A female Sphecid Wasp has just brought a paralyzed katydid to a prepared burrow. She dropped the victim, opened and entered the burrow, emerged after about 30 seconds, seized the prey in her mandibles and dragged it backwards into the burrow far enough that it could not be seen, emerged after about two minutes, sealed the burrow and flew off.

The area is ancient streambed, dry and sandy. A number of Bembicine Sand Wasps also have burrows here; in fact, there are so many burrows and so much digger-wasp activity that the ground must be dense with eggs, pupae, larvae and prey items. At any given time during midday there might be 10-20 Sand Wasps (presumably Steniolia sp, not confirmed) and one or two of this species in an area about 5 X 15 feet, which is peripheral to the main area of about 600 sq feet where another 200+ Bembicine wasps are active.

Sphex lucae?

Here is another individual of the same species at the same place, three days earlier, not a good shot but shows the abdomen better.:



Another Sphex sp seen in the area with prey, although although not building burrows here: