Solitary-wasp
Guides
Photomorphus obscurus
Photomorphus obscurus is a species of velvet ant (Mutillidae), a family of wasps in which females are wingless and often brightly colored. The genus Photomorphus belongs to the subfamily Sphaeropthalminae. Velvet ants are solitary parasitoids, with females typically searching for host nests on the ground. This species has been documented through limited observations on iNaturalist. The specific epithet "obscurus" refers to its dark or indistinct coloration.
Photomorphus paulus
Photomorphus paulus is a species of velvet ant in the family Mutillidae. Velvet ants are solitary wasps with wingless females and winged males. The genus Photomorphus is poorly documented, with limited published information on this particular species. Observations suggest it occurs in arid regions of western North America.
Pisonopsis birkmanni
square-headed wasp
Pisonopsis birkmanni is a species of square-headed wasp in the family Crabronidae. It was described by Rohwer in 1909. The species occurs in Central America and North America. Like other members of Trypoxylini, it is a solitary wasp. Observations of this species are sparse, with limited ecological data available.
Plenoculus davisi
square-headed wasp
Plenoculus davisi is a species of square-headed wasp in the family Crabronidae, first described by W. Fox in 1893. The species is native to North America, with records from Canada and the United States. Five subspecies have been recognized: P. d. atlanticus, P. d. davisi, P. d. gracilis, P. d. mojavensis, and P. d. transversus. As a member of the Miscophini tribe, it belongs to a group of solitary wasps that are typically predatory on other insects.
Pluto
Pluto is a genus of aphid wasps (family Crabronidae) comprising at least 50 described species. These solitary wasps are small, predatory insects that hunt aphids to provision nests for their larvae. The genus was established by Pate in 1937 and belongs to the subfamily Pemphredoninae within the tribe Psenini. Species in this genus are found across various regions, though specific distribution patterns vary by species.
Podalonia
Cutworm Wasps
Podalonia is a genus of solitary, thread-waisted wasps in the family Sphecidae, commonly known as cutworm wasps. The genus contains approximately 67 described species distributed worldwide except South America. Females hunt soil-dwelling caterpillars (cutworms), paralyze them, and provision underground burrows with a single prey item per cell. Unlike most sphecid wasps, Podalonia females dig their burrow after capturing prey rather than before. The genus is most abundant in western North America.
Podalonia argentifrons
cutworm wasp
Podalonia argentifrons is a species of thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae, subfamily Ammophilinae. Like other members of its genus, it is a solitary hunting wasp that preys on soil-dwelling caterpillars ('cutworms'), paralyzing them to provision underground burrows for its larvae. The species occurs across North America, the Caribbean, and Middle America. Females are active in early spring and may overwinter as adults, emerging on warm winter days to hunt.
Podalonia argentipilis
Cutworm Hunter Wasp, Cutworm Wasp
Podalonia argentipilis is a solitary thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae, subfamily Ammophilinae. Females hunt soil-dwelling caterpillars (cutworms), paralyze them with venom, and provision underground burrows as food for their larvae. Unlike most sphecid wasps, this species digs the burrow after capturing prey rather than before. The species is part of a genus of nineteen North American species that are frequently mistaken for Sphex or Ammophila wasps due to similar body plans.
Podalonia melaena
cutworm wasp
Podalonia melaena is a solitary thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae, described by Murray in 1940. As a member of the cutworm wasp genus, females hunt soil-dwelling caterpillars, paralyze them with venom, and provision underground burrows with this prey for their larvae. The species occurs in western North America, with records from British Columbia, Canada. Like other Podalonia species, it is active in spring and early summer and is considered a beneficial insect in agricultural settings due to its predation on pest caterpillars.
Podalonia pubescens
cutworm wasp
Podalonia pubescens is a solitary thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae, subfamily Ammophilinae. Like other members of the genus, females hunt soil-dwelling caterpillars (cutworms), paralyze them, and provision underground burrows as food for their larvae. This species occurs in North America and Central America. Species-level identification requires examination of minute morphological characters such as the presence or absence of arolia (small pads between the claws), making field identification to species difficult.
Podalonia robusta
cutworm wasp, cutworm hunter wasp
Podalonia robusta is a solitary, thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae, subfamily Ammophilinae. Females hunt soil-dwelling caterpillars (cutworms), paralyze them with venom, and provision underground burrows as food for their larvae. Unlike most sphecid wasps, this species digs the burrow after capturing prey rather than before. The species has been observed in aggressive nest usurpation, where one female steals a paralyzed caterpillar from another's burrow. Both sexes aggregate in sheltered spaces, with hundreds of individuals sometimes clustering together.
