More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Wasps of Zihuatanejo
ORDER HYMENOPTERA
-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)
-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)
-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)
-Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera)
-Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants, and Bees (Suborder Apocrita)
-Ants, Bees, and Stinging Wasps (Infraorder Aculeata)
-Bees and Apoid Wasps (Superfamily Apoidea)
-Thread-waisted Wasps (Family Sphecidae)
-Subfamily Ammophilinae
-Tribe Ammophilini
-Genus Eremnophila
-Gold-marked Thread-waisted Wasp (Eremnophila aureonotata)
The Gold-marked Thread-waisted Wasp (Eremnophila aureonotata) is a striking species of wasp in the family Sphecidae, a group commonly known as thread-waisted wasps due to their distinctively narrow "waist" (petiole) that connects the thorax and abdomen. Like other thread-waisted wasps, Eremnophila aureonotata is a solitary wasp, meaning it does not form colonies or hives like social wasps or bees. Adult wasps feed on nectar from flowers, making them important pollinators. The wasp hunts for insect prey (usually caterpillars or other soft-bodied insects) to provide food for its larvae.
Gold-marked Thread-waisted
Eremnophila aureonotata
Description
• Eremnophila aureonotata is a species of thread-waisted wasp in the family Sphecidae. Wasps in this genus have elongated, slender bodies, a narrow waist, and long legs. The species name aureonotata refers to golden markings, which may help distinguish it from related species. Females are solitary hunters that provision their nests with captured prey for their larvae.
Range
• Eremnophila aureonotata occurs in the Americas, particularly in warmer regions. It is native to Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• This wasp is associated with warm, open habitats, including tropical dry forest, scrubland, grassland, and woodland edges. Adults may be seen moving through vegetation or visiting flowers, while females search for suitable nesting sites in the ground or other sheltered locations.
Diet
• Adults feed on nectar and other sugary plant secretions. Females hunt caterpillars or other suitable insect prey, which they paralyse and store in nests as food for their developing larvae.