BembixBembix vespiformis

Bembix vespiformis, from the subfamily Bembicinae, has the common name of Panda Sand Wasp. Their body is black in colour (although there are documented colour variation of brown). It is the white markings on their abdomen that give them the black and white appearance, hence the common name Panda Wasp.

Bembix vespiformis, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Bembix vespiformis feeding on Eucalyptus flowers, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor

The white pattern near the waist, makes the waist look narrow, in addition to this species creating nesting burrows in the ground, add to the mistaken identification of it being a bee species.

Of course, once you realise that they feed their young with flies, unlike native bees that feed their young with pollen, you know that this is a Sand Wasp Bembix species.

Bembix vespiformis, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Bembix vespiformis feeding on Eucalyptus flowers, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Bembix vespiformis, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Bembix vespiformis feeding on Eucalyptus flowers, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Bembix vespiformis, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Bembix vespiformis feeding on Eucalyptus flowers, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Spheciformes
  • Family: Crabronidae
  • Subfamily: Bembicinae
  • Genus: Bembix
  • Species: Bembix vespiformis

Footnote & References

  1. Bembix vespiformis, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
  2. Bembix vespiformis Smith, 1856, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Bembix vespiformis
  3. Panda Sand Wasp (Bembix vespiformis), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/882585-Bembix-vespiformis
  4. Panda Sand Wasp – Bembix vespiformis, Brisbane Insects and Spiders, https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_apoidwasps/PandaBembix.htm

BembixBembix vespiformis

WaspsWasps Index Australian Large Wasps Australian Mud Nest Wasps Mud Wasp Velvet Ants Abispa ephippium Acarozumia amaliae Aulacidae Australodynerus Bembix Bembicinae Bethylidae Blue Hairy Flower Wasp Braconidae Chrysididae Cryptocheilus bicolor (Orange Spider Wasp) Delta latreillei (Potter Wasp) Eumeninae Delta philantes Ferreola handschini (Orange-collared Spider Wasp) Flower Wasps Gasteruptiid Wasp Hairy Flower Wasps Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp) Lissopimpla excelsa (Orchid Dupe Wasp) Mutillidae Paralastor sp. Pseudabispa bicolor ssp. nigrocinctoides Radumeris radula (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Radumeris tasmaniensis (Yellow Hairy Flower Wasp) Sceliphron laetum Thynnid Wasps Tiphiidae Torymus Yellow and Black Wasp

InsectsBees Beetles Blattodea Butterflies Coleoptera Cicada Crabronidae Diptera Dragonflies & Damselflies Formicidae Hemiptera Heteroptera Moths Orthoptera Orthopteroid Processionary Caterpillar Stink Bugs, Shield Bugs and Allies Wasps Water Scorpion (Laccotrephes tristis) Witchetty Grub