Sphecid Wasps (Sphecidae)

Dr. Charles C. Porter compiled this list of 67 species found in NATL from his long-term studies of sphecids in NATL prior to the restoration of NATL's upland pine.
This large group of wasps includes the digger wasps, sand wasps, and mud daubers, and most have no vernacular names. In addition to the scientific name of each species, the preferred prey and types of nests used are described. Dr. Porter is currently a Research Associate with the Florida State Collection of Arthropods. He received his PhD from Harvard in 1967 and was Professor of Biology at Fordham University, 1972-1993. His research interests are the taxonomy and ecology of Hymenoptera (esp. Ichneumonidae) in the New World.

Scientific name	Prey and Habitats
Subfamily Ampulicinae
Dolichurus greenei	Provisions its nests, in stems and other crevices, with cockroaches
Subfamily Sphecinae
Podium luctuosum	Provisions nests in crevices with cockroaches
Podium rufipes	Hunts cockroaches: Parcoblatta, Cariblatta, Eurycotis, etc.
Chalybion californicum	Provisions with spiders; nests in pre-existing cavities or structures (including abandoned mud dauber nests)
Sceliphron caementarium	Mud dauber. Makes mud nests & provisions with spiders.
Sphex dorsalis	Makes burrows in ground (nesting strategy of entire genus). Hunts orthopterans, e.g., Conocephalus.
Sphex flavovestitus	Fossorial; prey long-horned Orthoptera
Sphex habenus	Fossorial; prey long-horned Orthoptera
Sphex ichneumoneus	Fossorial; prey long-horned Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae and Tettigoniidae (e.g. Conocephalinae, Decticinae, Phaneropterinae)
Sphex pensylvanicus	Fossorial; Tettigoniidae in genera Microcentrum & Scudderia
Isodontia apicalis	Genus is not fossorial; nests in hollow plant stems, rolled leaves, abandoned bee burrows in logs, in ground, or in crevices among stones; uses gryllid and tettigoniid Orthoptera. No prey records for this species.
Isodontia auripes	Prey records: Oecanthinae, Conocephalinae, Decticinae, Eneopterinae, & Phaneropterinae
Isodontia exornata	No prey records
Palmodes dimidiatus	Genus fossorial. This species uses decticine tettigoniids: Atlanticus, Pediodectes.
Prionyx parkeri	Genus fossorial and uses only acridid Orthoptera as prey. This species recorded from Melanoplus, Spharagemon & Xyleus.
Eremnophila aureonotata	Fossorial, prey of this and other species are larger Lepidoptera larvae, e.g., Noctuidae, Sphingidae.
Ammophila nigricans	This and other species fossorial and provision with Lepidoptera or sawfly larvae
Ammophila pictipennis	See above.
Ammophila procera	See above.
Ammophila urnaria	See above.
Subfamily Pemphredoninae
Mimumesa longicornis	This and other species dig nests in clay banks and decaying wood and use Homoptera (cicadellids, delphacids) as prey.
Psen sp.	Genus makes burrow in stumps and dead trees or sometimes in earth or clay banks. Provisioning is with Homoptera (e.g., Cicadellidae, Membracidae, Fulgoridae).
Pluto rufibasis	Genus makes burrow in sandy or clay banks; provisions with leafhoppers (e.g., Opsius).
Pemphredon sp.	Genus utilizes cavities in wood, reeds, canes, grass culms, or makes its own burrows in dead wood; all species provision with aphids.
Stigmus sp.	Genus nests in timber, galls, etc., and may use preexisting cavities or make its own nests; provisioning is with aphids.
Subfamily Larrinae
Larra bicolor	This South American species has been introduced to Florida for biocontrol of mole crickets--Gryllotalpidae--and seems well established at Gainesville.
Liris argentata	Genus prefers preexisting burrows in soil for nesting, but a few species excavate their own tunnels. Gryllid crickets are the usual prey. These are among the few sphecids that remain active all winter at Gainesville.
Liris beata	See above.
Liris panamensis muesebecki	See above.
