Species Scolia dubia

Blue-winged Wasp (note: this applies to many unrelated species as well), Blue-winged Scoliid Wasp, Blue-winged Digger Wasp

Scolia dubia Say 1837

20-25 mm

Black with reddish orange abdomen. The nominate subspecies has two large yellow spots while the subspecies haematodes lacks these spots. Males have longer antennae than females, and a pronglike pseudostinger.

The larva is a hairless, legless white grub with a brown head, no eyes, one-segmented antennae, maxillary and labial palpi, and a slit-like silk gland on the labium.

much of the US except the northwest (map) - Discoverlife

Range from the St. Laurence River down to Florida, and west to Arizona

mostly Aug-Oct (BG data)

Adults take nectar, may also feed on juices from beetle prey. Larvae are parasites of scarab beetles, mainly June beetles and also the introduced Japanese beetle.

Males and females have a courtship dance, flying close to the ground in a figure-8 or S pattern. Females burrow into ground in search of grubs, especially those of Cotinis and Popillia japonica. She stings it and often burrows farther down, then constructs a cell and lays an egg on the host. Larva pupates and overwinters in a cocoon within the body of the host. One generation per year in North, more in South.

Males have a 3-pronged "pseudostinger," a part of copulatory gear

Scolia dubia - NCSU