Bee-hunting-wasp
Guides
Philanthus crabroniformis
beewolf
Philanthus crabroniformis is a species of bee-hunting wasp, commonly known as a 'beewolf,' native to North America. The species belongs to the family Crabronidae and primarily preys upon bees in the family Halictidae. Females construct nests in sandy soils and provision them with paralyzed prey for their larval offspring. The species has been documented in sympatry with P. gibbosus, with which it shares similar prey preferences but exhibits distinctive nest approach behaviors that may represent an evolutionary response to parasitic pressure from miltogrammine flies.
Philanthus gloriosus
Bee-wolf
Philanthus gloriosus is a bee-hunting wasp in the family Crabronidae, occurring west of the 100th meridian in North America. As a member of the beewolf genus Philanthus, females hunt bees to provision underground nests for their larvae. The species ranges from the Canadian prairies through the western United States to central Mexico.
Trachypus
bee-hunting wasp
Trachypus is a Neotropical genus of digger wasps in the family Crabronidae, comprising 31 described species. Species are ground-nesting and may be solitary or communal. The genus is notable for its specialized predation on bees, with some species exhibiting narrow prey specialization on stingless bees (Meliponini). Trachypus species harbor symbiotic streptomycete bacteria in antennal glands, a trait shared with their close relative Philanthus.