Genus Campsomeris

Scarab-hunter Wasp

15-30 mm

Wings dark with wrinkles near outer margin. Head, thorax, legs, typically black or dark brown. Abdomen with yellow/dark banding or spots.

C. plumipes and C. quadrimaculata are widespread in east. C. pilipes is found in western United States.

Meadows, etc.

April-October (North Carolina)

Adults take nectar.

Females provision nests with beetle larvae, esp. scarabs.

Eric Eaton has pointed out in comments under various photos of Scoliids that there is considerable taxonomic confusion in this family, so that has to be a caveat in any photo identified as to genus here.

According to Nick Fensler: The females Campsomeris as well as other members of the subfamily Campsomerinae are predators on white grubs (Scarabaeidae), using these larvae as food for their young. Unlike sphecids, eumenines, and pompilids these wasps do not appear to have any type of prey transportation and dig to the ground-dwelling beetle larvae, sting it to paralyze it, and then lay an egg. They may dig around the grub to form a small cell. Since they use this nesting strategy they are often seen flying low to the ground (searching) in a figure eight pattern (but the flight pattern gets more erratic when they "smell" something). The adults use nectar as a food source and are common on flowers.

Other Scoliids, e.g. Trielis, Scolia, male (winged) Velvet Ants (Dasymutillidae).