Favoritos de bombusmixtus

JC1943 growing on rock at a perennial seep along canyon wall, forming extensive mats, interspersed with Calypogeia. Plants green, many of the leaves with serrations on margins, gemmae arising from leaf margins. Couldn’t find any underleaves. Assignment to var. scabra based on leaf margins.

Female (see observation 62089537) laid 113 eggs total. Eggs were unfertilized. She laid a few per day in clusters (or lines, in the case of egg-laying on needles). These clusters ranged from one to about twenty eggs each.

Took these out of a video where this wasp was making scritching noises when working the Penstemon flowers. Plant has naturalized, but we planted the first ones in the yard. There is an interesting lavender penstemon species with leaves that are somewhat hairy and very prickly seedpods that grows up on the hill above the house. I will have to watch to see if I can spot some in those--so, wondering if this wasp is the Penstemon specialist or another type?