SphexSphex corporosus Sphex rhodosoma

The species Sphex rhodosoma, belong to a cosmopolitan group of wasps in the family Sphecidae, that are commonly known as digger wasps. Like members of this group, Sphex rhodosoma sting and paralyze their prey for depositing in the nest cells. The adult wasp feed on nectar and like many wasp species are good pollinators.

Sphex rhodosoma is almost completely orange in colour (including the entire mesosoma and legs). The mesosoma is the middle section of a wasp’s body, and is made up of the three thoracic segments and the first abdominal segment (this latter part known as the propodeum). The mesosoma is where the legs and wings are connected to the wasps body.

Sphex rhodosoma, in contrast to both the species Sphex darwiniensis and Sphex resplendens, is almost completely orange, including the entire mesosoma.

Sphex rhodosoma, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Sphex rhodosoma (Wasp), Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Sphex rhodosoma, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Sphex rhodosoma (Wasp), Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Sphex rhodosoma, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Sphex rhodosoma (Wasp), Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Sphex rhodosoma, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Sphex rhodosoma (Wasp), Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Sphex rhodosoma, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
Sphex rhodosoma (Wasp), Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Spheciformes
  • Family: Sphecidae
  • Subfamily: Sphecinae
  • Genus: Sphex
  • Species: Sphex rhodosoma

Footnote & References

  1. Sphex rhodosoma, Geraldton, Midwest WA © Gary Taylor
  2. Many thanks for ID to Ben Parslow and Ken Walker, members of Australian Polistinae and other Hymenoptera, https://www.facebook.com/groups/188453645581988/
  3. Sphex rhodosoma (Turner, 1915), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Sphex rhodosoma
  4. Sphex Linnaeus, 1758, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Sphex

SphexSphex corporosus Sphex rhodosoma

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