Digger-wasp
Guides
Alysson
Alysson is a genus of solitary wasps in the family Crabronidae (subfamily Bembicinae, tribe Alyssontini). The genus comprises at least 40 described species distributed across multiple continents. These wasps are part of the diverse assemblage of digger wasps, though specific biological details for the genus as a whole remain incompletely documented. The genus was established by Panzer in 1806 and has undergone taxonomic revisions, with some authorities historically placing it in the family Bembicidae.
Alysson guignardi
Alysson guignardi is a species of solitary wasp in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Bembicinae. It was described by Provancher in 1887 and occurs in North America, with records from Canada including Manitoba. The species belongs to the tribe Alyssontini, which comprises small to medium-sized digger wasps.
Alysson oppositus
Alysson oppositus is a species of digger wasp in the family Crabronidae (formerly Bembicidae). It is native to North America, with records from Canada and the United States. The species was first described by Thomas Say in 1837. Like other members of the genus Alysson, it is a solitary wasp that provisions nests with prey for its larvae.
Alysson triangulifer
Alysson triangulifer is a species of wasp in the family Crabronidae (formerly placed in Bembicidae). It occurs in North America, with records from Canada and the United States. The species was described by Provancher in 1887 and includes two recognized subspecies: A. t. triangulifer and A. t. shawi. Like other members of the genus Alysson, it is a digger wasp that provisions nests with prey for its larvae.
Ammophila nigricans
thread-waisted wasp
Ammophila nigricans is a large, striking thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae, recognized by its deep blue-black body with red abdominal banding and black wings. It is one of the largest eastern species in its genus, comparable in size to A. procera but readily distinguished by its coloration. Females are solitary nesters that excavate burrows in clayey or sandy soil and provision them with paralyzed caterpillars as food for their larvae. The species ranges across the eastern United States from Kansas and Texas to New England and south to Georgia, Florida, and Louisiana. It appears less common than most other Ammophila species.
Ammophila procera
Common Thread-waisted Wasp
Ammophila procera is a large, solitary thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae, among the most conspicuous members of its genus in North America. Females construct burrows in sandy or compact soils, provision them with paralyzed caterpillar prey, and seal the nest after laying a single egg. The species is notable for its elaborate nest-closing behaviors and landmark-based navigation. Adults feed on flower nectar and are frequently observed visiting blossoms, particularly goldenrod.
Aphilanthops
ant-queen kidnapper
Aphilanthops is a genus of solitary digger wasps endemic to North America, commonly known as "ant-queen kidnappers." The four described species are specialized predators of winged ant queens, particularly in the genus Formica. Adult females hunt during ant nuptial flights, paralyze ant queens, and transport them to underground nest burrows where they serve as provisions for developing larvae. The genus is distinguished from similar beewolf wasps (Philanthus) by straight rather than notched inner eye margins.
Bembix americana
American Sand Wasp
Bembix americana is a solitary digger wasp in the family Crabronidae, widely distributed across the Americas from the Caribbean to North and South America. Females construct burrows in loose sand where they provision cells with paralyzed flies as food for their larvae. The species exhibits notable parental care, with females progressively increasing prey deliveries as larvae grow. Seven subspecies are currently recognized, reflecting considerable geographic variation in morphology and nesting behavior.
Bembix americana comata
Western Sand Wasp
Bembix americana comata is a subspecies of sand wasp in the family Crabronidae, native to western North America. It is a solitary digger wasp that constructs burrows in loose sand to provision with paralyzed flies for its larvae. The subspecies is part of a variable species complex where nest architecture shows population-level variation in cell number. Adults are active during warmer months and are commonly observed on barren sand exposures.
Bembix americana hamata
Bembix americana hamata is a subspecies of sand wasp in the family Crabronidae. Adult females construct burrows in loose sand and provision them with paralyzed flies to feed their developing larvae. The subspecies is part of the broader B. americana complex, which includes several geographically variable forms across North America. Like other members of the genus, this wasp exhibits solitary nesting behavior with progressive provisioning—providing increasing numbers of prey items as the larva grows.
