OC A very tricky wasp mimic moth

Valsa, 10 months ago

Wow, really clever disguise! Even the wing shape looks waspish.

psyspoop, 10 months ago

Found it in Northeast Nebraska hanging out on a plant on the edge of a tallgrass prairie and woodland while surveying for mycorhizal fungi. Thankfully I like taking pictures of wasps since I 100% thought this was a Polistes, otherwise I might have just walked on.

If anyone has any idea on an ID, it'd be much appreciated.

rlhe, 10 months ago

Does it look like these: bugguide.net/node/view/15985

psyspoop, 10 months ago

That's also the taxon that I came to last night when I was trying to figure it out. Maybe! I have it up on bugguide too now.

rlhe, 10 months ago

Nice. Post a link when there is more confirmation! Great find and thanks for sharing!

psyspoop, 10 months ago

Nothing on bugguide so far except confirming it's in Sesiidae. On my iNat record, I had a Sesiidae expert ID it as Vitacea polistiformis