Superfamily SPHECOIDEA 1703 



renicinctus (Say). Mich., Wis., 111. south to Tex., west to Alta., B. C. and Calif., D. C, N. C; 

 Mexico (Zacatecas). Host: Prionyx atratus (lep.), P. thomae (F.). 

 Stizus renicinctus Say, 1823. West. Quart. Rptr. 2: 77. 

 Stizus unicinctus Say, 1824. Amer. Ent. 1:4. 6. Emend. 



Biology: Bradley, 1908. Ent. Soc. Amer., Ann. 1: 129 (sleeping aggregation). —Williams, 1914 

 (1913). Kans. Univ. Sci. Bui. 8: 230 (host). -Smith, 1915. U. S. Dept. Agr., Bui. 293: 10-11 

 (host). — Rau and Rau, 1918. Wasp studies afield, pp. 180-193 (host). —Evans, 1966. 

 Compar. ethology and evolution of sand wasps, p. 129 (host). 



Genus BEMBECINUS Costa 



Bembecinus Costa, 1859. Fauna Regn. Napoli, Imen. Acul., Nyssonid., p. 4. 



Type-species: Bembeciyius meridionalis Costa. Monotypic. 

 Stizomorpkus Costa, 1859. Fauna Regn. Napoli, Imen. Acul., Nyssonid., p. 7. 



Type-species: Vespa tridens Fabricius. Monotypic. 

 Gorystizus Pate, .1937. Amer. Ent. Soc, Mem. 9: 29. 



Type-species: Vespa tridens Fabricius. Orig. desig. 

 Lavia Rayment, 1953. Victorian Nat. 70: 123. Nom. nudum. 



The genus occurs in all major zoogeographic regions and on many islands. Five species groups 

 are recognized but the few North American taxa are all assigned to the Tridens Group. Many 

 species nest in sandy soil in compact colonies, frequently made up of many individuals. All spe- 

 cies whose biology is known prey upon leafhoppers and some other Homoptera, and practice 

 progressive provisioning. 



Revision: Krombein and Willink, 1951 (1950). Amer. Midland Nat. 44: 699-713 (N. Amer. 

 spp.). 



Biology: Evans, 1955. Behaviour 7: 295-302 (comparative behavior). 

 bishoppi Krombein and Willink. Tex. 



Bembecinus bishoppi Krombein and Willink, 1951 (1950). Amer. Midland Nat. 44: 710. 9, 

 6. 

 moneduloides (Smith). Fla. (St. Johns Bluff). 



Larra moneduloides Smith, 1856. Cat. Hym. Brit. Mus., v. 4, p. 346. 9, (cJ misdet.). 



Taxonomy: WilHnk, 1957. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (12) 9: 702-704. 

 nanus floridanus Krombein and Willink. S. Fla. 



Bembecinus nanus floridanus Krombein and Willink, 1951 (1950). Amer. Midland Nat. 44: 

 706. 6. 

 nanus nanus (Handlirsch). N. J. to north. Fla., west to Tex., Iowa, east. Nebr. Prey: 

 Graphocephala versula (Say), Fulgoridae spp. 

 Stizus nanus Handlirsch, 1892. Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math.-Nat. Kl., Sitzber. 101: 61. 9, cJ. 



Biology: Shappirio, 1946. Ent. News 57: 229-230 (prey). 

 nanus strenuus (Mickel). Nebr., S. Dak., Wyo., Tex. 



Stizus strenuus Mickel, 1918 (1917). Nebr. Univ. Studies 17: 331. 9, i. 

 neglectus (Cresson). Nebr., Kans., Tex., La., Miss. Ecology: Colony nests in hard-packed sand 

 containing pebbles, makes 1-2 cells per nest, stores 10-15 prey per cell, practices 

 progressive provisioning. Prey: Gyponana octolineata (Say), Texananus excultus (Uhl.), 

 Xerophloea majesta Laws., all adults; Scolops sp. nymphs; preys principally upon adult 

 Cicadellidae. 

 Monediila neglecta Cresson, 1872. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 4: 222. 9. 

 Stizus xanthochrous Handlirsch, 1892. Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math.-Nat. Kl, Sitzber. 101: 69. 

 6. 



Taxonomy: Evans and Lin, 1956. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 82: 47, figs. 37-42 (larva). 



Biology: Evans, 1955. Behaviour 7: 287-295, 4 figs, (mating, nest, prey, egg, cocoon, life 

 cycle). 



