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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies (Hymenoptera) » Aculeata - Ants, Bees and Stinging Wasps » Apoidea sans Anthophila – Apoid Wasps » Square-headed Wasps, Sand Wasps, and Allies (Crabronidae) » Bembicinae » Sand Wasps (Bembicini) » Bembicina » Bembix

Genus Bembix

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Numbers · Identification · Range · Habitat · Season · Food · Remarks · See Also · Works Cited

Crabronidae: Bembix americana - Bembix americana

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 Crabronidae (Square-headed Wasps, Sand Wasps, and Allies)

Subfamily Bembicinae

Tribe Bembicini (Sand Wasps)

Subtribe Bembicina

Genus Bembix

Other Common Names

Sand Wasps (also applies to closely related genera including Bicyrtes).

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

"Bembex" is a misspelling.

Numbers

21 spp. in our area(1), ~350 spp. worldwide(2)

Identification

Abdomen black with broad white, yellowish, or light bluish curving bands that often meet at the dorsal midline.

Range

Throughout NA

Habitat

Usually sandy areas; nest holes are dug in the sand; best opportunity to observe individuals is on dunes or where vegetation is sparse

Season

Summer

Food

Females provision their nest with flies which the larvae feed on (a single developing larva may eat more than twenty flies)

Remarks

Provisioning is progressive. The females provide a greater number of prey over subsequent days during larval growth. Adults are excellent diggers and can disappear below the surface of loose sand within seconds.

Nest in aggregations. When a potential predator approaches, they mob it -- males fly up at it, buzzing loudly without harm to the predator.(3)

See Also

Bicyrtes generally have abdominal bands that are straighter and don't quite meet at the dorsal midline

Works Cited

1.	Ascher J.S., Pickering J. (2024) Discover Life bee species guide and world checklist (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila)

2.	Pulawski W.J. (2003-) Catalog of Sphecidae sensu lato (Apoidea excluding Apidae)

3.	Insect Behavior Robert W. Matthews and Janice R. Matthews. 1988. Robert E. Krieger Publishing Co.

Contributed by Beatriz Moisset on 7 January, 2005 - 6:59pm
Additional contributions by Robin McLeod, Aaron Schusteff, v belov, Marci Hess, PaleoJon
Last updated 14 October, 2023 - 10:27am

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