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Great Golden Digger Wasp

Sphex ichneumoneus

Photo by Jacob Gorneau
Published on Project Noah
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43.8592, -70.3753

Field Notes

Description:

This huge wasp certainly lives up to its prestigious name! Sphex ichneumoneus is a very lively wasp, reaching lengths of nearly 3 cm! The species name "ichneumoneus" is Greek for "tracker." Adults capture small to medium-sized insects for their larvae to eat in sandy burrows.

Habitat:

Several of these were flying around what I think was catnip (Nepeta sp.)

Notes:

Lifer!

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (2)

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Wildlife of Northeastern USA
Mission
New England Arthropods
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 1, 2013

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