Ectemnius lapidarius

(Panzer, 1803)

Ectemnius lapidarius is a square-headed wasp in the Crabronidae. It has a broad distribution spanning Africa, Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), North America, and Southern Asia. The is one of numerous solitary in the Ectemnius, which are typically predatory and nest in various substrates including soil, wood, or plant stems.

Ectemnius.lapidarius.-.lindsey by James K. Lindsey. Used under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license.Hymenoptera front by Richard Bartz, Munich Makro Freak. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.5 license.Ectemnius lapidarius (Crabronidae) - (male imago), Elst (Gld), the Netherlands by This image is created by user B. Schoenmakers at Waarneming.nl, a source of nature observations in the Netherlands. . Used under a CC BY 3.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ectemnius lapidarius: /ɛkˈtɛmniəs læpɪˈdɛəriəs/

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Identification

Ectemnius are characterized by their square or rectangular , a trait that distinguishes them from many other crabronid . Within the , E. lapidarius can be difficult to separate from without detailed examination. The genus Ectemnius can be distinguished from similar genera such as Anacrabro, Lestica, and Crabro by head shape and other subtle morphological features; for example, Anacrabro has a very concave underside of the not seen in Ectemnius.

Images

Distribution

Found in Africa, Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China), North America, and Southern Asia. Specific distribution records include the Azores.

Similar Taxa

  • Anacrabro ocellatusSimilar black and yellow coloration and size, but distinguished by very concave underside of and different prey preferences (Miridae plant bugs vs. flies for Ectemnius)
  • Other Ectemnius speciesNumerous share the square-headed ; -level identification typically requires detailed examination of structural features

More Details

Taxonomic note

The was first described by Panzer in 1803. It is classified within the tribe Crabronini, Crabroninae, of the Crabronidae.

Sources and further reading