Explanation of Names
Author of family is Fabricius, 1798 (or
Leach, 1819).
From type genus
Pompilus (
Fabricius), that New Latin from Greek
pompilos (πομπιλος), a fish that follows ships, derived from
pompe, (πομπη), conduct, escort, procession--compare
pomp (1).
Numbers
34 genera according to Nearctica.
Size
Most are between 15 and 25 mm long but some reach 38 mm ad more.
Identification
Family characteristics
(2) (3):
Typically dark colored with smoky or yellowish wings; a few are brightly colored.
Slender with long and spiny legs, hind
femora typically extending beyond tip of
abdomen.
Tibiae of rear legs have two prominent spines at
apex (distal end, next to
tarsi)
Wings not folded flat on top of abdomen.
Mesopleuron with a transverse suture (see this
image).
Like the Vespidae, the Pompilidae have the
pronotum extending back to the
tegulae, the pronotum thus appearing triangular when viewed from the side and horseshoe-shaped when viewed from above.
Some photographs illustrating these characters:
Habitat
Adults are usually found on flowers or on the ground searching for prey.
Remarks
Spider wasps prey on spiders. Some species sting and paralyze their prey and then transport it to a specially constructed nest before laying an egg. Other species leave the paralyzed spider in its nest and lay an egg upon it.
Print References
The Century Dictionary, entries for Pompilidae, Pompilus
(1)
Johnson and Triplehorn, p. 680
(2)
