Square-headed-wasps
Guides
Anacrabronina
square-headed wasps
Anacrabronina is a subtribe of square-headed wasps within the family Crabronidae, established by Ashmead in 1899. The subtribe comprises at least 4 genera and approximately 120 described species. Members are solitary wasps characterized by their distinctive square or rectangular head shape. The subtribe is part of the tribe Crabronini and subfamily Crabroninae.
Crabronidae
Square-headed Wasps, Sand Wasps, Digger Wasps
Crabronidae is a large family of solitary wasps within the superfamily Apoidea, containing over 200 genera and more than 9,000 species. Formerly treated as a subfamily of Sphecidae, it was elevated to family status following taxonomic revision. The family is now recognized as paraphyletic, with bees (Anthophila) and Sphecidae having arisen from within it. Members are commonly known as square-headed wasps, sand wasps, and digger wasps.
Crossocerus
Crossocerus is a large genus of square-headed wasps in the family Crabronidae, comprising at least 250 described species. These solitary wasps are characterized by their distinctive head shape and predatory lifestyle. The genus is taxonomically well-established and widely distributed across multiple continents.
Larrini
square-headed wasps
Larrini is a tribe of solitary wasps in the family Crabronidae, commonly known as square-headed wasps. The tribe contains approximately 15 genera and over 1,300 described species. Members are characterized by reduced ocelli, often appearing as small scars rather than functional simple eyes. The tribe includes well-known genera such as Tachytes and Liris, which are common in North America and have been studied for their nesting biology and prey specialization.
Larropsis
square-headed wasps
Larropsis is a genus of square-headed wasps in the family Crabronidae, containing more than 40 described species. These solitary wasps are members of the tribe Larrini and are known for their nesting behavior, including nest construction and provisioning with prey. The genus was established by Patton in 1892. Specific ecological details remain limited for many species.
Lestica
Lestica is a genus of square-headed wasps in the family Crabronidae, containing at least 40 described species. The genus belongs to the tribe Crabronini, which includes primarily predatory wasps that provision nests with prey for their larvae. Species of Lestica are distributed across multiple continents, with records from Europe, North America, and tropical Africa. The genus can be distinguished from similar crabronine genera by morphological features of the abdomen.
Miscophini
square-headed wasps
Miscophini is a tribe of solitary wasps in the family Crabronidae, commonly known as square-headed wasps. The tribe comprises approximately 17 genera and at least 570 described species. These wasps are part of the diverse crabronid wasp fauna and are characterized by their distinctive head shape.
Miscophus
Miscophus is a genus of square-headed wasps in the family Crabronidae, containing over 180 described species. Members of this genus are solitary wasps that nest in soil or other substrates. The genus is classified within the tribe Miscophini and has a broad distribution across multiple continents.
Pisonopsis
square-headed wasps
Pisonopsis is a genus of square-headed wasps in the family Crabronidae, established by W. Fox in 1893. The genus contains five described species distributed across the Americas. Like other members of the tribe Trypoxylini, these wasps are solitary hunters. The genus name refers to their resemblance to the related genus Pison.
Plenoculus
square-headed wasps
Plenoculus is a genus of square-headed wasps in the family Crabronidae, established by W. Fox in 1893. The genus contains more than 20 described species. Members belong to the tribe Miscophini, a group of solitary wasps within the subfamily Crabroninae. These wasps are part of the diverse crabronid lineage, which includes many predatory species that hunt arthropod prey to provision their nests.