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Photo#172840
Digger wasp - Prionyx - female

Digger wasp - Prionyx - Female
North Carolina, USA
August 20, 2007
Size: 1/2 In?
I think this may be the great golden digger wasp. It was found digging in a flower bed outside of the aquarium. it moved very quickly, and sometimes flew up all of a sudden, landed inches from the hole it was digging, couldent find it, and started a whole new one.

photographed in NC, in the Outerbanks

Images of this individual: tag all
Digger wasp - Prionyx - female Digger wasp - Prionyx - female

Moved
Moved from Prionyx parkeri.

Prionyx parkeri - female
Contrary to Great Golden Digger Wasp, members of this genus hunt for Grasshoppers (mainly Spur-throat ones) rather than for Katydids or Crickets.

 
thank
you! i have never seen anything like this is PA before.. seems to be only down south. they are very interesting wasps. i wish i could have gotten better photos but the thing was so quick and always moving!

 
Prionyx.
I agree with the genus ID, but species could be canadensis. Can't tell that easily from images alone. The genus is very widespread and common. Where in North Carolina? More specific location (at least county) is helpful. Thank you.

 
I'll move
it to to prionyx if there is some doubt. common? i have never seen any species of digger wasp in PA.... this one was in the Outerbanks of NC, even more specific, at Atlantic Beech. i go there every year in August, and try to look for diff species of wasp that i dont see in PA.

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