Bembix americana spinolae
Eastern Sand Wasp
A sand wasp subspecies common on barren sand exposures where females dig burrows into loose sand. Adults provision nests with paralyzed flies, with females providing progressively more prey as larvae grow. Formerly placed in family Sphecidae, now classified in Crabronidae. The subspecies is part of a variable species complex with intermediate characteristics between B. americana comata and B. americana spinolae in some populations.
Bembix belfragei
A solitary sand wasp in the genus Bembix, characterized by ground-nesting behavior in loose, sandy substrates. Females excavate burrows to provision with paralyzed flies, exhibiting progressive parental care by delivering prey as larvae develop. Adults of both sexes visit flowers for nectar, particularly composites. The species is part of a diverse North American radiation of sand wasps with complex nesting behaviors.
Bembix rugosa
Bembix rugosa is a species of sand wasp in the family Crabronidae, described by J. Parker in 1917. As a member of the genus Bembix, it shares the characteristic behaviors of solitary digger wasps that excavate burrows in sandy substrates and provision nests with paralyzed flies for their larvae. The species occurs in North America, though specific details about its biology and distribution remain limited compared to better-studied congeners such as Bembix americana.
Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus
Four-banded Stink Bug Wasp, four-banded stink bug hunter wasp
Bicyrtes quadrifasciatus is a sand wasp native to North America, east of the Rocky Mountains. Females construct solitary burrows in sandy soil to provision with paralyzed true bugs, primarily stink bugs (Pentatomidae), as food for their larvae. The species has gained attention for its role as a native biological control agent of the invasive Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys). Adults are nectar-feeders and can be readily observed at flowers.
Cerceris bicornuta
Cerceris bicornuta is a solitary digger wasp in the family Crabronidae. It is a large species with distinctive orange and white markings, occurring throughout much of North America with particular abundance in the southeastern United States. The species is a specialist predator of weevils in the genus Sphenophorus, which it paralyzes with its sting and provisions in underground nests for its offspring.
Cerceris convergens
Cerceris convergens is a solitary digger wasp in the family Crabronidae. Like other members of the genus Cerceris, it constructs underground nests and provisions them with paralyzed insect prey for its larvae. The species is distributed across North America and Middle America. While specific prey preferences for C. convergens are not documented in the provided sources, congeners exhibit strong prey specialization—C. fumipennis specializes on Buprestidae (jewel beetles), and C. bicornis specializes on weevils.
Crabro monticola
A solitary digger wasp in the family Crabronidae. The species has been the subject of comparative nesting behavior studies. As a member of genus Crabro, it is part of a group of predatory wasps that provision nests with paralyzed prey for their larvae.
Crabro peltista
Crabro peltista is a species of solitary digger wasp in the family Crabronidae, described by Kohl in 1888. Like other members of the genus Crabro, this species is a fossorial wasp that constructs underground burrows to provision with prey for its larvae. The species occurs in Middle America and North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in available literature.
Crabronini
square-headed wasps
Crabronini is a tribe of solitary wasps in the family Crabronidae, comprising 48 genera and over 1,500 described species. Members are predominantly small to very small wasps characterized by square-shaped heads in most genera. The tribe exhibits diverse prey specialization, with most genera hunting flies (Diptera) while some, such as Anacrabro, target plant bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae). Nesting habits vary from ground burrows to cavities in rotting wood.
Crossocerus maculipennis
Crossocerus maculipennis is a species of solitary digger wasp in the family Crabronidae. The species belongs to a genus of predatory wasps that provision their nests with paralyzed prey, primarily beetles. The specific epithet 'maculipennis' refers to spotted or marked wings. Based on related species in the genus, it likely exhibits nest-building behavior in sandy or loose soils and specializes on particular beetle prey groups.
