double-banded scoliid wasp (Scolia bicincta) female on stiff goldenrod at Decorah Prairie IA 653A7895
This double-banded scoliid wasp has those two broad white bands - the double-bands - on its abdomen that help to identify it in the field. This striking sizable specimen is a female since she has short antennae and we can't see her stinger - males have some tiny spines at the back end of the abdomen that might be mistaken for stings. She has a working stinger filled with venom and would definitely defend herself if you foolishly tried to touch her. But she would rather save that venom for the larvae of June beetles, those big ugly white grubs that damage your lawn grass in the summer. She can detect those buried grubs and digs down in the dirt to reach them before stinging said grub(s) to paralyze them. After laying an egg on the hapless grub, she departs the crypt and the wasp larva eats the grub from inside out upon hatching. The grub's hollow shell makes a nice place for the larva to spend the winter before pupating the following spring and emerging as an adult later on in the summer. These wasps are superior pollinators on late summer flowers like this stiff goldenrod for their bodies are very hairy and the pollen sticks to them as they fly around feeding on various nutritious nectar sources.
double-banded scoliid wasp (Scolia bicincta) female on stiff goldenrod at Decorah Prairie IA 653A7895
This double-banded scoliid wasp has those two broad white bands - the double-bands - on its abdomen that help to identify it in the field. This striking sizable specimen is a female since she has short antennae and we can't see her stinger - males have some tiny spines at the back end of the abdomen that might be mistaken for stings. She has a working stinger filled with venom and would definitely defend herself if you foolishly tried to touch her. But she would rather save that venom for the larvae of June beetles, those big ugly white grubs that damage your lawn grass in the summer. She can detect those buried grubs and digs down in the dirt to reach them before stinging said grub(s) to paralyze them. After laying an egg on the hapless grub, she departs the crypt and the wasp larva eats the grub from inside out upon hatching. The grub's hollow shell makes a nice place for the larva to spend the winter before pupating the following spring and emerging as an adult later on in the summer. These wasps are superior pollinators on late summer flowers like this stiff goldenrod for their bodies are very hairy and the pollen sticks to them as they fly around feeding on various nutritious nectar sources.