Philanthinae
Encyclopedia
The subfamilly Philanthinae is one of the largest groups in the wasp
family Crabronidae
, even though it contains only 9 genera. Historically, this subfamily has frequently been accorded family status. The subfamily consists of solitary, predatory wasps, each genus having its own distinct and consistent prey preferences. The adult females dig tunnels in the ground for nesting.
As with all other sphecoid wasps, the larvae are carnivorous; females hunt for prey on which to lays their eggs, mass provisioning
the nest cells with paralyzed, living prey that the larva feeds upon after it hatches from the egg.
Wasp
The term wasp is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor an ant. Almost every pest insect species has at least one wasp species that preys upon it or parasitizes it, making wasps critically important in natural control of their...
family Crabronidae
Crabronidae
Crabronidae is a large family of wasps, that includes nearly all of the species formerly comprising the now-defunct superfamily Sphecoidea. It collectively includes well over 200 genera, containing well over 9000 species. Crabronids were originally a part of Sphecidae, but the latter name is now...
, even though it contains only 9 genera. Historically, this subfamily has frequently been accorded family status. The subfamily consists of solitary, predatory wasps, each genus having its own distinct and consistent prey preferences. The adult females dig tunnels in the ground for nesting.
As with all other sphecoid wasps, the larvae are carnivorous; females hunt for prey on which to lays their eggs, mass provisioning
Mass provisioning
Mass provisioning is a term used in entomology to refer to a form of parental behavior in which an adult stocks all of the food for each offspring in a small chamber prior to laying the egg...
the nest cells with paralyzed, living prey that the larva feeds upon after it hatches from the egg.