Intraspecific-parasitism
Guides
Anoplius
Blue-black Spider Wasps
Anoplius is a large genus of spider wasps in the family Pompilidae, commonly known as the blue-black spider wasps. The genus contains over 200 described species distributed across multiple subgenera, with approximately 26 species occurring in Colorado alone. Most species are characterized by predominantly black or blue-black coloration, making field identification challenging without close examination. Members of this genus are solitary hunters that prey primarily on spiders, with most species specializing on wolf spiders (Lycosidae) and some exhibiting broader prey preferences.