Burrowing Wasp

6/22/14 Burrowing Wasp (Ammophila sp., Family: Sphecidae) on a patch of our native Wild Heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum). Less scary looking than a Tarantula Hawk, but this wasp also does some gnarly stuff, i.e., the female will catch and paralyze a caterpillar, lay its eggs in it, then bury it in sand (hence the 'burrowing' moniker). When  babies hatch, they proceed to eat their hapless incubator. Whoa, Nelly!!!  

6/22/14