Names and Taxonomy
- Common Names:
- Synonyms: Sphecius raptor, Sphecius speciosus
- Order: Hymenoptera (Wasps, Bees, Ants)
- Family: Bembicidae (Wasps)
- Genus Information: 1 species in NV, 3 in CA, 5 in US
Sphecius convallis
Pacific Cicada Killer
Introduction:
The females are large, solitary, ground-dwelling, predatory wasps. They are so named because they hunt cicadas and provision their nests with them, after stinging and paralyzing them.
Life Cycle: The larva hatches from the egg and begins to feed on the cicada, consuming it over a period of several weeks. Once the larva has consumed the cicada, it spins a silken cocoon, often mixed with sand or soil, and pupates within it. The pupa develops into an adult wasp, which remains in the burrow until the following summer, when it emerges to begin the cycle again.
Size 1.5 inches (3.8 cm)
Sexual Dimorphism: female larger than male because they need to be strong enough to carry paralyzed cicadas back to their burrows
Metamorphosis: complete (egg, larva, pupa, adult)
