species 657 observations

Flamed Tarantula-hawk Wasp

Hemipepsis ustulata

Field notes

Hemipepsis ustulata is a species of tarantula hawk wasp native to the Southwestern United States. Tarantula hawks are a large, conspicuous family of long-legged wasps that prey on tarantulas by using their long legs to grapple with their prey and then paralyze them with a powerful sting (ranked as one of the most painful in the insect world by the Schmidt sting pain index). They are solitary, displaying lekking territorial behavior in their mating rituals.

Read more on Wikipedia

Supported by All

2 native plants
support it in the US

Range

United States

Greener is more native, amber more introduced; paler is less certain. How this was decided