Tachytes chrysopyga obscurus	Most species in this genus hunt orthopterans, e.g., Acrididae, Tettigoniidae, Tetrigidae & Tridactylidae. Nests are excavated in soil.
Tachytes distinctus distinctus	See above.
Tachytes grisselli	See above.
Tachytes guatemalensis	See above.
Tachytes auricomus	See above.
Tachysphex mundus exsectus	Genus burrow in soil, provisions with orthopteroids: Acrididae especially, Tettigonidae, Gryllidae, Blattidae, & Mantidae.
Tachysphex mundus mundus	See above.
Tachysphex utina	See above.
Tachysphex antennatus	See above.
Tachysphex crassiformis	See above.
Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) politum	Members of this subgenus make their own mud nests, which resemble a series of organ pipes. Provisions with spiders.
Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) collinum	See above.
Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) lactitarse	See above.
Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) johannis	See above.
Bothynostethus distinctus	Genus remodels preexisting tunnels in sandy soil and provisions with adult chrysomelid beeltes (Galerucinae).
Subfamily Crabroninae
Oxybelus laetus laetus	Genus burrows in sand/sandy soil and provisions with a large array of small to medium sized adult Diptera (esp. Therevidae, Chironomidae, Sarcophagidae & Muscidae)
Anacrabro ocellatus ocellatus	Nests in soil, often near water; provisions with Lygus (Hemiptera: Miridae).
Rhopalum (Rhopalum) atlanticum	Most species nest in twigs or reeds and provision mainly with small Diptera.
Crossocerus (Blepharipus) impressifrons	This subgenus makes nests in logs, branches, stumps, posts, etc., and provisions mostly with small Diptera.
Crossocerus (Blepharipus?) krombeini	See above.
Ectemnius (Hypocrabro) rufipes rufipes	Genus nests in decayed wood (logs, stumps), or sometimes in sound wood; provisions with Diptera.
Ectemnius (Hypocrabro) scaber scaber	See above.
Subfamily Nyssoninae
Alysson melleus	Genus nests in moist, cool sites, often in sandy soil and provisions with Homoptera of the families Fulgoridae and (rarely ) Cercopidae.
Synnervus aequalis	Biology unknown.
Epinysson sp.	Species of this genus are parasites of the Genus Hoplisoides (Sphecidae: Nyssoninae).
Ochleroptera bipunctata	Genus nests in sandy soil, often on banks and provisions with Hemiptera (Membracidae, Cicadellidae, Cercopidae, Fulgoridae, & Psyllidae).
Agrogorytes sp.	Genus nests in clay or gravel slopes and provisions with cercopid Homoptera (European species, no bio-data for U.S. species).
Gorytes dorothyae russeolus	Genus constructs nests in soil and provisions with Homoptera (Cicadellidae, Fulgoridae, & Membracidae).
Sphecius speciosus	Nests in soil and provisions with Cicadidae (Homoptera).
Hoplisoides placidus placidus	Genus nests in soil and provisions with Homoptera (Membracidae, Fulgoridae).
Bicyrtes quadrifasciata	Genus nests in sandy soil and provisions with Hemiptera (esp. Pentatomidae, Coreidae, and Reduviidae).
Stictia carolina	Genus nests (often in huge gregarious swarms) in sandy soil and provision with large Diptera, especially Tabanidae.
Stictiella sp.	Genus nests in dry sandy soil (but often near water) and provisions with small adult Lepidoptera (Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Noctuidae, Pyralidae, et. al.)
Philanthus gibbosus	Genus nests in bare, sandy soil & provisions with other Aculeate Hymenoptera adults (esp. Halictidae but also Andrenidae, Anthophoridae, Apidae, Colletidae & Megachilidae, etc.)
Philanthus politus	See above.
Cerceris rufopicta	Genus nest in bare, compact soil or sandbanks and provisions with adult Coleoptera in families such as Curculionidae, Buprestidae, Chrysomelidae, Tenebrionidae, & Bruchidae.
Cerceris blakei	See above.
Cerceris tolteca	See above. Abundant in summer on Cassia.