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National Moth Week was July 19-27, and the Summer 2025 gathering in Louisiana, July 19-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

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Species Isodontia elegans - Elegant Grass-carrying Wasp

Representative Images

Wasp - Isodontia elegans Wasp - Isodontia elegans Is this Isodontia elegans? (Example 2) - Isodontia elegans worn Grass-carrying Wasp - Isodontia elegans black and red wasp on spurge - Isodontia elegans - male another unknown hymenoptera - Isodontia elegans Mud Dauber? - Isodontia elegans Isodontia? - Isodontia elegans - male

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 Sphecidae (Thread-waisted Wasps)
Subfamily Sphecinae
Tribe Sphecini
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasps)
Species elegans (Elegant Grass-carrying Wasp)

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

First described in 1856 by Frederick Smith as Sphex elegans
Isodontia elegans

Range

Formerly a Western species, it has been found in the Northeast in the past several years.

Remarks

Coloration is quite variable.
At least part of the genus needs revision. It is possible that elegans (subenus Murrayella) may eventually become a synonym of I. mexicana, or vice versa. (Comments by E. Eaton)

See Also

I. mexicana do not have pale leg segments

Internet References

Cirrus images
Isodontia.
Great Lakes Entomologist.
Catalogue of hymenopterous insects in the collection of the British museum, pt. 2, p.262    Smith's original description of the species
Contributed by Beatriz Moisset on 11 July, 2005 - 9:02pm
Additional contributions by Chuck Entz, Vox Sciurorum, PaleoJon
Last updated 10 February, 2021 - 11:38pm

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