These photos were taken during a walk through the mangroves a few days ago. The vegetation lining the banks of the brackish river we passed was never devoid of insects, particularly pollinators. I observed various wasps selecting the rough reeds as their resting spots. Most of them were solitary wasps, and I captured images of them.
A thread-waisted wasp (Prionyx parkeri) rested so peacefully. Its sturdy claws gripped the dunhead sedge tightly; it did not move even as the wind swept through the reeds.
Fine white hairs covered its black thorax and legs, and it sported a short, lava-orange abdomen with a thread-thin base. Does it have a stinger? I have never tried letting it crawl on my wrist.
Walking a few steps further, I noticed a spider wasp (Cryptocheilus sp.) perched on the dunhead sedge—I have no idea why this reed is a favorite resting spot for wasps.
Its head resembled a thread-waisted wasp. The thorax, abdomen, and legs are pale gray and hairless. The hind legs are half orange.
It was a true loner, hiding its body behind a thicket of sedge flowers. I believe this one has a hidden meaning. As the name suggests, it is a spider predator. And as you know, many spiders prefer to nest in dunhead sedge.
