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HYMENOPTERA, Sphecidae (Leach 1815) - (Sphecoidea)
-- <Images> & <Juveniles> Description
Sphecidae
is a large worldwide family with more than 7,552 known species as of
2000. Diagnostic characters include a
pronotum with laterally rounded lobes which do not reach the tegulae; abdomen
often with distinct petiole; legs long and slender. The antennae usually have 12 segments in females and 13
segments in males. The head is
oblique with sturdily developed mandibles.
Both males and females possess wings. All known species are solitary,
although the nests may hve several females provisioning their nests in wood,
in burrows in the ground, or constructed of mud, with a wide variety of insect
larvae and adults or spiders. The
subfamily Larrinae contains primary ectoparasitoids of nymphs of Hemiptera
and Orthoptera. Adult sphecids use
nectar as a food source. Finnamore & Michener (1993)
discussed 3 subfamilies in this family:
Ammophilinae, Sceliphrinae and Specinae Several formerly separate families
are now included in the Sphecidae.
These are Ampulicidae, Astatinae, Bembicidae, Cerceridae, Crabronidae,
Larridae, Mellinidae, Nyssonidae, Pemphredonidae, Philanthidae, Psenidae,
Sphecidae, Stizidae and Trypoxylonidae.
However, since much of the early literature discusses the various now
grouped families separate, information is presently being retained under the
former family categories in the files <ampulici.htm>,
<astatin.htm>, <bembicid.htm>,
<cercerid.htm>, <crabroni.htm>,
<larrinae.htm>, <mellinid.htm>,
<nyssonid.htm>, <pemphred.htm>,
<philanth.htm>, <pseninae.htm>,
<sphecid.htm>, <stizinae.htm>,
<trypoxyl.htm>. References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references
may be found at: MELVYL
Library] Bohart,
R. M. & A. S. Meake. 1976. Sphecid
Wasps of the World. Univ. Calif.
Press. Evans, H.
E. 1963. Wasp Farm. Evans, H.
E. 1966. The Comparative Ethology and
Evolution of the Sandwasps.
Harvard Univ. Press. Parker. 1929.
Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 75:
11-181. Sanhouse,
G. 1940. Amer. Midl. Nat. 24:
133-76. |