[Pollinator] Apis Stowaway

[Diana Cox-Foster]

My colleagues here at PSU (thanks to Kyle Burks and Andy Deans), think this is another species of hymenoptera.  It is difficult to see all the defining characters in the images—but the best guess is that it is a sawfly, maybe from the family Xyelidae.  The characteristics that make this the best guess are, 1)the broad connection between the thorax and abdomen, 2) a wing with a pterostigma and multiple wing cells, and 3) the most basal part of the antennae looks very thick, and the apical part thin and threadlike.   These sawflies are described as being 5-10 mm.   

I didn’t find much information about their biology— but BugGuide describes them as being rarely seen but they have been found on flowers.  So— maybe it was really a stowaway and wanted to get a free pollen meal while in flight???

Thanks for the images---
 _____________________________
Diana Cox-Foster, Professor
office: 536 ASI Bldg

MAIL:
501 ASI Bldg
Department of Entomology
Penn State University
University Park, PA, USA 16802

email: dxc12 at psu.edu
office phone: 814-865-1022
dept. phone: 814-865-1895



On Apr 21, 2015, at 12:02 PM, Michael Roswell <mike.roswell at gmail.com> wrote:

> My apologies. I hear that no attachment went through. Please find stowaway images at the following location:
> 
> https://www.dropbox.com/sh/dtinl681r48uajc/AAArVt8-hrJZ6PyhZ3X0IiOha?dl=0
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Michael Roswell
> 
> On 4/20/15 4:23 PM, Michael Roswell wrote:
>> Hi all, 
>> 
>> Thanks very much for the fun responses to the last honey bee query we got in the Winfree lab. A photographer sent the following to the lab last week:
>> 
>> I am rather curious if you have ever observed the behavior shown in this photo. I am a retired HS science teacher who takes macro at arboretums. I have a second shot that isn't as clear but, there is no question that this insect is latched on to the pollen sac on the bees rear leg. 
>> Thanks 
>> 
>> We're all curious too! Sending two messages because the files are large.
>> 
>> Thanks,
> 
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