Entomological help needed (identify an insect)

[ShibbOleth]

There is an insect, or former insect (he’s pushing up daisies) upon my filing cabinet. I’m not sure how he got there, but he is most definitely belly up. It is :

• black with white spots
• the spots are symmetrical, with a pair that are somewhat pronounced on the back (look sort of like eyes), but not much bigger than the other dots.
• two sleek wings, also black with white spots, about 2" wingspan
• red tip at the end of it’s abdomen
• abdomen is fairly consistent in diameter along the entire body, with no pronounced thin thorax (think bee more than wasp), just under 3/16 of an inch across.
• it looks “dangerous”, but does not appear to have any stinger still attached.
• total body length is about 3/4 of an inch.

[Mangetout]

I realise this picture is mismatched to your description in one or two places, but in the absence of your own snapshot, perhaps it will serve as a datum from which we can compare features.

Ichneumon Fly

In what way(s) is your specimen different?

[ShibbOleth]

Forgot to mention, fwiw, I am in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

[Mangetout]

Or have you something more like this:

[ShibbOleth]

@Mangetout

I realise this picture is mismatched to your description in one or two places, but in the absence of your own snapshot, perhaps it will serve as a datum from which we can compare features.

Ichneumon Fly

In what way(s) is your specimen different?

• Wings are solid black with white spots - not translucent
• the thorax is not narrowed and seems straight back
• no long stinger or other thin appendage from the rear.
• tip of the abdomen is solid red about 2-3 centimeters along the end.

[ShibbOleth]

@Mangetout

Or have you something more like this:

http://bugguide.net/images/cache/XKAK5K1KKKY02QT08QD0BQZSAQJ05QV0PQPKRKD08Q10NQJ0AQY05QNK0KUKGKCK1QHSIKZS9Q1KNQY09Q1KNQF0.jpg

Nice guesses based on the limited info I’ve given. I’d say it’s somewhere between the two.

[A.I.Wintermute]

The Polka-Dot Wasp Moth looks a lot like Mangetout’s last guess but I think it shares a few more features with your description. Here are a few pictures to compare. These came from the ever-helpful whatsthatbug.com. Scroll down to find where I got the Polka-Dot Wasp Moth pics from.

[ShibbOleth]

@A. I. Wintermute

The Polka-Dot Wasp Moth looks a lot like Mangetout’s last guess but I think it shares a few more features with your description. Here are a few pictures to compare. These came from the ever-helpful whatsthatbug.com. Scroll down to find where I got the Polka-Dot Wasp Moth pics from.

We have a winner! One of the What’s That Bug entries is even from our area, and it’s larvae feed on the oleander trees right outside:

The Polka-Dot Wasp Moth, Syntomeida epilais, can get very numerous at times, and the orange caterpillars feed on oleander leaves. We found a site with much information on this species.

You all are great! Now I can learn more about them… I thought it was some sort of mimic, which I find fascinating.