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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Bees, Ants, and other Stinging Wasps » Apoid Wasps (Apoidea)- traditional Sphecidae » Thread-waisted Wasps (Sphecidae) » Sphex » Sphex (Fernaldina) lucae (Sphex lucae)
Photo#65830
Digger Wasp with prey - Sphex lucae
Copyright © 2006 Aaron Michael Peterson

Digger Wasp with prey - Sphex lucae
South Umpqua, Douglas County, Oregon, USA
July 20, 2006
In the late morning, there were several of these wasps digging holes in a small area. Later on, this wasp returned with its grasshopper prey. I assumed that it had paralyzed its prey, so that it could eventually lay its egg in it. This is the same species as the image I posted at http://bugguide.net/node/view/65829/bgimage

Images of this individual: tag all
Digger Wasp with prey - Sphex lucae Digger Wasp with prey - Sphex lucae
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Contributed by Aaron Michael Peterson on 22 July, 2006 - 4:06pm
Last updated 13 June, 2007 - 5:45pm

Moved
Moved from Thread-waisted Wasps.
… Eric R. Eaton, 13 June, 2007 - 5:45pm login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from Sphecinae.
… Robin McLeod, 31 October, 2006 - 7:58pm login or register to post comments

Sphex lucae?
The prey is indeed a female fork-tailed bush katydid (late instar nymph). The wasp may be Sphex lucae. That wasp is placed in the subgenus Fernaldina, so is not terribly typical. I'd need to consult the host records, though, as it could still be a species of Palmodes that you have here. Neat shots!
… Eric R. Eaton, 24 July, 2006 - 6:40pm login or register to post comments

 
Sphex lucae
Thanks for your help, Eric. It's nice to have a knowledgeable person from Oregon to ID these bugs for me. :)
… Aaron Michael Peterson, 25 July, 2006 - 1:37pm login or register to post comments

Isn't that a katydid?
Looks more like one than a grasshopper.
… Ron Hemberger, 22 July, 2006 - 8:53pm login or register to post comments

 
Katydid
Maybe it is a Katydid. I can't really tell the difference between the two. Sorry...
… Aaron Michael Peterson, 23 July, 2006 - 2:10am login or register to post comments

 
Just wanted to be sure.
Katydid typically has longer, thinner legs and that bright green color. But there are some pink ones at Bug Guide - interesting!
… Ron Hemberger, 23 July, 2006 - 10:17am login or register to post comments

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