Scoliid Wasps

New York City isn’t very rich in Scolliidae. Above is the first Noble Scoliid Wasp/Scolia nobilitata I’ve seen here, spotted last week in Green-Wood. It’s the tenth iNaturalist observation of the species in the city.

We do have a lot of Blue-winged Scoliid Wasps, also known as Two-spotted Scoliid here in the East (Scolia dubia ssp. dubia). There are over 1,200 iNat observations of this one.

There are approximately twenty species in this family in North America north of Mexico. Four have been found here in NYC, but besides the Two-spotted, the others have only been recorded in very small numbers.

Double-banded Scoliid Wasp/Scolia bicincta. Six observations.

(This one’s appearance on the mountain mint was not taken well.)

Feather-legged Scoliid Wasp/Dielis plumipes has been seen by two observers, both at the same park in Queens. (I haven’t seen this one here in NYC; these photos are from Virginia in late April from last year.)

Scoliid wasps lay their eggs on scarab beetle larvae. The hairy/spiny legs (on the females) help them excavate earth as they hunt for their prey.

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My last two tours of the insect season in Green-Wood will be on Sunday, September 10th and Sunday, September 17th (the kid version).