An Odd Bee ID

[MrILoveTheAnts]

I saw something today pollinating flowers that looked like a toned down Cicada Killer.
It seemed to be twice as long as a Honey Bee.

http://static.flickr.com/83/241160001_9fff71e33a_o.jpg
This is the closest picture that I've found to it. The abdomen is perfect but I don't recall the wings or eyes being like that at all. Do Cicada Killers pollinate flowers when there aren't any Cicadas out yet?

[Kathyp]

i have something like that around this year too.  it's like a giant, fat, wasp thing.  i don't think i have ever seen them around before.  thought maybe i was just forgetting i'd seen them before.  i think mine are a little more yellow, but not sure.

like this

http://flickr.com/search/?q=Vespa+crabro

[Michael Bush]

I would have said a cicada killer is about four times as long as a honey bee.  But that does look a lot like a cicada killer.

[MrILoveTheAnts]

kathyp: nope, The abdomen's black and yellow colors were switched.

Michael Bush: This was about twice as big as a Honey bee and pollinating flowers at a garden center. I didn't get the name of the plant but considered buying one because of the bee/wasp.   

[BlueEggFarmer]

There are a couple different types of moth that have evolved to look just like wasps. I have seen them coming to my zucchini flowers. It really makes you stop and think because they do look so much like a wasp.
Take a look at this webpage for moths that look like other bugs.

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/moths.html

[Kathyp]

don't know.   mine looks like the pic i posted, but it's not supposed to be this far west.  did a little research last nite.  :-)  maybe that's why i haven't seen it before?

maybe you found a new bug!!

[MrILoveTheAnts]

Found it! It was a sort of Scoliid wasp. Similar to this one. (note the butterfly weed)
http://bugguide.net/node/view/65394/bgimage

Also see more at
http://bugguide.net/node/view/91/bgimage?from=0