What it looks like: 5-8 mm in length. Its body has large alternating stripes of orange and black and long legs, making it look like a wasp.

Where you'll find it: These beetles are found throughout California. They can be found in mountain ranges (coastal and inland) and in more desert-like environments. They are particularly abundant on flowers of buckwheat (Erigonum).

Natural History: This species is parasitic, preying as larvae on wasps. The other species in this genus is a bee parasite.