Subfamily Bembicinae

Classification · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Identification · Food · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Works Cited

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Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)

No Taxon (Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps)

No Taxon (Apoidea sans Anthophila – Apoid Wasps)

Family Crabronidae (Square-headed Wasps, Sand Wasps, and Allies)

Subfamily Bembicinae

Explanation of Names

Bembicinae Latreille 1802

Numbers

3 tribes in the subfamily, with ca. 280 spp. in 35 genera in our area(1) and ~1700 spp. in >80 genera worldwide(2)

Identification

Mesonotum almost always expanded laterally into laminae more or less overlying the bases of the tegulae, and the jugal lobe of the hind wing is shorter than the submedian cell; all except Bembicini have two apical spurs on the middle tibiae; forewings with three submarginal cells.

Food

most provsion lavae with Auchenorrhyncha but several species are kleptoparasitic on other Bembicinae

Life Cycle

Ground-nesters

Remarks

Females are either solitary nest provisioners or brood parasites of other wasps. In the nest-provisioning species, female digs one or more ground nests using mandibles and front legs (often armed with a rake of stout spines called 'pecten').(3)

Print References

(4)(5)

Works Cited

1.	Ascher J.S., Pickering J. (2024) Discover Life bee species guide and world checklist (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila)

2.	Pulawski W.J. (2003-) Catalog of Sphecidae sensu lato (Apoidea excluding Apidae)

3.	The Sand Wasps: Natural History and Behavior Howard Ensign Evans & Kevin M. O'Neill. 2007. Harvard University Press.

4.	A revision of the bembicine wasps of America North of Mexico Parker J.B. 1917. Proc. USNM 52: 1‒155.

5.	A generic revision of the fossorial wasps of the tribes Stizini and Bembicini with notes and descriptions of new species Parker J.B. 1929. Proc. USNM 75: 1-203.

Contributed by Richard Leung on 8 March, 2005 - 10:53pm
Additional contributions by Mike Boone, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Chuck Entz, Aaron Schusteff, kschnei, v belov, KenW
Last updated 31 August, 2023 - 5:38am

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