Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Scolioidea » Scoliid Wasps (Scoliidae) » Campsomerini » Pygodasis » Saddleback Scoliid Wasp (Pygodasis ephippium)
Photo#232736
Wasp, Scoliid? - Pygodasis ephippium - female
Copyright © 2008 LindaW

Wasp, Scoliid? - Pygodasis ephippium - Female
NE Medina County, Texas, USA
October 11, 2008
Size: about 2 inches long
I was told by someone in the past this is one of the scoliid wasps. But it seems a little different than the scoliid wasps with images here. I've seen them for more than 2 years now, but not many or often. In the past I've seen them go into holes in the ground. They love to nectar on the Corona de Cristo flowers more than anything else.

Images of this individual: tag all
Wasp, Scoliid? - Pygodasis ephippium - female Wasp, Scoliid? - Pygodasis ephippium - female
Contributed by LindaW on 11 October, 2008 - 1:55pm
Last updated 28 February, 2017 - 8:51am

im no expert....
I think we have these in our flower garden in our front yard and we live just south of Kansas city, mo!
… whitnpaul, 28 June, 2012 - 8:22pm

 
Take a look at Campsomeris quadrimaculata
which can look very similar to this species. In the United States, Campsomeris ephippium only occurs in south Texas and Arizona

http://bugguide.net/node/view/34201/bgimage
… George Waldren, 28 June, 2012 - 9:12pm

Campsomeris ephippium (female)
Based on the locality, coloration and the tibial spur shape, this is Campsomeris ephippium.

Moved from Scoliid Wasps.
… George Waldren, 3 September, 2009 - 5:36pm

 
Campsomeris ephippeum
Thanks for the info! Apparently, it is established in this county. I've been seeing that wasp for years now!
… LindaW, 7 September, 2009 - 3:11pm

 
Happy to help!
Very cool wasp, I haven't seen a live one yet.

This species ranges from south Texas to Ecuador, and apparently it's in Arizona now.
… George Waldren, 7 September, 2009 - 3:38pm

Campsomeris?
Pretty sure this will turn out to be a species of Campsomeris.
… Eric R. Eaton, 18 October, 2008 - 1:47am

nice...
i'm no expert, but this does look exactly like Scolia, and i don't see it in the Guide, either...
… v belov, 11 October, 2008 - 2:59pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2025 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo