Orange-thorax Spider Wasp - Turneromyia or Ferreola sp.
Family POMPILIDAE
This page contains pictures and information about Zebra Spider Wasp that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Body length 20mm
- This wasp is medium size, black in colour with black tinted wings and orange-yellow thorax. It was hunting on trees and grasses with wing and antenna flicking movement, the special characteristic of spider wasp. Also notice the two prominent spurs on the legs. We saw this wasp once in Daisy Hills near Buhot creek on Dec 2009.
- The wasp was flying about one meter above ground. It stopped and check after flying every two to three meters. It stopped at a point only for about 1-2 seconds. We chased the wasp for a few tens of meters and took the above photos.
- Found this wasp again in Ford Road Research Area on Mar 2010. This is on of the most beautiful insects we ever saw.
- Reference:
- 1. Northern Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009.
- 2. Ferreola sp. Pompilidae - Insects of Townsville, Australia - Graeme Cocks, 2004.
- 3. What wasp is that? - An interactive identification guide to the Australasian families of Hymenoptera, 2007.
