Blueblack Hairy Flower Wasp (Austroscolia soror)

An attractive large black wasp with shimmering blue wings. Adult females are parasitoids on beetle larvae so are usually seen flying low around compost or wood heaps and dry tree stumps. Females dig to find beetle larvae which they paralyse and lay eggs on. Adults feed on nectar.

comments (2)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

If I looked this up correctly, "Scolia soror" is a synonym of Austroscolia soror, so I used the synonym for identification, mostly because that one does have a species page in Wikipedia. I hope you agree. Posted 9 years ago

Leuba Ridgway

Lion

That's fine Ferdy. Thank you. I am not sure where I got "Austroscolia" from - I must check this out. Posted 9 years ago

The Blue hairy flower wasp

''Scolia soror'' (hairy flower wasp, blue flower wasp, black flower wasp, or blue hairy flower wasp), is a common insect found in Australia. It may grow to 3 cm long. The wings are a smoky black colour with an appealing blue sheen. The wing veins do not reach the end of the wings, and the antennae are relatively thick. Adults feed on nectar. The female lays her eggs on larval beetles.

Info 3 0

Similar species: Wasps, Bees, Sawflies And Ants

Species identified by Ferdy Christant

By Leuba Ridgway

Uploaded Mar 10, 2016. Captured Mar 18, 2015 12:20 in 20 Alexandra St, Upper Ferntree Gully VIC 3156, Australia.

Explore Australia 13,072 4,173 3

SZ-10
f/3.7
10/1000s
ISO64
10.99mm

Captured in the summer. More summer photos.