Buprestid-predator
Guides
Arachnospila fumipennis
smoky-winged beetle bandit
Arachnospila fumipennis is a solitary ground-nesting spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, widely known under its former name Cerceris fumipennis. The species has gained significant attention as a biosurveillance tool for detecting emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) and other Buprestidae beetles. Females construct nests in sandy, well-packed soil and provision them with paralyzed beetles as food for their larvae. The species is notable for its highly specialized prey preference, though it occasionally captures non-buprestid prey.