Superfamily SPHECOIDEA 1587 



Type-species: Ammophila affinis Kirby. Desig. by Fernald, 1927. 

 Podalonia Fernald, 1927. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc. 71 (9): 11. 



Type-species: Ammophila violaceipomis Lepeletier. Desig. by Internatl. Comn. 



Zool. Nomencl, Op. 857, 1968. Op. 857 also suppressed Podalonia Spinola, 1853 



and validated Podalonia Fernald, 1927. 



These wasps are fossorial and construct a single cell at the end of a short burrow. They prey 

 upon caterpillars, usually those of the soil-burrowing cutworm type, and place only one prey 

 specimen in the cell. 



Revision: Melander, 1903. Psyche 10: 156-164. —Fernald, 1927. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc. 71 (9): 

 1-42. —Murray, 1940. Ent. Amer. (n. s.) 20: 1-82. 



Taxonomy: Menke, Bohart and van der Vecht, 1966. Bui. Zool. Nomencl. 23: 48-51 (request 



for suppression of Podalo7iia Spinola, 1853, validation of Podalonia Fernald, 1927, and 



desig. oi Ammophila violaceipennis Lepeletier as type-species). 

 argentifrons (Cresson). West. States and Provinces. Parasite: Pseudoxenos luctuosae (Pierce). 



Ammophila argentifrons Cresson, 1865. Ent. Soc. Phila., Proc. 4: 462. 6. 

 argentipilis (Provancher). Ariz., Calif. 



Pelopoeus argentipilis Provancher, 1887. Addit. Corr. Faune Ent. Canada Hym., p. 256. 9. 



Ammophila morrisoni Cameron, 1888. Biol. Cent.-Amer., Hym., v. 2, p. 21. S. 



Psammophila nicholi Carter, 1924. Ent. News 35: 366. 6. 

 caerulea Murray. Calif., Idaho. 



Podalonia caerulea Murray, 1940. Ent. Amer. (n. s.) 20: 67. d. 

 clypeata Murray. West. States to Minn. 



Podalonia clypeata Murray, 1940. Ent. Amer. (n. s.) 20: 49. 6, 9. 



Taxonomy: Evans and Lin, 1956. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 81: 144, figs. 33-38 (larva). 

 communis communis (Cresson). U. S. west of 100th meridian; Mexico. Ecology: Nests in sand. 

 Parasite: Hilarella hilarella Zett., Metopia argyrocephala (Meig.). Prey: Noctuidae spp., 

 larvae. Predator: Philanthus zebratus nitens (Bks.). Other subspp. occur in Mexico and 

 Central America. 

 Ammophila communis Cresson, 1865. Ent. Soc. Phila., Proc. 4: 462. 6 . 



Biology: Newcomer, 1930. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 23: 552-563 2 pis. (nest, prey, parasite, life 

 cycle). —Hicks, 1931. South. Calif. Acad. Sci., Bui. 30: 75-82, pis. 22-25 (nest, prey). 



— Hicks, 1931. Pan-Pacific Ent. 8: 49-51 (hibernation). —Hicks, 1932. Psyche 39: 150-154 

 (nest, prey, parasite). —Evans, 1970. Mus. Compar. Zool., Bui. 140: 484-485 (nest, prey, 

 parasites, predator). The observations by both Newcomer and Hicks on luctuosa were 

 made on both luctuosa and c. communis. 



compacta Fernald. Calif., Oreg. 



Podalonia violaceipennis var. coynpacta Fernald, 1927. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc. 71 (9): 33. 

 9,6. 

 luctuosa (Smith). Transcont. in northern tier of States and Canada, as far north as N. W. T. 

 and Yukon. Ecology: Nests in sand. Parasite: Pseudoxenos luctuosae (Pierce); Hilarella 

 hilarella (Zett.), Metopia argyrocephala (Meig.), Taxigramma heteroneura (Meig.). Prey: 

 Lycophotia saucia Hbn., L. margaritosa Haw. ?, C horizagrotis agrestis Grt., Noctuidae 

 spp. Predator: Philaiithus zebratus nitens (Bks.). 

 Ammophila luctuosa Smith, 1856. Cat. Hym. Brit. Mus., v. 4, p. 224. 9. 

 Psammophila pacifica Melander and Brues, 1902. Biol. Bui. 3: 40. S. 



Biology: Newcomer, 1930. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 23: 552-563, 2 pis. (nest, prey, parasite, life 

 cycle). —Hicks, 1931. South. Calif. Acad. Sci., Bui. 30: 75-82, pis. 22-25 (nest, prey). 



— Hicks, 1931. Pan-Pacific Ent. 8: 49-51 (hibernation). —Hicks, 1932. Psyche 39: 150-154 

 (nest, prey, parasite). The observations by both Newcomer and Hicks on luctuosa were 

 made on both luctuosa and c. coynmunis. 



Morphology: Snodgrass, 1941. Smithsn. Inst., Misc. Collect. 99, no. 14: 50, pi. 22, figs. 0, P, S, 

 T (male genitalia). 

 melaena Murray. West. States. 



Podalonia melaena Murray, 1940. Ent. Amer. (n. s.) 20: 34. 6, 9. 