Didineis texana
Didineis texana is a species of sand wasp in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Bembicinae, tribe Alyssontini. It is one of several species in the genus Didineis, which are small to medium-sized wasps adapted to sandy habitats. The species was described by Cresson in 1873 and is known from the southern United States and Mexico. Like other members of its tribe, it is likely a predator of small insects, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Dryudella
Dryudella is a genus of solitary digger wasps in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Astatinae, containing over 50 described species distributed across the Holarctic region. These small wasps (typically under 10 mm) are specialized predators of true bugs (Hemiptera), with females constructing nest burrows in sandy soils to provision their offspring. Males exhibit distinctive holoptic eyes that meet at the top of the head and possess broad hind wings that enable rapid flight from perches on twigs and stems. The genus shows sexual habitat segregation, with females typically in shaded nesting areas and males in sunny locations.
Ectemnius
Ectemnius is a large genus of solitary digger wasps in the family Crabronidae, comprising approximately 188 species distributed worldwide except for limited representation in Australia. Species are characterized by black bodies with yellow markings and nest construction in dead wood cavities. They provision nests with paralyzed flies for their larvae.
Ectemnius continuus
Common Ectemnius
Ectemnius continuus is a small to medium-sized digger wasp in the family Crabronidae, widespread throughout the Holarctic region. It is black with yellow markings on the scapes, pronotum, tibiae and tergites, and has a clypeus covered with shining silver hairs. The species is notable for having 12 antennal segments in both sexes, unlike most aculeates where males typically have 13 segments. Males possess unique small spines on the first and second tarsomeres of the mid tarsus.
Ectemnius dilectus
Ectemnius dilectus is a solitary wasp in the family Crabronidae, tribe Crabronini. It belongs to a genus of digger wasps that primarily prey on flies (Diptera), distinguishing them from related genera such as Anacrabro that hunt plant bugs. The species is recorded in North America, with distribution records from Canada including Alberta. As a member of Crabronini, it is fossorial, constructing underground nests for rearing offspring.
Ectemnius rufipes ais
Ectemnius rufipes ais is a subspecies of digger wasp described by Pate in 1946. It belongs to the family Crabronidae, a group of solitary wasps known for nesting in soil or wood and provisioning their young with paralyzed prey. As a member of the genus Ectemnius, it is part of a diverse lineage of crabronid wasps distributed across multiple continents. The subspecies designation indicates geographic or morphological differentiation within the broader E. rufipes species complex.
Ectemnius trifasciatus
Ectemnius trifasciatus is a solitary wasp in the family Crabronidae, originally described by Thomas Say in 1824 under the basionym Crabro trifasciatus. As a member of the genus Ectemnius, it is part of a group of digger wasps known to nest in wood and provision their young with paralyzed flies. The species is recorded from North America, with specific observations from Alberta, Canada.
Epinysson bellus
Epinysson bellus is a species of digger wasp in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Bembicinae, tribe Nyssonini. The species was first described by Cresson in 1882. It belongs to a group of solitary wasps that are part of the diverse nyssonine lineage within the Bembicinae. Like other members of its genus, it is likely a kleptoparasite or predator associated with other ground-nesting wasps, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Gastrosericina
Gastrosericina is a subtribe of solitary wasps within the family Crabronidae, tribe Larrini. First described by André in 1886, this group comprises digger wasps that primarily prey on Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets). The subtribe includes several genera distributed across multiple continents.
Lindenius montezuma
Lindenius montezuma is a species of wasp in the family Crabronidae, first described by Cameron in 1891. The genus Lindenius belongs to the subfamily Crabroninae, a group of solitary wasps commonly known as sand wasps or digger wasps. Members of this genus are typically predatory, hunting various insects to provision their nests. The specific epithet "montezuma" refers to the Aztec emperor Montezuma, though the exact reason for this naming is not documented in available sources.
