What is this bug?

Knit4Pie · 08-09-2008, 05:36 PM

I have this insect that seems to have made it's home near the entrance of our apartment building. I've seen it crawl into the cracked cement where the sidewalk meets the stoop.

It looks somewhat like a wasp, but it's almost completely black. The only part that isn't black is the underwing (?), which is green. Grass green. It is about 2 inches long. The basic shape of it is like a wasp, even with the longish hanging back legs and nearly disappearing 'waist', but it's still thicker around. I've never seen a bug like this. I live in Southeast Quebec, in Canada, if that could help with identification.

figaro · 08-10-2008, 12:03 AM

Go check out http://www.whatsthatbug.com/ and look on the pages (beetles, bees, wasps, etc.) and you might find it there. If they don't have it, maybe you can take a picture and email it, let them know you location and they should be able to identify it. It might take a couple of days but it has worked for me. Good luck!

saracidaltendencies · 08-10-2008, 03:37 AM

Oh, that sounds just like a bug we have around here! I don't know about the green on the wings, but, I've noticed a wasp like bug here that, from what you described, sounds just the same. It's like the body is 2 sections attached by a small black thread. If I see another one around here, I'll try to get a pic!

gingerbread · 08-10-2008, 02:36 PM

Sound like a parasitic wasp. We had them in our stone wall. They use to bring in a green katydid to lay there egg into.

I hope you find out what it is. Good luck.

Mike · 08-11-2008, 07:30 PM

Sounds like a mud dauber.
It could be going in there because it stays wet and it can get mud.

If it's living in there I don't know what it is. Our ground wasps that I know of live in groups.

saracidaltendencies · 08-11-2008, 09:55 PM

Man, I saw one today, hurried up and grabbed my camera, ran back outside, turned my camera on, started to focus and the darn thing flew away...lol...I did notice, however, the one I saw today had a gorgeous blue tint to it.

Knit4Pie · 08-12-2008, 12:46 AM

Of course, now that I'm toting my camera every time I go outside, I haven't seen it at all! Figures LOL.

saracidaltendencies · 08-12-2008, 03:00 AM

Mhmm, that's the way of it, huh??

MAmaDawn · 08-13-2008, 04:10 AM

Originally Posted by figaro

Go check out http://www.whatsthatbug.com/ and look on the pages (beetles, bees, wasps, etc.) and you might find it there. If they don't have it, maybe you can take a picture and email it, let them know you location and they should be able to identify it. It might take a couple of days but it has worked for me. Good luck!

That is a COOL site!

There are several black wasps on there... you should take a look...

Cynamar · 08-13-2008, 06:27 PM

COOL SITE! It's a fun place to browse!