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Wasps of the genus Sphex (commonly known as digger wasps) are cosmopolitan predators that sting and paralyze prey insects. Sphex is one of many genera in the old digger wasp family Sphecidae , though most apart from the Sphecinae have now been moved to the family Crabronidae. [1] There are over 130 known Sphex species.
Sphex ichneumoneus, known commonly as the great golden digger wasp or great golden sand digger is a wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is identified by the golden pubescence on its head and thorax, [ 2 ] its reddish orange legs, and partly reddish orange body. [ 3 ]
Sphex pensylvanicus, the great black wasp, is a species of digger wasp. [3] It lives across most of North America and grows to a size of 20–35 mm (0.8–1.4 in). The larvae feed on living insects that the females paralyze and carry to the underground nest.
Mellinus arvensis, the field digger wasp, is a species of solitary wasp. The wasp can commonly be found from July to late September or October in sandy places. In hard soil however the female will often try to steal a nest from another member of the same species. The female is larger than the male. [1]
Sphex funerarius, the golden digger wasp, is a species of digger wasp of the family Sphecidae. [1] [2] Description
Ammophila sabulosa, the red-banded sand wasp, is a species of the subfamily Ammophilinae of the solitary hunting wasp family Sphecidae, also called digger wasps. [2] [3] Found across Eurasia, the parasitoid wasp is notable for the mass provisioning behaviour of the females, hunting caterpillars mainly on sunny days, paralysing them with a sting, and burying them in a burrow with a single egg.
The Sphecidae are a cosmopolitan family of wasps of the suborder Apocrita that includes sand wasps, mud daubers, and other thread-waisted wasps. The name Sphecidae was formerly given to a much larger grouping of wasps. This was found to be paraphyletic, so most of the old subfamilies have been moved to the Crabronidae.
The common name digger wasp is a broad term which may refer to any member of the parasitoidal wasp families: Crabronidae , including Bembix sand wasps and Philanthus beewolves Sphecidae , including Ammophila sand wasps and mud daubers