Mellinus
Mellinus is a genus of solitary digger wasps in the family Crabronidae, containing approximately 16-18 described species distributed across the Palearctic, Nearctic, Neotropical, and Oriental regions. These small wasps (8-10 mm) are specialized predators of muscoid flies, which they hunt primarily near fresh manure and other fly-aggregating resources. Females excavate burrows in sandy soil to provision cells with paralyzed flies for their larvae. The genus is notable for its distinctive petiolate abdomen and feline-like stalking behavior when capturing prey.
Mellinus abdominalis
Mellinus abdominalis is a species of digger wasp in the family Crabronidae, first described by Cresson in 1882. It is a rarely observed species native to North America, with confirmed records from Alberta, Canada. Like other members of the genus Mellinus, it is presumed to be a predator of muscoid flies, though specific biological observations for this species remain undocumented. The species is part of a small genus of solitary wasps that excavate burrows in sandy soil and provision cells with paralyzed fly prey.
Mellinus bimaculatus
Mellinus bimaculatus is a small wasp in the family Crabronidae, known for its specialized predation on flies. The species is rarely encountered and poorly documented in scientific literature. Observations indicate females hunt muscoid flies, paralyze them with a sting, and transport them to underground burrows as provisions for their larvae. The species occurs in sandy habitats across parts of North and Central America.
Mellinus imperialis
Mellinus imperialis is a small digger wasp in the family Crabronidae. It is found in Central America and North America. The species is rarely encountered and poorly known biologically.
Moniaecera
Moniaecera is a genus of solitary wasps in the family Crabronidae, established by William Harris Ashmead in 1899. It belongs to the tribe Crabronini within the subfamily Crabroninae, a group commonly known as sand wasps or digger wasps. The genus is poorly known, with extremely limited biological documentation and only three observations recorded on iNaturalist as of the available data. Members of Crabronidae are generally predatory, provisioning nests with paralyzed insects for their larvae.
Oxybelus
spiny digger wasps
Oxybelus is the largest genus in the family Crabronidae, comprising approximately 264 described species of solitary wasps commonly known as spiny digger wasps. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring worldwide except in the Australasian region, with particular diversity in the Palearctic. Species are specialized predators of flies (Diptera), exhibiting distinctive prey capture and transport behaviors. Multiple species have been studied for their unique sting morphology and reduced paralyzing sting sequence relative to other digger wasps.
Oxybelus bipunctatus
square-headed wasp
A square-headed wasp in the family Crabronidae with a broad geographic distribution spanning Africa, Europe, Northern Asia (excluding China), and North America. The species exhibits seasonal variation in nesting behavior and is known to provision nests with paralyzed flies. Two subspecies are recognized: O. b. bipunctatus and O. b. thermophilus.
Oxybelus uniglumis
square-headed wasp
Oxybelus uniglumis is a solitary digger wasp in the family Crabronidae, tribe Oxybelini. The species is specialized for hunting flies (Diptera), capturing them with an extremely concentrated stinging pattern that targets the prey's nervous system. Unlike many related wasps that deliver multiple stings to thoracic ganglia, O. uniglumis typically delivers only a single thoracic sting behind one foreleg base, reflecting the reduced ganglionic structure of fly prey. The species uses its sting apparatus not only for prey paralysis but also for transporting captured flies to nest sites.
Rhopalum sp.
A member of the digger wasp genus *Rhopalum*, provisionally assigned as a likely introduced species pending formal identification. *Rhopalum* species are solitary, predatory wasps that provision nests with paralyzed prey for their larvae. This record represents a specimen or population detected outside its presumed native range, suggesting human-mediated dispersal. The genus occurs across multiple continents, with some species widely distributed due to commerce and travel.
Scolia mexicana
Scolia mexicana is a digger wasp in the family Scoliidae, distributed across Mexico and the southern United States. As a parasitoid, females locate scarab beetle grubs underground, sting them to induce paralysis, and deposit eggs on the living hosts. The wasp larvae develop by consuming the immobilized grubs, eventually pupating within the host burrow and overwintering before emerging as adults. Adults have been observed visiting flowers for nectar, particularly members of the mint and aster families.
