Female. Irvine Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 10/08/06. © Peter J. Bryant
Tarantula Hawk

Pepsis mildei

Hymenoptera: Pompilidae

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Female. Irvine Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 10/08/06. © Peter J. Bryant

Female. Irvine Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 10/08/06. © Peter J. Bryant

Male nectaring on milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis.
Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 7-27-07. © Peter J. Bryant

Male nectaring on milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis.
Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 7-27-07. © Peter J. Bryant

Male nectaring on milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis.
Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 7-27-07. © Peter J. Bryant

Male nectaring on milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis.
Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 7-27-07. © Peter J. Bryant

Male nectaring on milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis.
Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 7-27-07. © Peter J. Bryant

Male nectaring on milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis.
Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 7-27-07. © Peter J. Bryant

Male nectaring on milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis.
Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 6-30-07. © Ron Hemberger

Male nectaring on milkweed, Asclepias fascicularis.
Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 6-30-07. © Ron Hemberger

Irvine Regional Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 8-9-09. © Ron Hemberger

Irvine Regional Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 8-9-09. © Ron Hemberger

Irvine Regional Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 8-9-09. © Ron Hemberger

Irvine Regional Park, Orange, Orange County, CA. 8-9-09. © Ron Hemberger

Rancho Cielo Estates, San Diego County, 7/24/05. © Debra Mauzy-Melitz

Rancho Cielo Estates, San Diego County, 7/24/05. © Debra Mauzy-Melitz

Here the "hawk" is just coming out of the crypt and begining to close the entrance. 
It took her about 10-12 minutes to completely fill it. © Dick Newell

© Dick Newell

© Dick Newell

© Dick Newell

The "evidence". © Dick Newell


Thomas E. Riley Wilderness Park, Coto de Caza, Orange County, CA. 8-5-08. © Ron Hemberger

Note on bevavior:

They're on mule fat (in the butterfly garden).
Two species: P. mildei with orange antennae, P. thisbe with black.
Walking by the bush, I bumped into it with my hat and sent maybe a dozen of them off into the air. The all-male diners were absolutely non-aggressive and quickly returned.

Ron Hemberger