Species Pachodynerus erynnis

Red-and-black Mason Wasp (note: applies to several species, particularly in Florida)

Red-marked Keyhole Wasp

Red-marked Pachodynerus

Pachodynerus erynnis (Lepeletier, 1841)

Forewing: ♂ ~9 mm, ♀ 10.5–11 mm(1)

P. erynnis is the only red-marked species of its genus in the US (Matthews & Gonzalez 2004). However, the same general color pattern is shared by various Eumeninae species in Florida (Euodynerus, Parancistrocerus, Stenodynerus). Pachodynerus erynnis can be readily distinguished easily from these look-alikes by the absence of a red spot behind the eyes, in addition to structural differences (e.g. T1 of the abdomen).

                  

            P. erynnis                            Face, ♀                      Face, ♂

se US (occasionally strays into so. ON)(1)

Often nests under siding boards of buildings

Adults are nectar feeders and hunt caterpillars as food for larvae

Solitary. A parent wasp builds mud cells or uses empty cells of other mud-building wasp species, provisioning the nest with caterpillars. One larva per cell.

In Florida, there are several other species with a red-and-black color pattern. Several of these are found in local subspecies.

                      

     Euodynerus apopkensis              E. boscii                         E. castigatus

                    

    Parancistrocerus fulvipes            Par. histro                     Par. salcularis

                    

    Stenodynerus histrionalis        S. fundatiformis                 S. lineatifrons

Matthews R.W., Gonzalez J.M. (2004) Nesting biology of Zeta argillaceum (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) in southern Florida, US. Fla Entomol 87: 37-40. Full text