Scolia nobilitata
Noble Scoliid Wasp
Scolia nobilitata is a species of scoliid wasp native to North America. Adults are active in late summer and autumn, when they visit flowers for nectar. Females are parasitoids of scarab beetle grubs, locating hosts underground, paralyzing them with a sting, and laying eggs on the immobilized larvae. The species is considered beneficial for biological control of turf-damaging white grubs.
Scolia nobilitata nobilitata
digger wasp
Scolia nobilitata nobilitata is a subspecies of digger wasp in the family Scoliidae. It is a solitary parasitoid that hunts scarab beetle grubs in soil. Adults emerge in August and are known to visit flowers for nectar. The subspecies is distinguished from related taxa by abdominal coloration.
Scolia nobilitata tricincta
Scolia nobilitata tricincta is a subspecies of digger wasp in the family Scoliidae. As a parasitoid of scarab beetle grubs, it locates white grubs beneath the soil surface, tunnels through dirt to reach them, delivers a paralyzing sting, and deposits an egg on the grub's skin. The larva consumes the living grub before spinning a silken cocoon to overwinter, emerging as an adult the following August. Adults are distinguished from the related Scolia dubia by having four yellow or off-white spots on the abdomen rather than two.
Sphecinae
digger wasps, thread-waisted wasps, grass-carrying wasps
Sphecinae is a subfamily of digger wasps (family Sphecidae) characterized by thread-waisted bodies and solitary nesting behavior. Members construct nests in soil, plant stems, or pre-existing cavities, provisioning cells with paralyzed prey for their larvae. The subfamily includes notable genera such as Sphex, Isodontia, and Podalonia, with diverse nesting strategies ranging from burrowing to grass-carrying.
Sphecius speciosus
Eastern cicada-killer wasp, cicada killer, cicada hawk
Sphecius speciosus is a large, solitary digger wasp and one of the largest wasps in eastern North America. Females hunt cicadas, paralyzing them with venom to provision underground nest cells for their larvae. Despite their formidable size and appearance, they pose minimal threat to humans—females rarely sting unless roughly handled, and males lack stingers entirely. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism, with females substantially larger to accommodate egg-laying and prey transport duties.
Sphex ashmeadi
thread-waisted wasp
Sphex ashmeadi is a species of thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. It has been observed in New Mexico, USA, where it visits milkweed flowers. The species is part of the diverse Sphex genus, which includes solitary wasps that excavate burrows and provision them with paralyzed prey for their larvae.
Sphex flavovestitus
Sphex flavovestitus is a species of thread-waisted digger wasp in the family Sphecidae, first described by Frederick Smith in 1856. The species is distributed across the Americas, with records from North America, Middle America, and South America. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate Sphex flavovestitus flavovestitus and Sphex flavovestitus saussurei. Like other members of the genus Sphex, it is a solitary wasp that constructs subterranean nests provisioned with paralyzed prey for its larvae.
Sphex habenus
Golden-reined Digger Wasp
Sphex habenus is a solitary thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. Like other members of the genus Sphex, females construct individual subterranean nests provisioned with paralyzed prey for their larvae. The species is distributed across North and Middle America.
Sphex ichneumoneus
Great Golden Digger Wasp, Great Golden Sand Digger
Sphex ichneumoneus is a large, conspicuous solitary wasp distributed across the Western Hemisphere from Canada to South America. Females excavate vertical burrows in sandy soils, provisioning individual cells with paralyzed katydids and related Orthoptera as food for their larvae. The species exhibits a distinctive fixed action pattern during prey retrieval, repeatedly inspecting the burrow entrance before dragging prey inside by the antennae—a behavior famously cited in discussions of genetic determinism. Adults forage for nectar at flowers and are frequently observed on blooms of rabbitbrush, prairie clover, and grape.
