Zyzzyx is a monospecific genus of sand wasp, containing a brightly colored, medium-sized species, Zyzzyx chilensis. It is primarily a predator on flies, but has been observed to consume skippers. "Zyzzyx" is a replacement name proposed in 1937 by V. S. L. Pate for Therapon, originally described by J. Parker in 1929.
Frederick Smith was a British entomologist who worked at the zoology department of the British Museum from 1849, specialising in the Hymenoptera.
Dorylus, also known as driver ants, safari ants, or siafu, is a large genus of army ants found primarily in central and east Africa, although the range also extends to southern Africa and tropical Asia. The term siafu is a loanword from Swahili, and is one of numerous similar words from regional Bantu languages used by indigenous peoples to describe various species of these ants. Unlike the New World members of the former subfamily Ecitoninae, members of this genus do form temporary anthills lasting from a few days up to three months. Each colony can contain over 20 million individuals. As with their New World counterparts, there is a soldier class among the workers, which is larger, with a very large head and pincer-like mandibles. They are capable of stinging, but very rarely do so, relying instead on their powerful shearing jaws.
Alexander Henry Haliday was an Irish entomologist. He is primarily known for his work on Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Thysanoptera, but worked on all insect orders and on many aspects of entomology.
A fossorial is an animal adapted to digging which lives primarily, but not solely, underground. Some examples are badgers, naked mole-rats, clams, and mole salamanders. Most bees and wasps are called "fossorial Hymenoptera". Many rodent species are also considered fossorial as they live in burrows for most of the day, though they may be surface-dwelling during other parts of the day. Species that live exclusively underground, on the other hand, are described as subterranean fauna. Some organisms are fossorial to aid in temperature regulation while others use the underground habitat for protection from predators or for food storage. An animal is said to be sub-fossorial if it shows limited adaptations to a fossorial lifestyle.
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.
William Edward Shuckard was an English bookseller and entomologist. He was also librarian of the Royal Society and translated Manual of Entomology Hermann Burmeister (1807-1892). He was a specialist in Hymenoptera but worked on Coleoptera in his early years).
Heterogynaidae is a minor and disputed lineage of small spheciform wasps occurring in Madagascar, Botswana, Turkmenistan, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and the Eastern Mediterranean area. The majority are dark in color and range in size from approximately 1.5 to 5.0 mm. Most specimens have been collected in arid climates, but one species from Madagascar is known to occur in a humid forest habitat. Although males have functional wings, heterogynaid females are typically brachypterous, a trait which is unique among spheciform wasps. Wing venation is reduced in both sexes. All species are diurnal, with the exception of H. nocticola. Other aspects of their biology are completely unknown, but details of their morphology have prompted researchers to hypothesize that they may be non-fossorial parasitoids adapted to hunt in tight spaces, such as under tree bark. This is speculative and has not yet been confirmed by actual observations of behavior. It is also possible that modifications of the female metasomal tergum VI and gonostyli may represent a unique prey transport mechanism, but this is also unconfirmed.
The Tryphoninae comprise a worldwide subfamily of the parasitic wasp family Ichneumonidae.
The Entomological Magazine is a publication devoted to entomology.
Pompilus is a genus of spider wasps in the family Pompilidae, the members of which prey on spiders. There are seven species recognised in Pompilus sensu stricto. It is the type genus of the family Pompilidae and the subfamily Pompilinae.
Priocnemis is a genus of pepsine spider wasp containing around 30 species
Evagetes is a genus of spider wasps from the family Pompilidae. There are 72 described species, of which 58 are found in the Palaearctic region, 11 in the Nearctic region, with a few penetrating to the Afrotropical, Oriental and Neotropic regions. Evagetes wasps are kleptoparasitic on other pompilid wasps, especially the genera Arachnospila, Anoplius, Episyron and Pompilus, digging into their sealed burrows, eating the host egg and replacing it with an egg of its own. Evagetes wasps are characterised by their very short antennae. Most are species are black with the base of the antennae rufous, several Evagetes species are very metallic bluish insects.
Evagetes crassicornis is a kleptoparasitic spider wasp with a holarctic distribution.
Crossocerus is a genus of square-headed wasps in the family Crabronidae. There are at least 250 described species in Crossocerus.
Pemphredon is a Holarctic and northern Oriental genus of medium sized solitary wasps belonging to the subtribe Pemphredonina. 37 species are recognized. The species are both similar and morphologically variable and it is often very difficult to distinguish them. Pemphredon are predatory.
Psenini is a tribe of aphid wasps in the family Crabronidae. There are about 11 genera and at least 460 described species in Psenini.
Hyptia is a genus of ensign wasps in the family Evaniidae. There are at least 50 described species in Hyptia. Most Hyptia can be differentiated from other genera by heavily reduced venation of the forewings, wherein only one closed cell is present.
Gorytina is a subtribe of sand wasps in the family Crabronidae. There are at least 20 genera and 370 described species in Gorytina.
