''Ammophila'' is the

type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus (''genus typica'') is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearin ...

of the subfamily

Ammophilinae Ammophilinae is a subfamily of thread-waisted wasps in the family Sphecidae The Sphecidae are a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan family of wasps of the suborder Apocrita that includes Ammophilinae, sand wasps, mud daubers, and other ...

of the hunting

wasp A wasp is any insect of the narrow-waisted suborder Apocrita of the order Hymenoptera which is neither a bee nor an ant; this excludes the broad-waisted sawflies (Symphyta), which look somewhat like wasps, but are in a separate suborder ...

family

Sphecidae The Sphecidae are a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan family of wasps of the suborder Apocrita that includes Ammophilinae, sand wasps, mud daubers, and other thread-waisted wasps. The name Sphecidae was formerly given to a much larger g ...

. ''Ammophila'' is a large and cosmopolitan genus, with over 200 species, mostly occurring in the warmer regions of all continents apart from

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean (also known as the Antarctic Ocean), it contains the geographic South Pole. ...

Vernacular names

Ammophila ferrugineipes Thread-waisted wasp IMG 2008s

''Ammophila'' species are sometimes referred to as "thread-waisted wasps", but the name is not definitive, because many other members of the family Sphecidae are thread-waisted and referred to as such. Sometimes Ammophiline wasps are referred to as "sand wasps"; this is consistent with the name ''Ammophila'', which derives from the Greek for "sand lover" (many species dig their nests in sand). However, this common name is used primarily for wasps in the family Crabronidae, in the tribe

Bembicini The Bembicini, or sand wasps, are a large tribe of bembicid wasps, comprising 20 genera. Bembicines are parasitoids on various groups of insects. The type of prey captured tends to be rather consistent within each genus, with flies (Diptera) b ...

. As is frequent in dealing with common names, no definitive common name for the Ammophilinae exists;

entomologists Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology that focuses on insects. Those who study entomology are known as entomologists. In ...

usually confine themselves to the technical names for convenience and clarity.

Morphology and habits

As is frequent in large genera, considerable variation occurs in their habits and appearance, but predominantly they are medium-sized wasps of strikingly slender build, with antennae about as long as the head plus thorax. The jaws are not large, but are strong and apart from feeding and digging, often are used for unexpected functions such as holding a pebble with which the wasp hammers down soil to seal a nest,Peckham, George W, Peckham, Elizabeth G.; Wasps, Social and Solitary, Pub. Constable 1905 or to grip the stem of a plant at night, holding its body at right-angles to the stem, its legs folded and all the weight taken up by the mandibles. This habit is not unique to the Ammophilinae – some bees, such as '' Amegilla'', also overnight in that way, and

Fabre Fabre or Fabré is a surname of Occitan French origin, and a given name. Notable people with the name include: * André Fabre (born 1945), French horse racing trainer * Cándido Fabré, Cuban musician, songwriter and singer * Catherine Fabre, Fr ...

documented some others.Fabre, Jean-Henri; The wonders of instinct; Pub: Century, New York 1918

Nesting

Nesting is generally by digging an unbranched tunnel in sandy soil, but provisioning can be progressive, the mother bringing prey as the larva requires it, or

mass provisioning Mass provisioning is a form of parental investment in which an adult insect, most commonly a hymenopteran such as a bee or wasp, stocks all the food for each of her offspring in a small chamber (a "cell") before she lays the egg. This behavior is ...

, where each nest is provided with a single large prey item, or as many small prey items as should be required.

Species

The genus ''Ammophila'' was created by the English

parson-naturalist A parson-naturalist was a cleric (a "parson", strictly defined as a country priest who held the living of a parish, but the term is generally extended to other clergy), who often saw the study of natural science as an extension of his religious wor ...

