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Black Sand-loving Wasp - Tachysphex sp.

Family Crabronidae 

This page contains pictures and information about Black Sand-loving Wasps that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.

Body length 15mm
 
The Black Sand-loving Wasp is entirely shiny black in colour. 
 
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We recognized the wasp in this tribe by the wing vein pattern. 
 
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The wasp has the hind ocelli modified, with near-complete loss of the lens. The Orbits is straight (not emarginated). From the reference information Tachysphex sp. is fossorial and preys on Acrididae and the related.
 
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Reference:  
1. Northern Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009.
2. Sphecidae - Insects of Townsville, Australia - Graeme Cocks.
3. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, p991, Fig42.42.
4. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p299.

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Up ] [ Black Sand-loving Wasp ] Grey Sand-loving Wasp ] Brown Sand-dauber Wasp ] Black Sand-dauber Wasp I ] Black Sand-dauber Wasp II ] Mud Nest Tenant Wasp ]

 
                                                

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Last updated: July 01, 2012.