Sand-nesting
Guides
Ammophila pictipennis
thread-waisted wasp
Ammophila pictipennis is a thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae, widespread in eastern North America and south to Mexico City. It is one of the most common and distinctive members of its genus east of the Rocky Mountains. The species is solitary and nests in sandy or hard-baked soil, provisioning each nest with a single paralyzed caterpillar for its larva. Females exhibit characteristic roosting behavior, gripping vegetation with their mandibles during inclement weather or overnight.
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.
Aphilanthops frigidus
Eastern Ant-Queen Kidnapper
Aphilanthops frigidus is a solitary wasp in the family Crabronidae, commonly known as the Eastern Ant-Queen Kidnapper. The species is endemic to North America and specializes in hunting winged queens of ants in the genus Formica. Females excavate individual nest burrows in sandy soil, provisioning brood cells with paralyzed ant queens for their larvae. The species is active primarily during the summer months when ant colonies undergo their annual nuptial flights.
Aphilanthops subfrigidus
Western Queen Ant Kidnapper
Aphilanthops subfrigidus, known as the Western Queen Ant Kidnapper, is a solitary wasp in the family Crabronidae. Like other members of its genus, this species is a specialist predator of winged ant queens, particularly those in the genus Formica. The wasp hunts during the brief annual swarming period of ant colonies, paralyzing queens and transporting them to underground nest burrows as provisions for its larvae. It is native to western North America and is most commonly encountered when adults visit flowers for nectar.
Bembicina
sand wasps
Bembicina is a subtribe of sand wasps within the tribe Bembicini, family Crabronidae. Members are characterized by rapid, agile flight and nesting behavior in sandy substrates. They are predatory wasps that provision nests with paralyzed prey, primarily small flies. The subtribe includes the well-known genus Bembix, which is common in North America.
Crabro
Shield-handed Wasps, Square-headed Wasps
Crabro is a genus of solitary wasps in the family Crabronidae, commonly known as shield-handed or square-headed wasps. The genus contains at least 80 described species distributed across the Nearctic and Palaearctic regions (Holarctic). These fossorial wasps nest in sandy soils, constructing multi-celled burrows provisioned with flies (Diptera) for their larvae.
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.
Megachile addenda
cranberry leafcutter bee
Megachile addenda is a solitary leafcutter bee native to North America, first described by Ezra Townsend Cresson in 1878. It is commonly known as the cranberry leafcutter bee due to its documented role as a pollinator of cranberry crops. The species nests in sand beds and belongs to the subgenus Delomegachile. Like other Megachile species, females cut leaf pieces to construct brood chambers.
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.
Panurginae
Panurginae is a subfamily of solitary bees within family Andrenidae, comprising 33 genera in 7 tribes. The group is particularly diverse in the New World, with greatest representation in arid and temperate regions, and occurs in the Palearctic and Africa in the Old World. Members are strongly associated with xeric and sandy habitats. Most species are oligolectic, exhibiting specialized pollen-foraging relationships with particular host plants.
Philanthus multimaculatus
beewolf, bee-hunting wasp
Philanthus multimaculatus is a common North American beewolf wasp in the family Crabronidae. Females are solitary nesters that excavate burrows in sandy soil, often in aggregations with conspecifics. They provision nest cells with paralyzed bees, primarily sweat bees (Halictidae), and lay a single egg on each prey item. Males exhibit territorial behavior, perching on grass stems near nesting areas to intercept females and chase rival males. Adults visit flowers for nectar and serve as pollinators while also functioning as predators that regulate bee populations.
Philanthus politus
beewolf
Philanthus politus is a species of beewolf wasp in the family Crabronidae, characterized by distinctive white striping. As a solitary hunting wasp, females prey on bees to provision underground nests for their larvae. The species is part of the diverse genus Philanthus, which contains approximately 30 species in North America and about 136 species worldwide.
Pterocheilus
Pterocheilus is a genus of fossorial mason wasps in the family Vespidae, subfamily Eumeninae. Unlike most potter wasps that nest in pre-existing cavities or construct free-standing mud nests, species in this genus excavate burrows in soil or sand. The genus exhibits its greatest diversity in southwestern North America, with approximately 40 species recognized in the region. Females possess specialized morphological adaptations for digging, including tarsal rakes on the forelegs and a psammophore—long setae on the labial palps used to transport excavated soil away from the nest entrance.