Halictidae-predator
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.