Tiphiid Wasps – Tiphiidae family

Tiphiid Wasps   Family: Tiphiidae Common Name: Flower Wasps, Tiphiid wasps Appearance: Tiphiid wasps are solitary wasps usually found near flowers, sipping their nectar. The male and female wasps differ from each other drastically in appearance. Male Tiphiid wasps show a smaller body with a hooked stinger at their abdomen. The female wasp may be wingless, while the males always have wings. Both the male and female Tiphiid wasps have yellow stripes on their body and hairs on the bottom of the abdomen. Host Plants or Food: Tiphiid wasps feed on other beetle larvae along with smaller bees and wasps. They are also called flower wasps for their tendency to suck on flower nectar. Territory: Throughout North America and Eastern USA Mode of Damage:  They suck on flower nectar and prey on other garden pests without harming the plants, so they are considered beneficial garden insects. Habits and Life History: Tiphiid wasps are both pollinators and parasites. The larvae feed on the prey while the adults feed on the nectar. The female wasp paralyzes the prey with its sting and lays an egg on it. This way, when the egg hatches, the larvae already have a supply of food. The larvae form a cocoon over it during the winters and pop up from it during the spring. Since the female Tiphiid wasps dwell on the ground looking for beetles to use as prey, they play an important role in pest management.