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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Spider Wasps, Velvet Ants and allies (Pompiloidea) » Spider Wasps (Pompilidae) » Pepsinae » Tarantula-hawk Wasps and Allies (Pepsini) » Entypus

Genus Entypus

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Life Cycle · Works Cited

Unknown Pompilidae - Entypus fulvicornis

Wasp vs. Spider - Entypus unifasciatus - female

Spider Wasp - Entypus fulvicornis? - Entypus

Pepsine Wasp and Wolf Spider - Entypus aratus - female

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)

Superfamily Pompiloidea (Spider Wasps, Velvet Ants and allies)

Family Pompilidae (Spider Wasps)

Subfamily Pepsinae

Tribe Pepsini (Tarantula-hawk Wasps and Allies)

Genus Entypus

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Priocnemioides is used in Townes(1)(1957).

Explanation of Names

Entypus Dahlbom, 1843

Numbers

7 Species:

Entypus aratus

Entypus angusticeps

Entypus austrinus

Entypus fulvicornis

Entypus magnus

Entypus texanus

Entypus unifasciatus

Size

Medium to large wasps, not quite rivaling Pepsis or Hemipepsis, but most exceed 20 mm and some may attain lengths of almost 30 mm.

Identification

Size range of over 20mm to nearly 30mm is one of the best clues.

More technically they belong to the subfamily Pepsinae, tribe Pepsini which is defined by the following characters: groove in 2nd sternite, crease on side of 1st tergite marking off an epipleuron, serrate hind tibiae, at least a partially exposed labrum, concave sides of 1st tergite (look dorsally), spines on end of hind tibia of equal size and spacing.

Subtle wing venation and other characters used to separate genera and species, see Townes(1)(1957) for this information (and keys plus brief species descriptions/discussions).

Species groups are separated as follows:(1)

fulvicornis group: brush on hind tibia interrupted, strong nipples on fore coxa, second sternite of temale with tubercles, all species in range with orange antennae

E. angusticeps, E. fulvicornis, & E. unifasciatus

magnus group: brush on hind tibia not interrupted, weak nipples on fore coxa, second sternite of female lacking tubercles, most species in range with black antennae (orange only in E. magnus)

E. aratus, E. austrinus E. magnus, & E. texanus

Species follow the following trends based on antennal and wing coloration:

Black antennae and black wings: E. austrinus fuscatus & E. texanus atripennis

Black antennae and orange wings: E. aratus, E. austrinus austrinus, & E. texanus texanus

Orange antennae and black wings: E. fulvicornis & E. magnus

Orange antennae and orange wings: E. angusticeps, E. unifasciatus californicus, E. unifasciatus cressoni, E. unifasciatus unifasciatus (apex)

Range

The genus is found practically transcontinentally, but some species have restricted ranges.

Habitat

Open areas, woodland edges; never found in deep woods.

Season

found later in the season (late summer-early autumn)

Food

Adults frequently visit flowers, especially umbellifers and Solidago spp. Adults provision a pre-existing cavity (or modification of a pre-existing) cavity generally with a Lycosid spider, though other similar families such as Agelenids are also reported.

Life Cycle

one generation per year in most of the US

Works Cited

1.	Nearctic Wasps of the Subfamilies Pepsinae and Ceropalinae Henry K. Townes. 1957. Smithsonian Institute Press (Bulletin 209).

Contributed by Cotinis on 7 September, 2004 - 5:13am
Additional contributions by NFensler, Aaron Schusteff, v belov, PaleoJon
Last updated 29 July, 2021 - 11:40am

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