1714 Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico 



Biology: Parker, 1910. Ohio Nat. 10: 163-165 (nest, prey, parasite ?). — Rau and Rau, 1918. 

 Wasp studies afield, pp. 9-37, figs. 2-6 (sun dance, nest, prey, life cycle, cocoon). —Rau, 

 1922. St. Louis Acad. Sci., Trans. 24 (7): 29-30 (sun dance, nest). —Rau, 1935. Psyche 41: 

 243-244 (nesting site). —Evans, 1966. Compar. ethology and evolution of sand wasps, pp. 

 298-308, fig. 159 (sun dance, mating, nest, prey, egg, life cycle, parasites). 



Species Group Texana 



These species make unicellular nests and place the egg in an erect position in the empty cell. 

 False burrows are frequently constructed, and one species removes the prey remains before 

 bringing in fresh prey. 



melanaspis Parker. Southwest. U. S.; Mexico (Baja California). Ecology: Makes unicellular 



nest in sand; lays egg in empty cell. Prey: Tabanidae, Therevidae, Syrphidae, Conopidae, 

 Calliphoridae; Coenagrionidae. 

 Bembix melanaspis Parker, 1917. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc. 52: 109. cJ, 9. 



Biology: Alcock and Gamboa, 1975. Ariz. Acad. Sci., Jour. 10: 160-161, fig. 2 (nest, prey). 

 texana Cresson. Southeast, and south. States. Ecology: Nests in loose to hard-packed sand, 

 sometimes in large aggregations, makes a unicellular nest sometimes with one or two 

 accessory burrows, places egg in empty cell, usually removes old prey remains from cell 

 before bringing in fresh prey. Parasite: Dasymutilla pyrrhus (Fox)? Prey: Hedriodiscus 

 trivittatus Say, Odontomyia sp., Stratiomyidae sp.; Chlorotabanus crepuscularis Beq., 

 Chrysops dimmocki Hine, C. pudica 0. S., Hybomitra hinei wrighti Whit., Tabanus 

 abdominalis F., T. bishoppi Stone, T. coarctatus Stone, T. endymion 0. S., T. 

 fuscicostatus Hine, T. gracilis Wied., T. lineola F., T. melanocerus lacustris Stone, T. 

 mularis Stone, T. nigripes Wied., T. quiyiquevittatus Hine, T. spams milleri Whit., T. 

 trijunctus Wlkr.; Villa sp.; Meromacrus acutus F., M icrodon fulgens Wied., Tubifera 

 sp.; Micropezidae sp.; Cochliomyia macellaria F., Phaenicia caeruleiviridis Macq.; 

 Exorista larvarum L., Tachinidae spp. 



Bembix fasciata Fabricius, 1804. Systema Piezatorum, p. 224. Preocc. This is a 

 questionable synonym. 



Bembexd) texana Cresson, 1872. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 4: 219. ?. 



Taxonomy: Evans and Lin, 1956. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 82: 62, figs. 105-107 (larva). 



Biology: Evans, 1957. Studies on compar. ethology Bembix, pp. 135-141, fig. 37 (nest, egg, 



prey, life cycle). — Krombein, 1958. Ent. Soc. Wash., Proc. 60: 107-110 (nest, prey). 



—Evans, 1966. Compar. ethology and evolution of sand wasps, pp. 323-335, figs. 165-170 



(male sun dance, nest, prey, parasite ?). 

 troglodytes Handlirsch. Southwest. States north to Kans.; north. Mexico. Ecology: Nests in 

 fine-grained damp sand along watercourse, not markedly gregarious, makes unicellular 

 nest frequently with an accessory burrow, places egg in empty cell, stores 21-26 prey 

 per cell. Parasite: Timulla leona (Bl.)?; E xoprosopa fascipennis (Say)? Prey: Eulalia 

 communis James, Hedriodiscus truquii (Bell), Hoplitimyia constans Lw., Stratiomys 

 meigenii Wied.; Chrysops sequax Will, C. wiedemanni Kroeb., Tabanus sp.; Exoprosopa 

 fascipennis (Say), E. iota (0. S.), Sparywpolius sp., Systoechus vidgaris Lw., Villa 

 chimaera (0. S.). V. salebrosa Paint.; Chrysogaster nitida Wied., Eristalis tenax L.; 

 Musca domestica L.; Orthellia caesarion Meig., Stomoxys calcitrans L.; Callitroga 

 macellaria F., Phormia regina Meig.; Amobia sp., Amobiopsis aurata Coq., Sarcophaga 

 derelicta Wlkr., S. Iherminieri R.-Desv., S. opifera Coq., S. rapax Wlkr., S. ventricosa 

 Wulp, Senotainia flavicornis Tns., S. litoralis Allen, S. trilineata (Wulp), S. sp.; 

 Achaetoneura sp., Copecrypta nitens Wied., Gymnoclytia occidua Wlkr., Phorocera 

 claripennis Macq. 



BembexV.) troglodytes Handlirsch, 1893. Akad. Wiss. Wien, Math.-Nat. Kl., Sitzber. 102: 

 829. 6, 9. 



Bembix helianthopolis Parker, 1917. U. S. Natl. Mus., Proc. 52: 113. 6, 9. 



Taxonomy: Evans and Lin, 1956. Amer. Ent. Soc, Trans. 82: 61, figs. 102-104 (larva). 



Biology: Evans, 1957. Studies on compar. ethology Bembix, pp. 116-135, figs. 29-36 (male sun 

 dance, mating, nest, egg, prey, life cycle, parasites?). —Evans, 1966. Compar. ethology and 

 evolution of sand wasps, pp. 335-337 (nest, prey). 



