Philanthus nasalis

R. Bohart, 1972

Antioch Sphecid Wasp, beewolf

Philanthus nasalis is a bee-hunting wasp (beewolf) in the Crabronidae, Philanthinae. It was originally described from Contra County, California in 1972 by R. Bohart. As a member of the beewolf , females likely hunt bees to provision nests for their larvae, though specific behavioral details for this remain undocumented. The species is known from only two iNaturalist observations, indicating it is rarely encountered or potentially underrecorded.

Philanthus nasalis by (c) Cricket Raspet, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Cricket Raspet. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Philanthus nasalis: /fɪˈlænθəs nəˈseɪlɪs/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Specific diagnostic features distinguishing P. nasalis from other Philanthus have not been published. Members of the Philanthus generally exhibit patterns of black with yellow or white markings, with males typically having all-pale and lacking the tarsal rake (digging spines on front legs) present in females. The specific epithet "nasalis" suggests a possible nasal or facial characteristic, but no confirming description is available.

Images

Distribution

to Contra County, California. The has been recorded from only two iNaturalist observations, both within this county.

Similar Taxa

Philanthus gibbosusMost common North American beewolf, widespread from Atlantic to Pacific; differs in distribution (continental range vs. localized ) and likely in specific morphological features not detailed for P. nasalis
Philanthus triangulumEuropean beewolf famous for landmark-based nest-finding studied by Tinbergen; differs in geographic range (Europe vs. California ) and preferences (honeybees vs. unknown for P. nasalis)
AphilanthopsRelated in same Philanthinae; differs in prey specialization ( queens vs. bees) and inner margins (straight in Aphilanthops, emarginated in Philanthus)

More Details

Taxonomic note

The was described by R. Bohart in 1972, the same author who co-authored the major revision 'Sphecid of the World' (1976). The specific epithet 'nasalis' may refer to a nasal or facial structure, but the original description has not been excerpted in available sources.

Data deficiency

This exemplifies the challenge of documenting poorly known insect species. Despite being described over 50 years ago, it has accumulated only two citizen science observations, with no published studies on its , , or .