# Golden Digger Wasp (*Sphex funerarius*) The Golden Digger Wasp is a shiny, yellow wasp that loves to dig in the ground. It makes little tunnels to store food for its babies. These wasps are helpful because they catch pests like caterpillars! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Golden Digger Wasp](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Sphex_fg02.jpg&width=800) Photo: Fritz Geller-Grimm, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sphex_fg02.jpg) ## Appearance The Golden Digger Wasp has a slender, mostly black body with striking bright orange-gold segments on its abdomen. It possesses a very narrow 'waist' (petiole) connecting its thorax and abdomen, which distinguishes it from many other wasps. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Sphecidae - **Genus:** Sphex ## Interesting facts - Adult wasps drink flower nectar, but their young feast on living insects! - Each mother wasp builds an amazing underground nursery all by herself. - Some digger wasps use small pebbles to seal their nest entrance! - They paralyze prey to keep it fresh for their growing babies! ## Special abilities - **Prey Paralyzer:** Golden Digger Wasps can sting and paralyze prey insects, ensuring fresh food for their young underground. - **Expert Burrower:** This wasp has strong front legs adapted for rapidly digging deep, intricate burrows as secure nurseries for its larvae. - **Home Navigator:** Golden Digger Wasps possess remarkable navigational memory that helps them find their hidden nest after long hunting trips. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-45 mm - **Size:** 15-25 mm - **Lifespan:** 30-60 days - **Flight Speed:** 15 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adult Golden Digger Wasps sip flower nectar, while their larvae are fed paralyzed insects. - **Age differences:** Adults feed on nectar, while larvae are fed paralyzed insects by the mother. - **Primary Foods:** katydids, crickets, grasshoppers - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Great Green Bush-cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-green-bush-cricket) (*Tettigonia viridissima*) — Main food for its developing larvae - **Pollinates:** Wild Carrot (*Daucus carota*) — Visits its flowers for nourishing nectar - **Eaten by:** [European Mantis](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-mantis) (*Mantis religiosa*) — Can be ambushed by larger insect predators ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Golden Digger Wasps are usually friendly, but it's best to watch them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Golden Digger Wasp? Compare the antennae, wings, waist, body hair and legs. Yellow and black stripes show up on bees, wasps and harmless mimics alike. Bee & Wasp Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### What is Golden Digger Wasp's wingspan? 25-45 mm ### How big is Golden Digger Wasp? 15-25 mm ### How long does Golden Digger Wasp live? 30-60 days ### How fast can Golden Digger Wasp fly? 15 km/h ### What does Golden Digger Wasp eat? Adult Golden Digger Wasps sip flower nectar, while their larvae are fed paralyzed insects. ### Where is Golden Digger Wasp usually found? Grasslands ### How does Golden Digger Wasp hunt? Pursuit ## More Insects - [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*) - [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*) - [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*) - [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*) --- Source: [Golden Digger Wasp: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/golden-digger-wasp)