Horse guard
Encyclopedia
The horse guard wasp, Stictia carolina, is a type of sand wasp
from the eastern United States
which preys primarily upon horse flies. It is a large, colorful, fast-flying wasp, one of 28 species in the genus Stictia (which occur throughout North
and South America
), all of which have similar biology. A female wasp of this species may take anywhere from 30 to 60 flies as food to provision each one of her nests; she makes a new nest for every egg she lays. Nests are simple burrow
s some 15 cm deep, with a single enlarged chamber at the bottom. An egg is laid in the empty chamber, and the female wasp brings back paralyzed
flies until the chamber is full, at which point she closes the nest and begins another. It is common for numerous females to excavate nests within a small area where the soil is suitable, creating large and sometimes very dense nesting aggregations.
It is noteworthy that horses and cattle are not disturbed by the presence of these wasps, despite their rapid flight and loud buzzing, even though the same animals can be very skittish in the presence of horse flies or bot flies. Nonetheless, these beneficial wasps are intimidating to many horse owners, who, if not familiar with them, may take measures to eliminate the wasps, thus exacerbating their problems with horse flies.
Sand wasp
The Bembicini, or Sand wasps, are a large tribe of crabronid wasps, comprising 20 genera. Bembicines are predators on various groups of insects. The type of prey captured tends to be rather consistent within each genus, with flies being the most common type of prey taken...
from the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
which preys primarily upon horse flies. It is a large, colorful, fast-flying wasp, one of 28 species in the genus Stictia (which occur throughout North
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
), all of which have similar biology. A female wasp of this species may take anywhere from 30 to 60 flies as food to provision each one of her nests; she makes a new nest for every egg she lays. Nests are simple burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
s some 15 cm deep, with a single enlarged chamber at the bottom. An egg is laid in the empty chamber, and the female wasp brings back paralyzed
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
flies until the chamber is full, at which point she closes the nest and begins another. It is common for numerous females to excavate nests within a small area where the soil is suitable, creating large and sometimes very dense nesting aggregations.
It is noteworthy that horses and cattle are not disturbed by the presence of these wasps, despite their rapid flight and loud buzzing, even though the same animals can be very skittish in the presence of horse flies or bot flies. Nonetheless, these beneficial wasps are intimidating to many horse owners, who, if not familiar with them, may take measures to eliminate the wasps, thus exacerbating their problems with horse flies.