Orange Wing-spot Braconid Wasp
Size about 15mm. This large wasp was found in our garden. It was flying slowly from plant to plant, almost hovering. It felt similar to following a ladybird. Maybe the peculiar colouring of the wings makes the flighted animal look like a beetle. In our garden, it sat on the underside of leaves, tried out most of the plants but never settled longer than half a second. I followed it around, hoping it would rest at some stage. It did so near our raspberry plants. Taxonomically, I matched this specimen with http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_braconidwasps/BlackTipOrangeBraconidWasp.htm. Except for the colour of the hind leg thighs, it is a match. This species has been described 1991 from the type specimen collected about 200-300km from Brisbane in a State which is more interested in research (and sharing of which) than Queensland might be. See http://www.austmus.gov.au/uploads/journals/17740/41.pdf Update 4/4/2017: Today, I documented what looks identical to http://www.bowerbird.org.au/observations/69638 from Townsville. This wasp flies slowly and with its orange body and black wings it actually looks like a beetle. It was a bit smaller than the previously documented one. It was definitely searching for prey, closely observing our basil but also other parts of our garden. Once, it rested near a moth. According to the ID key mentioned above this group targets and parasites cerambycid beetles (longicorn beetle). I also witnessed the observed animal to treat a leaf with its abdomen, first along the ridge then into the leaf as if to deposit something. No ovipostor was showing though. The abdomen seems hairy at the end. The specimen this time had all black wings, except for a small orange patch on the outer side. Hind legs are large and black, two front legs orange and much thinner. Antennae are still extremely long (according to genus description slightly tapering towards apex - which I think matches). Black head and orange beard. While orange abdomen totally disappears under the black wings, when wings move one can see that the last segments of the abdomen have dark markings on top. Since, I believe my specimen are distinct from http://www.brisbaneinsect.com.au I might make up my own, shorter and more descriptive name. Actually, I just renamed their Black Tip Band-winged Braconid Wasp into Orange Wing-spot Braconid Wasp.
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