Podium
Podium is a genus of solitary wasps in the family Sphecidae, subfamily Sceliphrinae, established by Fabricius in 1804. These thread-waisted wasps are part of the diverse sphecid wasp lineage, which includes many species that construct nests from mud or hunt prey to provision their offspring. The genus is classified within the tribe Podiini, which shares its root name. As with other sphecid wasps, members of this genus exhibit the characteristic narrow petiole (thread-waisted appearance) and are likely predatory, though specific ecological details for the genus as a whole remain limited in available sources.
Poecilopompilus
spider wasps
Poecilopompilus is a genus of fossorial spider wasps in the family Pompilidae, distributed throughout the New World. These wasps are notable for their Müllerian mimicry of social paper wasps (Polistes), sharing similar yellow and black or reddish-brown color patterns. Females hunt orbweaver spiders (Araneidae), paralyzing them with a sting and transporting them to underground burrows where an egg is laid on each spider. The genus contains approximately 37 recognized species, with only a few extending into the United States.
Poecilopompilus algidus
Spider Wasp
Poecilopompilus algidus is a spider wasp (family Pompilidae) widespread across the Americas, from southern Canada to Argentina. The species exhibits remarkable geographic variation in coloration due to Müllerian mimicry of sympatric wasps—resembling paper wasps (Polistes) in the south and dark spider wasps (Anoplius) in the north. Females hunt orb-weaver spiders (Araneidae) to provision underground nests, paralyzing prey with a sting and dragging it backwards to burrow sites in sandy soils. The species includes five recognized subspecies with varying distributions across North and South America.
Poecilopompilus algidus algidus
Poecilopompilus algidus algidus is a subspecies of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. This subspecies exhibits remarkable geographic variation in coloration and mimicry patterns, resembling paper wasps in southern populations and darker spider wasps in northern populations. It is one of three Poecilopompilus species known from the United States and is notable for its Müllerian mimicry of other stinging wasps.
Poecilopompilus algidus coquilletti
Poecilopompilus algidus coquilletti is a subspecies of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. It is a Müllerian mimic that closely resembles paper wasps (Polistes) in the southern United States, but northern populations may mimic the black-and-red coloration of Anoplius spider wasps instead. This plastic mimicry represents one of the more remarkable examples of intraspecific color variation in wasps. The subspecies is part of a predominantly tropical genus with only three species reaching the United States.
Poecilopompilus algidus marcidus
Poecilopompilus algidus marcidus is a subspecies of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. This subspecies belongs to a genus known for Müllerian mimicry with paper wasps, displaying warning coloration that advertises its ability to deliver painful stings. Like other members of Poecilopompilus, females hunt orbweaver spiders (family Araneidae) to provision nests for their larvae. The species P. algidus exhibits remarkable geographic variation in coloration across its range, with subspecies including marcidus representing regional morphological variants.
Poecilopompilus algidus willistoni
Poecilopompilus algidus willistoni is a subspecies of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. The species P. algidus exhibits Müllerian mimicry of paper wasps (Polistes), with coloration varying geographically—southern populations resemble large paper wasps while northern populations may appear almost entirely black with red abdominal bands. This subspecies is part of a widespread North American spider wasp that preys exclusively on orbweaver spiders (Araneidae). Females construct shallow burrows in bare soil where they provision nests with paralyzed spiders for their larvae.
Poecilopompilus interruptus cressoni
Poecilopompilus interruptus cressoni is a subspecies of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. The nominate species P. interruptus is a widespread member of a mostly tropical genus with three species reaching the United States. This subspecies was described by Nathan Banks in 1944. Spider wasps in this genus are known for their Müllerian mimicry of paper wasps (Polistes), sharing bold aposematic coloration despite being capable of delivering painful stings themselves.
Poecilopompilus interruptus interruptus
Poecilopompilus interruptus interruptus is a subspecies of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. It is part of a genus known for Müllerian mimicry of paper wasps (Polistes), displaying bold aposematic coloration. The species is distributed across much of North America, with this nominate subspecies representing the eastern population. Females are solitary hunters that provision nests with paralyzed orbweaver spiders.
Pompiloidea
Spider Wasps, Velvet Ants, and Allies
Pompiloidea is a superfamily within Hymenoptera comprising four extant families: Pompilidae (spider wasps), Mutillidae (velvet ants), Myrmosidae (myrmosid wasps), and Sapygidae (sapygid wasps). Members are primarily solitary wasps, many of which are ectoparasitoids. The superfamily also includes the extinct family Burmusculidae, known from Cretaceous amber.
Priocnemini
Priocnemini is a tribe of spider wasps within the family Pompilidae, subfamily Ctenocerinae. Members are distinguished by elongated, slender bodies and long legs adapted for pursuing spider prey. The tribe includes numerous genera distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. These wasps are solitary hunters that paralyze spiders to provision nests for their larvae.
