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

Isodontia is a genus in the family Sphecidae, are a group of wasps commonly known as Grass-carrying Wasp.

The adult wasps emerge from their cocoons in early summer. They prepare the nests for the next generation of wasps in hollow plant cavities, by lining the nests with grass, hence their common name of Grass-carrying Wasps. The paralysed prey placed in the nest with the larvae, is usually Orthoptera (an order of insects that include grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets).

Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Genus Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Spheciformes
  • Family: Sphecidae
  • Subfamily: Sphecinae
  • Genus: Isodontia
  • Species:
    • Isodontia albata Hensen, 1991
    • Isodontia albohirta (Turner, 1908)
    • Isodontia aurifrons (Smith, 1859)
    • Isodontia nigella (Smith, 1856)
    • Isodontia obscurella (Smith, 1856)
    • Isodontia paludosa (Rossi, 1790)
    • Isodontia sepicola (Smith, 1859)
    • Isodontia vidua (Smith, 1856)
    • Murrayella periclados (C.Agardh) F.Schmitz

Footnote & References

  1. Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasp) © Marc Newman
  2. Many thanks to Ken Walker for genus ID.
  3. Isodontia Patton, 1881, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Isodontia

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