The Sphecid family of wasps comprise a large, diverse, family of solitary hunting wasps
and vary in length from 3/8 to 2 1/8 inches.  They may be solid black or brown, or be
patterned with white, yellow or red.

They differ from Spider wasps and Vespid wasps because their short, collarlike, pronotum
has a knoblike lobe that does not extend back to the base of the wings. They differ from
Vespid wasps in having a short discal cell in the forewing and unpleated wings that are fold-
ed over the abdomen while at rest.

Some adults drink nectar from flowers, others drink aphid honeydew or body fluids of their
prey.  Breeding females hunt for many kinds of insects and spiders and may nest in under-
ground tunnels.  Some sphecids are nest parasites, and may remove an egg from the nest
of another sphecid species and replace it with their own.  These wasps are aggressive and
all have a painful sting.
 

The Steel-blue Cricket hunter is a member of the Sphecid family and measures in length
from 1/2 to 5/8 inch with a 1-segmented pedicel between the thorax and abdomen.  They
are a dark, metallic, steel blue with the antennae and legs being black and the wings, a dark
blue.

              Steel-blue Cricket Hunter

They can be found in meadows which have nearby sandy areas and are found throughout .
the United States.  Adults drink nectar while the larvae feed on crickets and grasshoppers
These insects need a sandy soil nearby so they can easily dig a slanting tunnel which will
be used for protection and for laying eggs.  Females drag their prey inside the tunnels,
attach an egg to the prey and then back out of the tunnel, closing the opening with a
sand and saliva mixture.  The larvae feed on the dead insect and pupate in the burrow.
They emerge as an adult the following summer.

This insect is often confused with the Blue Mud Dauber because of their similar color,
and size but can be distinguished by the shorter pedicel of the Steel-blue Cricket Hunter.
 

Another Sphecid is the Black and Yellow Mud Dauber which is 1 to 1 1/8 inches in length,
with a slender, cylindrical, 1-segmented pedicel ( waist ).

 Black and Yellow Mud Dauber

These insects are black with a large yellow area in the prothorax, yellow markings on the
thorax, abdomen, and first abdominal segment, and the legs being mostly yellow with the
wing colors ranging from brown to black.

The Black and Yellow Mud Dauber can be found in meadows, around cliffs, under rocks
and under the eaves of buildings.  They are found throughout North America and exist
on nectar, with the larva feeding on spiders.

Females use mud to shape the cells into which she will place an egg.  A paralyzed spider
is stuffed into the mud cell, where a single egg is layed onto the spider.  She will then
back out of the cell, sealing the opening with mud.  This procedure is repeated until all
the eggs are layed and provisioned.  Larvae range from 3/8 to 1/2 inch in length and
will spin semi-transparent, reddish-brown cocoons inside the cells.

Males are rarely seen before late June, and often can be seen, in late summer and early
autumn, drinking nectar from the various hot weather flowers and plants.

                      Cicada Killer

The Cicada Killer is a rather large wasp, measuring from 1 1/8 to 1 5/8 inches in length,
with a short waist.  It is black in color, with yellow markings across the thorax, on the
sides, and on the first three abdominal segments.  The legs are yellowish with the middle
tibiae having 2 spurs at the tip.  The wings are a dusky, brownish color.

These insects live at the edge of forests and also like to frequent city parks, so as to
find bits and pieces of food left over from picnics or other gatherings.  They are found
throughout North America and exist on nectar and food scraps with the larvae feeding
on prechewed Cicadas.

Numerous females join efforts in building nests out of light clay or sandy soil.  These
nests all branch together and have two or three cells at the ends of the tunnels.  The
front legs are used in digging,  and the hind legs are used for kicking the loose dirt out
behind them.

The nest entrance is usually left open, while the females go hunting for Cicadas.  Each
victim is treated to a paralyzing sting and is carried back to the nest.  One or two of
the Cicadas are placed in each cell, with an egg being layed on top of the insects.  These
hapless Cicadas will nourish the larvae until they emerge in late July or early August.

Because of it's size, it has also been called the " Giant Cicada Killer."

Other members of the Sphecid family include the Thread-waisted wasp, the Eastern Sand
Wasp, the Purplish-blue Cricket Hunter, the Florida Hunting Wasp, and the Great Golden
Digger Wasp.  These other members will be dealt with in more detail, in future additions
to these web pages.