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.
Hornets are the largest of the eusocial wasps, and are similar in appearance to their close relatives yellowjackets. Some species can reach up to 5.5 cm (2.2 in) in length. They are distinguished from other vespine wasps by the relatively large top margin of the head. Worldwide, 22 species of Vespa are recognized. Most species only occur in the tropics of Asia, though the European hornet is widely distributed throughout Europe, Russia, North America, and north-eastern Asia. Wasps native to North America in the genus Dolichovespula are commonly referred to as hornets, but all of them are actually yellowjackets.
Johan Christian Fabricius was a Danish zoologist, specialising in "Insecta", which at that time included all arthropods: insects, arachnids, crustaceans and others. He was a student of Carl Linnaeus, and is considered one of the most important entomologists of the 18th century, having named nearly 10,000 species of animals, and established the basis for the modern insect classification.
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.
Smerinthus jamaicensis, the twin-spotted sphinx, is a moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.
Sphex pensylvanicus, the great black wasp, is a species of digger wasp. It lives across most of North America and grows to a size of 20–35 mm (0.8–1.4 in). The larvae feed on living insects that the females paralyze and carry to the underground nest.
Argynnis is a genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae, one of several groups known as "fritillaries".
Colotis aurora, the sulphur orange tip or plain orange-tip, is a butterfly in the family Pieridae. It is found in Asia and Africa. The nominate subspecies, Colotis aurora aurora is found in India and Sri Lanka. The other subspecies, Colotis aurora evarne is found in Mauritania, Senegal, the Gambia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and southern Arabia.
Bembecinus is a cosmopolitan genus of sand wasps belonging to the family Crabronidae. There are at least 200 described species in Bembecinus.
Trichiotinus is a genus of fruit and flower chafers in the family Scarabaeidae. There are about 8 described species in Trichiotinus, all native to the New World.
Brachiacantha is a genus of lady beetles in the family Coccinellidae. There are at least 25 described species in Brachiacantha.
Brassicogethes is a genus of pollen beetles in the family Nitidulidae. There are at least 4 described species in Brassicogethes.
Sphex dorsalis is a species of thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. It is found from the southern United States south to Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Phryganeidae is a family of giant caddisflies in the order Trichoptera. There are about 16 genera and at least 80 described species in Phryganeidae.
Sphex nudus, the katydid wasp, is a species of thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae.
Mormidea is a genus of stink bugs in the family Pentatomidae. There are about five described species in Mormidea.
Endelomyia is a genus of common sawflies in the family Tenthredinidae. There are at least two described species in Endelomyia.
Apsilops is a genus of ichneumon wasps in the family Ichneumonidae. There are about nine described species of Apsilops.
Ornidia obesa is a species of syrphid fly in the family Syrphidae.
Oebalus is a genus of stink bugs in the family Pentatomidae. There are about six described species in Oebalus.
