Philanthine
Guides
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 occipitomaculata
Cerceris occipitomaculata is a solitary ground-nesting wasp in the family Crabronidae. Like other members of the genus Cerceris, it is a specialist predator that captures and paralyzes prey to provision underground nests for its offspring. The species is distributed across North America and Middle America. As with congeners, it likely exhibits prey specialization, though specific prey records for this species are not well documented in the available sources.
Cerceris sextoides
weevil wasp
Cerceris sextoides is a solitary hunting wasp in the family Crabronidae that specializes in capturing weevils and other beetles to provision its underground nests. The species is common in Pacific coast states from British Columbia to southern California, ranging inland through Idaho, northwest Utah, and northern Nevada. Males emerge before females and establish territories, often perching on vegetation to watch for competitors. Females paralyze prey with their sting and transport it back to burrows excavated in sandy clay or gravelly clay soil.