William Kirby in 1798. It contains 243 extant species: *'' Ammophila aberti'' Haldeman, 1852 *'' Ammophila abnormis'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila acuta'' (Fernald, 1934) *'' Ammophila adelpha'' Kohl, 1901 *'' Ammophila aellos'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila afghanica'' Balthasar, 1957 *'' Ammophila africana'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila albotomentosa'' Morice, 1900 *'' Ammophila altigena'' Gussakovskij, 1930 *'' Ammophila antenniferruginea'' Yan and Q. Li, 2010 *'' Ammophila antoninae'' Danilov, 2018 *'' Ammophila antropovi'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila aphrodite'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila apicalis'' Guérin-Méneville, 1835 *'' Ammophila arabica'' W.F. Kirby, 1900 *'' Ammophila ardens'' F. Smith, 1868 *'' Ammophila areolata'' Walker, 1871 *'' Ammophila argyrocephala'' Arnold, 1951 *'' Ammophila arnoldi'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila arvensis'' Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845 *'' Ammophila asiatica'' Tsuneki, 1971 *'' Ammophila assimilis'' Kohl, 1901 *'' Ammophila atripes'' F. Smith, 1852 *'' Ammophila aucella'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila aurifera'' R. Turner, 1908 *'' Ammophila azteca'' Cameron, 1888 *'' Ammophila barbara'' (Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845) *'' Ammophila barbarorum'' Arnold, 1951 *'' Ammophila barkalovi'' Danilov, 2015 *'' Ammophila beaumonti'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila bechuana'' (R. Turner, 1929) *'' Ammophila bella'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila bellula'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila beniniensis'' (Palisot de Beauvois, 1806) *'' Ammophila bispinosa'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila boharti'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila borealis'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1990 *'' Ammophila braunsi'' (R. Turner, 1919) *'' Ammophila breviceps'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila brevipennis'' Bingham, 1897 *'' Ammophila californica'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila calva'' (Arnold, 1920) *'' Ammophila campestris'' Latreille, 1809 *'' Ammophila caprella'' Arnold, 1951 *'' Ammophila cellularis'' Gussakovskij, 1930 *'' Ammophila centralis'' Cameron, 1888 *'' Ammophila centroafricana'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila clavus'' (Fabricius, 1775) *'' Ammophila cleopatra'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila clypeola'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1990 *'' Ammophila clypeolineata'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila coachella'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila conditor'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila confusa'' A. Costa, 1864 *'' Ammophila conifera'' (Arnold, 1920) *'' Ammophila cora'' Cameron, 1888 *'' Ammophila coronata'' A. Costa, 1864 *'' Ammophila crassifemoralis'' (R. Turner, 1919) *'' Ammophila cybele'' Menke, 1970 *'' Ammophila dantoni'' Roth in Nadig, 1933 *'' Ammophila dejecta'' Cameron, 1888 *'' Ammophila dentigera'' Gussakovskij, 1928 *'' Ammophila deserticola'' Tsuneki, 1971 *'' Ammophila djaouak'' de Beaumont, 1956 *'' Ammophila dolichocephala'' Cameron, 1910 *'' Ammophila dolichodera'' Kohl, 1884 *'' Ammophila dubia'' Kohl, 1901 *'' Ammophila duhokensis'' Augul, Abdoul-Rassoul, and Kaddou, 2013 *'' Ammophila dysmica'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila electa'' Kohl, 1901 *'' Ammophila elongata'' Fischer de Waldheim, 1843 *'' Ammophila erminea'' Kohl, 1901 *'' Ammophila evansi'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila exsecta'' Kohl, 1906 *'' Ammophila extremitata'' Cresson, 1865 *'' Ammophila eyrensis'' R. Turner, 1908 *'' Ammophila femurrubra'' W. Fox, 1894 *'' Ammophila fernaldi'' (Murray, 1938) *'' Ammophila ferruginosa'' Cresson, 1865 *'' Ammophila filata'' Walker, 1871 *'' Ammophila fischeri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila formicoides'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila formosensis'' Tsuneki, 1971 *'' Ammophila ganquana'' Yang and Li, 1989 *'' Ammophila gaumeri'' Cameron, 1888 *'' Ammophila globifrontalis'' Q. Li and Ch. Yang, 1995 *'' Ammophila globiverticalis'' Ch. Wang and L. Ma, 2018 *'' Ammophila gracilis'' Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845 *'' Ammophila gracillima'' Taschenberg, 1869 *'' Ammophila guichardi'' de Beaumont, 1956 *'' Ammophila gusenleitneri'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila