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Genus Ammophila
Classification Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
No Taxon (Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps)
No Taxon (Apoid Wasps (Apoidea)- traditional Sphecidae)
Family Sphecidae (Thread-waisted Wasps)
Genus Ammophila
Other Common Names Thread-waisted wasps Explanation of Names Genus name is from Greek ammos, sand, plus philia, love. Some species names: procera (Latin, long and slender), harti (eponymn for C. A. Hart), juncea (Latin, rush-like), xanthoptera (Greek xanthos yellow, plus pteron, wing). All from Evans, Wasp Farm. See print references. Numbers Nearctica.com lists 115 North American species in the genus.
See Arnett, p. 595, lists 61 species. (1)Size 11-25 mm (A. procera to 38 mm) Identification Medium-sized black wasps with (usually) an orange mark on the abdomen, "thread-waisted". Most species 20-25 mm. Genus Podalonia is similar, but has petiole that appears to have only one segment, apparently. (Any guidance on this would be appreciated.) Range Widespread in North America. Genus is holarctic (northern temperate areas of old and new world). Habitat Meadows with flowers, bare soil or leaf litter for nest cavities Season Summer into early fall. Examples from North Carolina have dates April-November, depending on species. Typically May-October. (2) Collection dates in Michigan are typically July-August, but sometimes June-October. Food Adults are found on flowers, so presumably take nectar and/or pollen. Life Cycle Parasitoids on caterplillars and sawflies. A burrow is dug by the female and an egg is laid in the paralyzed host in the burrow. May be several generations per year. Remarks A large genus, with identification to species difficult. Sometimes listed as Amnophila, which is probably a typographic error.
Genera Ammophila, Eremnophila, and Podalonia, are closely related and comprise tribe Amminophilini in the subfamily Sphecinae. See Arnett, p. 595. (1).
Generally, males have weaker reddish markings than females, are more slender, and lack a tarsal rake on the front legs. Print References Evans describes behavior. (3)
Milne and Milne have a photograph. (4)
Brimley, p. 444 gives months collected for several species, at that time listed under Sphex. (2)
Cranshaw, pp. 558-559 (6)
Swan and Papp, p. 565, fig. 1227 (7)
Salsbury, pp. 284-285, has photo of A. procera and discusses id. of A. kennedyi and A. nigricans. (8)
Evans, pp. 57-67 discusses behavior at length, gives origin of name of several species. (9)Internet References Insects of Cedar Creek page shows several species of Ammophila, including the "sleeping" behavior on vegetation.
Florida Nature account--good photos of behavior
NCSU Entomology Collection lists six species in the genus with specimens from the state of North Carolina.
California Academy of Sciences-- Catalog of Sphecidae: Genus Ammophila (PDF file) Works Cited | 3. | Wasp Farm
By Howard Ensign Evans | |
| 5. | Florida's Fabulous Insects
By Mark Deyrup, Brian Kenney, Thomas C. Emmel |  |
| 7. | The Common Insects of North America
By Lester A. Swan, Charles S. Papp | |
| 8. | Insects in Kansas
By Glenn A. Salsbury and Stephan C. White | |
Contributed by Cotinis on 23 March, 2004 - 11:38am Additional contributions by Beatriz MoissetLast updated 22 September, 2008 - 7:31am |
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