Scoliid Wasps
What are they?
A group of colorful species which, unusually for wasps, tend to be covered in dense, short hairs. Most species are rather colorful, with patches of red, orange, yellow or white on the abdomen. Scoliid wasps feed regularly at flowers and most parasitize the larvae of scarab beetles. They dig in the soil for the beetle larvae and lay an egg on a larva; they don't construct nests of any kind. Males of some species sleep conspicuously among vegetation in small groups, with abdomen curled around the plant stem.
Identification
Abdominal markings and leg color are most important in identifying this group to species. To complicate identification, males and females of a number of species are quite different in appearance.
Campsomeris plumipes
A black-and-yellow species with conspicuous yellow patches on the thorax as well as the abdomen.
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Scolia nobilitata
A black-and-yellow species with a rather long abdomen. Rather similar to some of the sand wasps, but not the hairy appearance.
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Scolia dubia
A common and distinctive species with orange-red abdomen and two bright yellow 'headlights'.
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