A male Trypoxylon collinum guarding a nesting tunnel while the female forages for spiders. One of several pairs at the insect hotel in my front yard. #wasps #insects #hymentoptera #entomology #nature #spiders #InsectHotel #MacroPhotography
@colinpurrington
Amazing eyes!
@cthululemon The emarginate (notched) eyes are one of the useful diagnostic features for this genus. Shows up in other wasps, too, though, so not unique. E.g., Scoliidae, Pison, probably many others. Here's another view from a past year.
@colinpurrington
That’s really neat. Am I imagining that it makes this critter look a bit fly-like?
@cthululemon Flies and wasps both have big eyes, but Trypoxylon body shape is unlike that of most flies.
@colinpurrington
Right, sorry, I just meant that its head/eyes look a bit fly-like. Maybe it’s also the small mandibles.