Priocnemis
spider wasp
Priocnemis is a genus of spider wasps in the family Pompilidae, subfamily Pepsinae, containing approximately 30 species. These solitary aculeate wasps are specialized predators of spiders, with females hunting and paralyzing prey to provision nest cells for their larvae. The genus has a wide geographic distribution including North America, Europe, and Asia, with species varying in size from small to relatively large among pompilids.
Priocnemis germana
Priocnemis germana is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Cresson in 1867. Like other members of the genus Priocnemis, this species is a solitary wasp that hunts spiders to provision nests for its larval offspring. The species belongs to a genus characterized by serrated hind tibiae, a diagnostic feature distinguishing them from other black spider wasps. Very few specific observations or detailed biological studies have been published for this particular species.
Priocnemis hestia
Priocnemis hestia is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, described by Banks in 1915. Like other members of the genus Priocnemis, it is presumed to be a solitary parasitoid of spiders. The species is part of a diverse genus of spider wasps found primarily in North America.
Priocnemis minuscula
Priocnemis minuscula is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. The species was described by Banks in 1917. As a member of the genus Priocnemis, it belongs to a group of solitary wasps that paralyze spiders to provision nests for their larvae. Specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in available literature.
Priocnemis notha
Priocnemis notha is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Cresson in 1867. The species is currently accepted as valid, though some sources list it as a synonym. As a member of the genus Priocnemis, it is part of a group of solitary wasps that paralyze spiders to provision nests for their larvae. Specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Priocnemis notha occidentis
Priocnemis notha occidentis is a subspecies of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Banks in 1944. As a member of the genus Priocnemis, it belongs to a group of solitary wasps that hunt spiders to provision nests for their larval offspring. The subspecific epithet "occidentis" indicates a western distribution, distinguishing it from the nominate subspecies.
Priocnemis oregona
Priocnemis oregona is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Banks in 1933. As a member of the genus Priocnemis, it belongs to a group of solitary wasps that hunt spiders to provision nests for their larvae. The species epithet suggests an association with Oregon or the Pacific Northwest region. Specific biological details for this species remain poorly documented in available sources.
Priocnemis scitula
Priocnemis scitula is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae. It belongs to a genus of medium-sized wasps that prey on spiders to provision nests for their larvae. The species was described by Cresson in 1867. Like other members of Priocnemis, it is a solitary hunting wasp with specific host associations.
Priocnessus apache
Apache spider wasp
Priocnessus apache is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Nathan Banks in 1933. The genus Priocnessus belongs to a group of solitary wasps known for hunting spiders to provision their nests. Very little published information exists regarding the specific biology and ecology of this particular species.
Priocnessus coloradensis
Priocnessus coloradensis is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Nathan Banks in 1910. The genus Priocnessus comprises spider wasps that are specialist predators of spiders. This species is known from limited observations, with only three records documented on iNaturalist as of the knowledge cutoff.
Priocnessus nebulosus
Priocnessus nebulosus is a spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, first described by Dahlbom in 1843. The genus Priocnessus belongs to the spider wasp family, which comprises solitary wasps that hunt spiders to provision nests for their larvae. Very few specific details are documented for this particular species.
Priocnessus nuperus
Priocnessus nuperus is a species of spider wasp in the family Pompilidae, described by Cresson in 1867. Members of this genus are known as spider wasps that hunt spiders to provision their nests. The species is part of the diverse North American spider wasp fauna, though specific biological details remain poorly documented.
Prionyx
Prionyx is a genus of solitary thread-waisted wasps in the family Sphecidae, distributed across the Americas from southern Canada to Argentina. All species are specialist predators of grasshoppers (Acrididae), which they paralyze with venom and provision as food for their larvae in underground burrows. The genus is characterized by a globose abdomen, spiny legs with saw-like tarsal claws, and distinctive nesting behaviors. Females dig burrows after securing prey, transport paralyzed grasshoppers to single-celled nests, and seal the entrance upon completion. Some species exhibit facultative kleptoparasitism when nesting aggregations overlap with other wasp species.
Prionyx atratus
Prionyx atratus is a solitary, thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is one of two entirely black species in the genus Prionyx found in North America. Females construct underground burrows in sandy soil to provision with paralyzed grasshoppers as food for their offspring. The species is distributed across virtually the entire United States and into southwest Canada.
Prionyx canadensis
Prionyx canadensis is a solitary, thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. Females are distinguished from similar species P. parkeri and P. thomae by the absence of silvery hairs on the thorax. Like other members of the genus, this species is a parasitoid that hunts grasshoppers and provisions underground burrows with paralyzed prey for their larvae.
Prionyx fervens
Prionyx fervens is a solitary thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is a ground-nesting predator that hunts grasshoppers, paralyzes them, and provisions its burrow with living prey for larval development. The species ranges from Argentina to the southern United States, with documented nesting behavior observed in coastal southeastern Brazil.
