# Great Black Digger Wasp (*Sphex pensylvanicus*) The Great Black Digger Wasp is a shiny black insect that digs in the ground to make nests. They are helpful because they catch and store bugs to feed their babies! - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Great Black Digger Wasp](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Great_black_digger_wasp_%2821710%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Great_black_digger_wasp_%2821710%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Great Black Digger Wasp is a large, entirely black insect with a sleek, slender body and dark, smoky wings. Its prominent black antennae and long, strong legs help distinguish it from other dark-colored wasps, which often have yellow or white markings. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Sphecidae - **Genus:** Sphex ## Interesting facts - Females can carry prey heavier and bigger than their own body! - Its babies eat live, paralyzed food for their very first meal! - Mom wasp digs a brand new burrow for each single egg she lays. - They use tiny pebbles to seal their nest tunnels after laying eggs. ## Special abilities - **Master Digger:** Great Black Digger Wasp has powerful, spiky legs that help them rapidly excavate underground burrows for their offspring. - **Prey Transport:** Great Black Digger Wasp can fly while carrying prey almost as large as itself, hauling it back to the nest. - **Navigation Wizard:** Great Black Digger Wasp can remember the exact location of its burrow, navigating complex environments to bring food home. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 30-50 mm - **Size:** 15-28 mm - **Lifespan:** 20-40 days - **Flight Speed:** 25 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip nectar for energy, but their babies feast on paralyzed insects found and caught by the mother. - **Primary Foods:** Crickets, Grasshoppers, Katydids - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Fall Field Cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fall-field-cricket) (*Gryllus pennsylvanicus*) — Paralyzed and buried as food for its larvae. - **Hunts:** [Differential Grasshopper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/differential-grasshopper) (*Melanoplus differentialis*) — Captured to provision the underground nests. - **Eaten by:** [Northern Mockingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-mockingbird) (*Mimus polyglottos*) — This bird may prey on adult wasps. - **Pollinates:** [Common Milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) — Adult wasps visit flowers for nectar. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [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. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [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 Stay calm and don't swat at wasps; they usually won't bother you. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Great Black 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 Great Black Digger Wasp's wingspan? 30-50 mm ### How big is Great Black Digger Wasp? 15-28 mm ### How long does Great Black Digger Wasp live? 20-40 days ### How fast can Great Black Digger Wasp fly? 25 km/h ### What does Great Black Digger Wasp eat? Adults sip nectar for energy, but their babies feast on paralyzed insects found and caught by the mother. ### Where is Great Black Digger Wasp usually found? Grasslands ### How does Great Black Digger Wasp hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedar-valley-arboretum-and-botanic-gardens) — Iowa, US · Botanical Garden - [Dubuque Arboretum and Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/dubuque-arboretum-and-botanical-gardens) — Iowa, US · Botanical Garden - [Garland Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/garland-hill-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mesker-park-zoo-and-botanic-garden) — Indiana, US · Zoo - [Abbeville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbeville-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Kitchell Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kitchell-park) — Illinois, US · Park [View all places to see Great Black Digger Wasp](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/great-black-digger-wasp) ## 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: [Great Black Digger Wasp: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-black-digger-wasp)