Approximately 1 to 1 1/4 inches or 25 to 30 mm in length, this spider wasp is all black except for a patch of rust color in the outer third of the wing. The antennae are bright yellow.
This wasp is fairly common in our area. It can be seen nectaring on flowers such as Queen Anne’s Lace, in late July through late September.
This is a solitary hunting wasp that preys on large wolf spiders. Females dig a burrow that ends in a terminal chamber off of the side of a mammal burrow or a crack in the ground. She places a paralyzed spider in the chamber for her larva. There is one generation per year . They overwinter as pupae. The female’s sting has been described as a “red-hot, electrified needle.”
The content of NatureSearch is provided by dedicated volunteer Naturalists of Fontenelle Forest who strive to provide the most accurate information available. Contributors of the images retain their copyrights. The point of contact for this page is: Loren Padelford.