Prionyx parkeri
Parker's Thread-waisted Wasp
Prionyx parkeri is a species of thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is one of seven Prionyx species found in the United States. The species is distinguished from close relatives by two pairs of long palps that are part of its mouthparts. Like other members of the genus, it is a solitary parasitoid wasp that hunts grasshoppers as prey for its larvae.
Prionyx thomae
Prionyx thomae is a solitary, thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is one of seven Prionyx species in the United States, ranging from the southeastern and western U.S. south to Argentina. The species is a specialist predator of grasshoppers, paralyzing them with venom to provision underground nests for its larvae. It lacks a common English name, reflecting its limited economic importance.
Prosevania fuscipes
Prosevania fuscipes is a species of ensign wasp in the family Evaniidae, first described by Illiger in 1807. Members of this family are characterized by their distinctive abdomen shape and association with cockroach oothecae as hosts. The species has a broad geographic distribution spanning multiple continents. Evaniid wasps are solitary parasitoids with specialized life histories tied to their cockroach hosts.
Psen
Psen is a genus of aphid wasps comprising at least 90 described species. These solitary wasps are placed in the family Crabronidae (subfamily Pemphredoninae, tribe Psenini) and are characterized by their specialized predation on aphids. The genus was established by Latreille in 1796 and has a primarily Holarctic distribution.
Pseneo simplicicornis
Pseneo simplicicornis is a species of aphid wasp in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Pemphredoninae. First described by W. Fox in 1898, this species belongs to a group of solitary wasps that provision their nests with aphids as food for their larvae. The genus Pseneo comprises small, slender wasps that are part of the diverse Crabronidae family, which includes many predatory wasp lineages.
Psenini
Psenini is a tribe of aphid wasps in the family Crabronidae, subfamily Pemphredoninae. The tribe comprises approximately 11 genera and at least 460 described species. Members are solitary wasps that provision nests with aphids (Aphididae) as food for their larvae. The tribe was established by A. Costa in 1858 and has been historically classified within Sphecidae, though modern taxonomy places it in Crabronidae.
Pseudodynerus
mason wasps, potter wasps
Pseudodynerus is a small Neotropical genus of potter wasps (Eumeninae) currently containing 16 recognized species. These solitary mason wasps are characterized by their striking black and white coloration and their habit of nesting in pre-existing cavities in wood. Females provision their nests with paralyzed caterpillars as food for their developing larvae. The genus extends northward into the eastern United States, where at least one species, P. quadrisectus, is well-documented.
Pseudodynerus quadrisectus
Pseudodynerus quadrisectus is a solitary mason wasp native to eastern North America. First described by Thomas Say in 1837, this species is frequently mistaken for the similar Four-toothed Mason Wasp (Monobia quadridens). Females construct multi-celled nests in pre-existing wood cavities, provisioning each cell with paralyzed caterpillars as food for their larvae. The species is considered beneficial in gardens due to its pollination activity and caterpillar predation.
Pseudomasaris
pollen wasps
Pseudomasaris is a genus of solitary pollen wasps in the family Vespidae, comprising 15 species found exclusively in arid regions of western North America. Unlike most wasps, which provision their nests with paralyzed prey, Pseudomasaris females collect pollen and nectar to feed their larvae—a behavior convergent with bees. The genus is the sole representative of the subfamily Masarinae in North America. Adults are typically black with yellow or white markings; some species exhibit coloration resembling yellowjackets (Vespula), though they lack the longitudinal fold characteristic of social vespids when at rest.
Pseudomasaris edwardsii
Edwards' pollen wasp
Pseudomasaris edwardsii is a small pollen-provisioning wasp in the family Vespidae, subfamily Masarinae. Unlike most vespid wasps that provision nests with paralyzed insects, females collect pollen and nectar to feed their larvae. The species has been documented nesting in California, with confirmed records from Pasadena and Sierra Madre. It represents one of the few known pollen-collecting wasps in North America, sharing this unusual dietary strategy with its congener P. vespoides.
Pseudomasaris macneilli
A solitary pollen wasp in the family Vespidae, subfamily Masarinae. Like other Pseudomasaris species, females construct mud nests and provision cells with pollen and nectar rather than paralyzing prey. The species was described by Bohart in 1963 and belongs to a genus of 14 species restricted to western North America.
Pseudomasaris macswaini
pollen wasp
Pseudomasaris macswaini is a species of pollen wasp in the family Vespidae, subfamily Masarinae. It is one of 14 species in the genus Pseudomasaris, which is the only genus of pollen wasps occurring in North America. Like other masarine wasps, it is solitary and provisions its nest cells with pollen and nectar rather than paralyzed prey. The species was described by Bohart in 1963 and is known from western North America.