Sphex jamaicensis
Jamaican Digger Wasp
Sphex jamaicensis is a solitary thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is known from Florida, Cuba, the Bahamas, and Jamaica. Like other members of the genus Sphex, females are fossorial diggers that construct burrows in soil. The species was originally described by Drury in 1773 in the genus Vespa, creating a complex nomenclatural history involving a secondary homonym with a later Fabricius 1775 description.
Sphex lucae
katydid hunter
Sphex lucae is a solitary thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae, native to western North America. This species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism: females have a black body with red abdomen and yellowish to violaceous wings, while males are entirely black with violaceous wings. Females are fossorial hunters that excavate subterranean burrows and provision them with paralyzed katydids as food for their larvae. Males form communal sleeping clusters in sheltered locations. The species is the sole North American representative of the subgenus Fernaldina, named for entomologist Henry Torsey Fernald.
Sphex nudus
Katydid Wasp
Sphex nudus, commonly known as the katydid wasp, is a solitary digger wasp in the family Sphecidae. Females construct subterranean nests in soil or dirt substrates, including the floors of old barns. The species is notable for its specialized hunting behavior, targeting leaf-rolling crickets as prey for its larvae. It occurs across the eastern United States.
Sphex pensylvanicus
Great Black Wasp, Great Black Digger Wasp
Sphex pensylvanicus is a large, solitary digger wasp native to North America. Females construct underground burrows and provision them with paralyzed orthopteran prey, primarily katydids, for their larvae. Adults feed on nectar from diverse flowering plants and serve as pollinators. The species exhibits protandry, with males emerging before females in the breeding season. Despite their formidable size and appearance, they are not aggressive toward humans and sting only when handled.
Sphex tepanecus
Sphex tepanecus is a species of thread-waisted digger wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is a large solitary wasp known from the western United States, with records from Arizona, Colorado, and potentially Idaho. Like other members of the genus Sphex, it constructs subterranean nests and provisions them with paralyzed prey for its larvae. The species was first described by de Saussure in 1867.
Tachysphex pompiliformis
Tachysphex pompiliformis is a small digger wasp in the family Crabronidae. The species was taxonomically redefined in 2016 when Straka demonstrated that the name had been misapplied to at least 14 similar species in Europe and Turkey. Four former synonyms were restored to species status: T. austriacus, T. dimidiatus, T. jokischianus, and T. nigripennis. As a result of this revision, the precise distribution and biological details of the true T. pompiliformis remain uncertain pending review of voucher specimens. The species belongs to the pompiliformis species-group, the most species-rich group within Tachysphex in Iran.
Tachysphex terminatus
Tachysphex terminatus is a small solitary wasp in the family Crabronidae, part of a species group characterized by specific nesting behaviors in sandy substrates. Females construct individual burrows with multiple cells, provisioned with paralyzed prey for larval development. The species occurs in North America and shares the genus-wide trait of provisioning nests with orthopteran prey, primarily grasshopper nymphs.
Tanyoprymnus
Tanyoprymnus is a genus of digger wasps in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Bembicinae. The genus was established by Cameron in 1905. The best-known species is Tanyoprymnus moneduloides (Packard), which has been studied for its nesting biology. Members of this genus are solitary wasps that construct nests in soil.
Tanyoprymnus moneduloides
Tanyoprymnus moneduloides is a species of sand wasp in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Bembicinae. The species has been the subject of dedicated nesting biology research, with a 1981 study documenting its nest architecture and provisioning behavior. It is present in North America and Middle America according to distribution records. The species was originally described by Packard in 1867.
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.
Zanysson
Zanysson is a strictly New World genus of digger wasps in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Bembicinae. The genus was established by Rohwer in 1921 and remained taxonomically stagnant for over 80 years until the description of Z. gemmatus from Colombia in 2007. Members are assumed to be cleptoparasites of other crabronid wasps, though direct biological observations are lacking for most species. The genus includes at least three described species distributed from the southwestern United States through Mexico to northwestern South America.