Insect · GBIF taxon 1347505
Great Black Digger Wasp
Sphex pensylvanicusAlso known as Great Black Wasp
Great black digger wasps excel at solitary hunting and specialized soil engineering. Females excavate deep underground tunnels using their mandibles and legs, provisioning each brood chamber with paralyzed orthopterans like katydids. Adults spend warm summer afternoons sipping nectar from milkweeds and field flora, posing virtually no threat to humans unless physically handled.
SolitaryPollinatorHunter
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Katydids
- Grasshoppers
- Flower Nectar
Predators
- Birds
- Robber Flies
- Praying Mantises
ThreatsHabitat degradation and indiscriminate pesticide application
HabitatsMeadows, prairies, gardens, and sandy fields
Life span1 year
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderHymenoptera
- FamilySphecidae
- GenusSphex
- SpeciesSphex pensylvanicus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskVery high
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is very high
- Females possess a potent sting if directly squeezed or handled; give them space while foraging.
- Why it is dangerous
- Females deliver venom through a sting meant to paralyze prey, which causes localized pain or severe reactions in allergic individuals.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Recognizable by an entirely velvety black body, dark smoky wings, and long legs.
- What to do
- Give foraging wasps space on flowers and refrain from stepping near active soil tunnels.
Responsible observation
- Observing Nests: Look for small mounds of excavated dirt in dry soil during midsummer.
- Garden Presence: Let them feed undisturbed on milkweed or goldenrod nectar, as they control garden pests.
- Safe Distance: Maintain a comfortable clearance from active tunnel entrances to avoid startling females.
Co-Occurring Digger (c) bg1159, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by bg1159 · cc-by
Fellow Digger Wasp (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Judy Gallagher · cc-by-sa
Larval Prey (c) David Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Daughter Dad, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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