Insect · GBIF taxon 10606735
Entypus unifasciatus
Entypus unifasciatusAlso known as Yellow-horned Spider Wasp, One-banded Spider Hunter
One-banded spider wasps are formidable solitary hunters that patrol open fields and sunny soil patches in search of large wolf spiders. Females paralyze arachnid prey with a precise venomous sting before dragging the spider backward into an underground chamber to feed a single larva. Adults feed harmlessly on flower nectar, serving as incidental pollinators while keeping ground spider populations in check.
Solitary WaspSpider HunterPollinator
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Wolf Spiders
- Nursery Web Spiders
- Flower Nectar
Predators
- Birds
- Robber Flies
- Small Mammals
ThreatsPesticide application and conversion of open fields to intensive development
HabitatsMeadows, grasslands, forest edges, and sandy or bare soil patches
Life span1–2 months as adults
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderHymenoptera
- FamilyPompilidae
- GenusEntypus
- SpeciesEntypus unifasciatus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskVery high
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is very high
- Females can deliver a severe sting if pinched or stepped on; give them space.
- Why it is dangerous
- Females possess a potent sting engineered to immobilize heavy prey, causing immediate intense localized pain in humans.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognizable by the large dark body, prominent orange-yellow antennae, and smoky amber-tinted wings.
- What to do
- Do not attempt to touch or catch by hand; back away if a wasp circles defensively.
Responsible observation
- Give Space While Hunting: Watch females from a few feet away as they dig burrows or drag immobilized spiders.
- Avoid Stepping on Bare Soil: Look closely at ground nesting sites in summer to avoid stepping on resting wasps.
Ecological Neighbor (c) Nathan Odgers, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Seth Wollney, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Image unavailableClose Relative
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