gussakovskii'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila haimatosoma'' Kohl, 1884 *'' Ammophila haladai'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila hallelujah'' Menke, 2020 *'' Ammophila harti'' (Fernald, 1931) *'' Ammophila hemilauta'' Kohl, 1906 *'' Ammophila hermosa'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila heteroclypeola'' Li and Xue, 1998 *'' Ammophila hevans'' Menke, 2004 *'' Ammophila heydeni'' Dahlbom, 1845 *'' Ammophila holosericea'' (Fabricius, 1793) *'' Ammophila honorei'' Alfieri, 1946 *'' Ammophila horni'' von Schulthess, 1927 *'' Ammophila hungarica'' Mocsáry, 1883 *'' Ammophila hurdi'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila iliensis'' Kazenas, 2001 *'' Ammophila imitator'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila induta'' Kohl, 1901 *'' Ammophila infesta'' F. Smith, 1873 *'' Ammophila insignis'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila insolata'' F. Smith, 1858 *'' Ammophila instabilis'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila juncea'' Cresson, 1865 *'' Ammophila kalaharica'' (Arnold, 1935) *'' Ammophila karenae'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila kennedyi'' (Murray, 1938) *'' Ammophila kenyensis'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila kondarensis'' Danilov, 2018 *'' Ammophila kowalczyki'' Olszewski, 2020 *'' Ammophila laeviceps'' F. Smith, 1873 *'' Ammophila laevicollis'' Ed. André, 1886 *'' Ammophila laevigata'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila laminituberalis'' Ch. Wang and Ma, 2018 *'' Ammophila lampei'' Strand, 1910 *'' Ammophila lativalvis'' Gussakovskij, 1928 *'' Ammophila leclercqi'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila leoparda'' (Fernald, 1934) *'' Ammophila linda'' Menke, 2020 *'' Ammophila longiclypeata'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila macra'' Cresson, 1865 *'' Ammophila malickyi'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila marshi'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila mcclayi'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila mediata'' Cresson, 1865 *'' Ammophila menghaiana'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1989 *'' Ammophila menkei'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila meridionalis'' Kazenas, 1980 *'' Ammophila mescalero'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila mexica'' Menke, 2020 *'' Ammophila mimica'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila mitlaensis'' Alfieri, 1961 *'' Ammophila modesta'' Mocsáry, 1883 *'' Ammophila moenkopi'' Menke, 1967 *'' Ammophila monachi'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila mongolensis'' Tsuneki, 1971 *'' Ammophila murrayi'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila namibiensis'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila nancy'' Menke, 2007 *'' Ammophila nasalis'' Provancher, 1895 *'' Ammophila nasuta'' Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845 *'' Ammophila nearctica'' Kohl, 1889 *'' Ammophila nefertiti'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila nemkovi'' Danilov, 2018 *'' Ammophila nigri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila nigricans'' Dahlbom, 1843 *'' Ammophila nigrifrons'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila nigrina'' F. Morawitz, 1889 *'' Ammophila nitida'' Fischer de Waldheim, 1834 *'' Ammophila novita'' (Fernald, 1934) *'' Ammophila obliquestriolae'' Yang and Li, 1989 *'' Ammophila occipitalis'' F. Morawitz, 1890 *'' Ammophila ohli'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila pachythoracalis'' Yang and Li, 1989 *'' Ammophila pakistana'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila parapolita'' (Fernald, 1934) *'' Ammophila parapunctaticeps'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila parkeri'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila peckhami'' (Fernald, 1934) *'' Ammophila peringueyi'' (Arnold, 1928) *'' Ammophila persica'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila pevtsovi'' Danilov, 2015 *'' Ammophila picipes'' Cameron, 1888 *'' Ammophila pictipennis'' Walsh, 1869 *'' Ammophila pilimarginata'' Cameron, 1912 *'' Ammophila placida'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila platensis'' Brèthes, 1909 *'' Ammophila poecilocnemis'' Morice, 1900 *'' Ammophila polita'' Cresson, 1865 *'' Ammophila procera'' Dahlbom, 1843 *'' Ammophila producticollis'' Morice, 1900 *'' Ammophila proxima'' (F. Smith, 1856) *'' Ammophila pruinosa'' Cresson, 1865 *'' Ammophila pseudodolichodera'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila pseudoheydeni'' Li and He, 2000 *''

