Anoplius
Guides
Anoplius ithaca
Anoplius ithaca is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. Very little specific information is available for this species. Based on its classification within the genus Anoplius, it likely shares the general biology of other members of this genus: females hunt spiders, paralyze them with venom, and provision underground burrows as food for their larvae. The species was described by Nathan Banks in 1912.
Anoplius nigritus
Anoplius nigritus is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. As a member of the genus Anoplius, it shares the general biology of other spider wasps in this group: females hunt spiders, paralyze them with venom, and provision underground burrows as food for their developing larvae. The species has been recorded from Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul) and Argentina, placing it in the southern Neotropical region. Specific details about its appearance, host preferences, and behavior remain poorly documented in available literature.
Anoplius semirufus
Anoplius semirufus is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. As a member of the genus Anoplius, it belongs to a diverse group of solitary wasps that prey primarily on spiders. The species name 'semirufus' (half-red) suggests distinctive reddish coloration on part of the body, likely the abdomen. Like other Anoplius species, it is presumed to hunt wolf spiders or similar ground-dwelling spiders, paralyzing them with venom to provision underground nest cells for its larvae.
Anoplius subcylindricus
Anoplius subcylindricus is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. It belongs to a diverse genus of solitary wasps that prey primarily on spiders. Like other members of Anoplius, this species exhibits the characteristic behaviors of spider wasps: females hunt spiders, paralyze them with venom, and provision underground burrows with these paralyzed prey for their larval offspring. The species was described by Nathan Banks in 1917.
Pompilidae
Spider Wasps, Spider-hunting Wasps, Pompilid Wasps
Spider wasps in the family Pompilidae are solitary, stinging wasps that hunt spiders to provision nests for their larvae. The family contains approximately 5,000 described species in six subfamilies, distributed worldwide. Most species capture and paralyze spiders using venom, then deposit them in burrows or cavities where a single egg is laid on each victim. Females of the genus Auplopus construct distinctive free-standing mud cells, while most other genera excavate burrows in soil or use pre-existing cavities. Members of the subfamily Ceropalinae are kleptoparasites, laying eggs in the nests of other pompilids or acting as ectoparasitoids of living spiders rather than building their own nests.
Hymenopterasolitary-waspsspider-predatorsparasitoidsmud-nest-buildersburrowing-waspsant-mimicskleptoparasitesPepsinaeCeropalinaePompilinaeAuplopusAnopliusAgeniellaCaliadurgusPepsisPriocnemisAplocharesArachnospilaEvagetesAgenioideusEpisyronNanoclaveliaPedinpompilusAgenioidevatetesNorth-AmericaAustraliaIranEuropecosmopolitan