Ammophila (wasp)

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Ammophila
Ammophila pubescens - Kulna.jpg
Ammophila pubescens
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Sphecidae
Subfamily: Ammophilinae
Genus: Ammophila
W. Kirby, 1798
Type species
Ammophila sabulosa
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Species

Many (>200 species + subspecies [1] )

Ammophila is the type genus of the subfamily Ammophilinae of the hunting wasp family Sphecidae. Ammophila is a large and cosmopolitan genus, with over 200 species, mostly occurring in the warmer regions of all continents apart from Antarctica.

Contents

Vernacular names

Ammophila ferrugineipes Ammophila ferrugineipes Thread-waisted wasp IMG 2008s.jpg
Ammophila ferrugineipes

Ammophila species are sometimes referred to as "thread-waisted wasps", but the name is not definitive, because many other members of the family Sphecidae are thread-waisted and referred to as such. Sometimes Ammophiline wasps are referred to as "sand wasps"; this is consistent with the name Ammophila, which derives from the Greek for "sand lover" (many species dig their nests in sand). However, this common name is used primarily for wasps in the family Crabronidae, in the tribe Bembicini. As is frequent in dealing with common names, no definitive common name for the Ammophilinae exists; entomologists usually confine themselves to the technical names for convenience and clarity.

Morphology and habits

As is frequent in large genera, considerable variation occurs in their habits and appearance, but predominantly they are medium-sized wasps of strikingly slender build, with antennae about as long as the head plus thorax.

The jaws are not large, but are strong and apart from feeding and digging, often are used for unexpected functions such as holding a pebble with which the wasp hammers down soil to seal a nest, [2] or to grip the stem of a plant at night, holding its body at right-angles to the stem, its legs folded and all the weight taken up by the mandibles. This habit is not unique to the Ammophilinae – some bees, such as Amegilla , also overnight in that way, and Fabre documented some others. [3]

Ammophila with a captured caterpillar Ammophila (wasp) 08212.JPG
Ammophila with a captured caterpillar

Nesting

Nesting is generally by digging an unbranched tunnel in sandy soil, but provisioning can be progressive, the mother bringing prey as the larva requires it, or mass provisioning, where each nest is provided with a single large prey item, [4] or as many small prey items as should be required. [2]

Species

Ammophila heydeni

The genus Ammophila was created by the English parson-naturalist William Kirby in 1798. [5] It contains 243 extant species: [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Sphex</i> Genus of wasps

Wasps of the genus Sphex are cosmopolitan predators that sting and paralyze prey insects. Sphex is one of many genera in the old digger wasp family Sphecidae, though most apart from the Sphecinae have now been moved to the family Crabronidae. There are over 130 known Sphex species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sphecidae</span> Family of wasps

The Sphecidae are a cosmopolitan family of wasps of the suborder Apocrita that includes sand wasps, mud daubers, and other thread-waisted wasps.

<i>Sceliphron</i> Genus of wasps

Sceliphron, also known as black mud daubers or black mud-dauber wasps, is a genus of Hymenoptera of the Sphecidae family of wasps. They are solitary mud daubers and build nests made of mud. Nests are frequently constructed in shaded niches, often just inside of windows or vent openings, and it may take a female only a day to construct a cell requiring dozens of trips carrying mud. Females will add new cells one by one to the nest after each cell is provisioned. They provision these nests with spiders, such as crab spiders, orb-weaver spiders and jumping spiders in particular, as food for the developing larvae. Each mud cell contains one egg and is provided with several prey items. Females of some species lay a modest average of 15 eggs over their whole lifespan. Various parasites attack these nests, including several species of cuckoo wasps, primarily by sneaking into the nest while the resident mud dauber is out foraging.

<i>Pison</i> Genus of wasps

Pison is a cosmopolitan genus of wasps within the family Crabronidae. The genus comprises 145 described species, although many species, especially in South America remain undescribed.

<i>Larra</i> (wasp) Genus of insects

Larra, also known as mole cricket wasps or mole cricket hunters, is a genus of wasps that prey on various species of mole crickets. They have gained prominence as integrated pest management agents.

<i>Chalybion</i> Genus of wasps

Chalybion is a genus of blue mud dauber wasps in the family Sphecidae. Chalybion species nest in a wide range of natural and artificial cavities such as holes in wood, walls, plant stems, etc., where they typically provision their brood cells with paralyzed spiders. They also reuse old nests of other wasps like Trypoxylon and Sceliphron.

<i>Anoplius</i> Genus of wasps

Anoplius is a genus of spider wasps in the family Pompilidae called the blue-black spider wasps. It is one of two genera within the tribe Anopliini of subfamily Pompilinae.

<i>Chlorion</i> Genus of wasps

Chlorion is a genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Sphecidae. Species have been recorded from the Americas, Africa and tropical Asia through to Java; they appear to prey mostly on Orthopteran insects.

<i>Podalonia</i> Genus of wasps

Podalonia is a genus of parasitoidal wasps in the family Sphecidae.

<i>Prionyx</i> Genus of wasps

Prionyx is a genus of wasps in the family Sphecidae. They are known to hunt and feed on grasshoppers.

<i>Crabro</i> Genus of wasps

Crabro is a genus of square-headed wasps belonging to the family Crabronidae. There are at least 80 described species in Crabro, found in the Nearctic and Palaearctic (Holarctic).

<i>Spilomena</i> Genus of wasps

Spilomena is a genus of aphid wasps in the family Pemphredonidae. The 86 species are found worldwide being represented in the Palearctic, Nearctic, Afrotropical, Neotropical, Australasian, and Indomalayan realms.

Palmodes is a genus of thread-waisted wasps in the family Sphecidae. There are more than 20 described species in Palmodes.

References

  1. ↑ "Ammophila". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
  2. 1 2 Peckham, George W, Peckham, Elizabeth G.; Wasps, Social and Solitary, Pub. Constable 1905
  3. ↑ Fabre, Jean-Henri; The wonders of instinct; Pub: Century, New York 1918
  4. ↑ Barbara J. Hager and Frank E. Kurczewski; Nesting Behavior of Ammophila harti (Fernald) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae); American Midland Naturalist Vol. 116, No. 1 (Jul., 1986); Pub: University of Notre Dame
  5. ↑ Pulawski, Wojciech J. (2021) [2014]. "Family Group Names and Classification: and taxa excluded from Sphecidae sensu lato" (PDF). California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  6. ↑ Pulawski, Wojciech (2021). "Ammophila" (PDF). California Academy of Sciences . Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-04-02.

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