Ammophila pseudokalaharica ''Ammophila'' is the Latin name of two genera: * ''Ammophila'' (plant), a genus of grasses in the family Poaceae * ''Ammophila'' (wasp), a genus of insects in the family Sphecidae {{genus disambiguation ...

'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila pseudonasuta'' Bytinski-Salz in de Beaumont and Bytinski-Salz, 1955 *''

Ammophila pubescens ''Ammophila'' is the Latin name of two genera: * Ammophila (plant), ''Ammophila'' (plant), a genus of grasses in the family Poaceae * Ammophila (wasp), ''Ammophila'' (wasp), a genus of insects in the family Sphecidae {{genus disambiguation ...

'' Curtis, 1836 *'' Ammophila pulawskii'' Tsuneki, 1971 *'' Ammophila punctata'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila punctaticeps'' (Arnold, 1920) *'' Ammophila punti'' Guichard, 1988 *'' Ammophila quadraticollis'' A. Costa, 1893 *'' Ammophila rauschi'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila regina'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila ressli'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila roborovskyi'' Kohl, 1906 *'' Ammophila rubigegen'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1990 *'' Ammophila rubiginosa'' Lepeletier de Saint Fargeau, 1845 *'' Ammophila rubripes'' Spinola, 1839 *'' Ammophila ruficosta'' Spinola, 1851 *'' Ammophila rufipes'' Guérin-Méneville, 1831 *'' Ammophila sabulosa'' (Linnaeus, 1758) *'' Ammophila saengeri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila sarekandana'' Balthasar, 1957 *'' Ammophila sareptana'' Kohl, 1884 *'' Ammophila saussurei'' ( du Buysson, 1897) *'' Ammophila schalleri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila schmideggeri'' Dollfuss, 2013 *'' Ammophila separanda'' F. Morawitz, 1891 *'' Ammophila sickmanni'' Kohl, 1901 *'' Ammophila sinensis'' Sickmann, 1894 *'' Ammophila smithii'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila snizeki'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila stangei'' Menke, 1964 *'' Ammophila strenua'' Cresson, 1865 *'' Ammophila striata'' Mocsáry, 1878 *'' Ammophila strumosa'' Kohl, 1906 *'' Ammophila subassimilis'' Strand, 1913 *'' Ammophila tekkensis'' Gussakovskij, 1930 *'' Ammophila terminata'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila theryi'' (Gribodo, 1894) *'' Ammophila touareg'' Ed. André, 1886 *'' Ammophila tsunekii'' Menke in Bohart and Menke, 1976 *'' Ammophila tuberculiscutis'' Turner, 1919 *'' Ammophila turneri'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila tyrannica'' Cameron, 1890 *'' Ammophila unita'' Menke, 1966 *'' Ammophila untumoris'' Yang and Li, 1989 *'' Ammophila urnaria'' Dahlbom, 1843 *'' Ammophila vagabunda'' F. Smith, 1856 *'' Ammophila varipes'' Cresson, 1865 *'' Ammophila vetuberosa'' Q. Li and J. Yang, 1994 *'' Ammophila vulcania'' du Buysson, 1897 *'' Ammophila wahlbergi'' Dahlbom, 1845 *'' Ammophila wrightii'' (Cresson, 1868) *'' Ammophila xinjiangana'' Q. Li and C. Yang, 1989 *'' Ammophila yaroslavi'' Danilov, 2018 *'' Ammophila zambiensis'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila zanthoptera'' Cameron, 1888 *'' Ammophila zapoteca'' Menke, 2020 *'' Ammophila zetteli'' Dollfuss, 2015 *'' Ammophila zimmermannae'' Dollfuss, 2013

References

External links

{{Taxonbar, from=Q175585 Biological pest control wasps Sphecidae Articles containing video clips Taxa named by William Kirby (entomologist) Apoidea genera