Irrigating is an amazing insect that lives in almost any climatic zone. But most of all he prefers warm and hot weather. In the tropics, one can find impressive wasp sizes, the length of which reaches five centimeters. Among these insects there are species that sting, and those who do not have a similar ability by nature. In Russia, they are very common, especially in the south of the country.
Appearance
This insect, depending on the species, has its own special structure and length. Burrowing wasps (sphecids) can reach up to fifty-five millimeters in size. They look about the same as regular wasps, but much larger. The back of the wasp resembles a small roller, which is a characteristic feature of this detachment. The name of the insects comes from their main activity - they dig the earth, that is, they dig out housing for themselves and settle in it. The forelegs of digging wasps are covered with protective hard bristles, the main function of which is to tilt the soil during the digging process.
However, despite the name, not all representatives of this species live in earthen minks. Some species prefer wood and plants. In many of them, the upper segment is quite flat, which helps them to pull the ground out of a narrow passage in the hole and level it.
Burrowing Wasp Feeding
A digging wasp is a predator. This is an amazing hunter with a certain strategy in the attack. If the wasp chose a victim, then it will not hide. In addition, the very first blow of a wasp is fatal. After such an attack, the victim is completely immobilized. But the wasp hunts mainly for posterity. The main part of her diet is the juice of plants, flowers, nectar. Burrowing wasps also consume water, but only a few species. Individual species extract collected nectar from bee goiter.
Types of digging wasps
This is a fairly large group of insectivores, numbering more than ten thousand species. The most common ones are:
- Wasp Larra anathema. This species is especially appreciated by gardeners and gardeners because its representatives exterminate pests, including a bear. This burrowing wasp is a loner, eats nectar, loves heat, it can be recognized by its black color. During the hunt for the bear, it strikes, paralyzing the insect. Then the wasp lays an egg in the victim's body. After the effect of the poison passes, the bear crawls deep underground. It was there that the wasp larva develops best, simultaneously parasitizing on the pest. The bear dies shortly before the formation of the chrysalis inside it.
- Sandy Ammophile. She has a thin and long body, color - black with a red belly.
Sandy ammophile is considered a large representative of digging wasps - its length can reach four centimeters. This caterpillar feeds its offspring with caterpillars that live in the ground. First, a sandy ammophile preys on a prey, which is several times larger than a wasp, then paralyzes and drags it into its nest. It makes masonry directly on the caterpillar so that the larva can feed on it.
- Bee wolf, philanthropist. This type of digging wasp is quite large, with a large head, developed jaws and a powerful body. The color of the philanthropist is black and yellow; on the back there are several stripes of white color. The name defines the way of life of a wasp - it preys on honey bees. After the victim is caught, the philanthist stings him mortally, eats honey, and takes the body of the dead bee to the nest where he feeds his offspring. The bee wolf causes significant damage to beekeepers.
- Ordinary pecanora. This wastewater is black in color, with whitish spots and a red belly. Nectar and insects, such as grasshoppers and crickets, serve as food for the common pecora. Usually the victims of these digging wasps are much larger than themselves. Clinging to a fight with a much larger insect than himself, he quickly fights to the last and, as a rule, emerges victorious. After the pecuniary inflicts fatal blows to the victim with his sting, even a very large grasshopper gives off a breath.
- There are still road wasps that lay eggs in the bodies of spiders.
Breeding in nature
Burrowing wasps are insects that are very sensitive to their offspring. For their larvae, they procure food for the future and even build houses for the younger generation. Butterflies, caterpillars, flies, aphids, spiders serve mainly as food for larvae of wasps. Certain species of wasps as a victim choose "their" insects. These wasps do not live in groups, it can be said that they are loners, therefore they are cared for their offspring independently. After the female wasp prepares a shelter for herself in the ground, she, like a thrifty housewife, fills the nest with food and only then lays eggs. An earthen mink closes from above for protection. Some species of females check their nest with eggs every day in order to supply the larva with fresh food. If there are several nests, then a digging wasp monitors everyone.
Nesting place
As a rule, digging wasps (photos of some of them can be seen in this article) nest where it is safe. They dig themselves minks in sand, earth, settle in the bark of trees or the stems of large plants. They do all this, following instinct, for future offspring. At the end of spring, the mating bees begin the mating season, after which the insects masonry in the prepared nest.
