I don't yet have a positive ID, but I'm thinking this might be a male of some species of woodwasp, AKA horntail. With that bright orange and black abdomen, it should be easy to spot in an illustrated field guide, if it's there. I don;t have a technical manual on California insects. I'll keep looking.Fascinating behavior. It just sits still, as in the top photo, unless i poke at it. Then it opens its wings, revealing the colorful abdomen, but is reluctant to fly. Possibly newly hatched and too soft to fly. No apparent inclination to sting. I suspect it can't. Smaller than the wood wasp I've shown here before. Body length about 5/8".
The over-sized pair of rear legs are a curiosity. They don't seem to be positioned for hopping, and they wouldn't be of much use for fighting, unless to ward off an attack from the rear. Could they possibly dig backwards into hiding places like seashore crabs? I really want to find out these things.
Hoping to hear from an entomologist.
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