Thread-waisted
Guides
Ammophila
Thread-waisted Sand Wasps
Ammophila is a large, cosmopolitan genus of solitary hunting wasps in the family Sphecidae, comprising over 200 species distributed across warmer regions of all continents except Antarctica. These thread-waisted wasps are characterized by their elongated, slender petiole connecting the thorax and abdomen, and their distinctive nesting behavior involving burrow excavation and caterpillar provisioning. Females construct underground nests in sandy or compact soils, paralyze caterpillars with their sting, and provide this food source for their developing larvae. The genus serves as a host for Strepsiptera endoparasites and is subject to nest parasitism by satellite flies and other organisms.
Chlorion cyaneum
purplish-blue cricket hunter, Iridescent Cockroach-hunter Wasp
Chlorion cyaneum, commonly known as the purplish-blue cricket hunter or iridescent cockroach-hunter wasp, is a species of thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is a solitary predatory wasp that hunts cockroaches as prey. The species exhibits a distinctive metallic blue to purplish coloration and is found in North America and Middle America.
Chloriontinae
Chloriontinae is a subfamily of thread-waisted wasps within the family Sphecidae, established by Fernald in 1905. The group is centered on the genus *Chlorion*, which comprises solitary wasps known for their specialized hunting behaviors. Members of this subfamily are part of the apoid wasp lineage, though they are sometimes classified within broader sphecid or crabronid groupings depending on taxonomic treatment. The subfamily is relatively small and morphologically cohesive.
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.
Sphecidae
Thread-waisted Wasps, Sand Wasps, Mud Daubers
Sphecidae is a cosmopolitan family of solitary, predatory wasps characterized by a narrow petiole (thread-waisted appearance). The family was historically much broader but has been redefined following phylogenetic studies that demonstrated the former Sphecidae (sensu lato) was paraphyletic. The current restricted family (sensu stricto) includes four subfamilies: Ammophilinae, Chloriontinae, Sceliphrinae, and Sphecinae. Members construct diverse nest types including burrows in soil, pre-existing cavities, and free-standing mud or resin structures. All are predatory and parasitoidal, provisioning nests with paralyzed prey for their larvae.