!!