# Great Golden Digger Wasp (*Sphex ichneumoneus*) The Great Golden Digger Wasp is a shiny yellow and black insect that digs in the ground to make homes for its babies. They are busy workers and help keep our gardens healthy by controlling pests. - **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 19 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Great Golden Digger Wasp](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Great_Golden_Digger_Wasp_-_Sphex_ichneumoneus%252C_Meadowood_Farm_SRMA%252C_Mason_Neck%252C_Virginia.jpg&width=800) Photo: Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Golden_Digger_Wasp_-_Sphex_ichneumoneus%252C_Meadowood_Farm_SRMA%252C_Mason_Neck%252C_Virginia.jpg) ## Appearance The Great Golden Digger Wasp has a slender body with a distinctive, bright golden-orange abdomen. Its head and thorax are black, contrasting with golden-orange legs and smoky, iridescent wings. It's often mistaken for a hornet but is more graceful. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Insecta - **Order:** Hymenoptera - **Family:** Sphecidae - **Genus:** Sphex ## Interesting facts - A mother wasp digs her own nursery tunnels, sometimes over a foot long! - Adult wasps are peaceful nectar drinkers, not aggressive stingers. - They can carry prey much heavier and larger than themselves! - They mostly feed their babies paralyzed crickets or katydids. ## Special abilities - **Paralytic Sting:** Great Golden Digger Wasp can paralyze large prey with its venom, keeping it fresh for its developing young. - **Expert Excavator:** Great Golden Digger Wasp can dig intricate underground burrows because of its strong legs and digging claws. - **Prey Navigator:** Great Golden Digger Wasp can remember its burrow's location, even after a long hunt carrying heavy prey. ## Measurements & details - **Wingspan:** 25-40 mm - **Size:** 12-24 mm - **Lifespan:** 14-30 days - **Flight Speed:** 25 km/h - **Leg Count:** 6 ## Diet & Feeding Adults sip sweet flower nectar, but their young feast on paralyzed insects stored in underground nurseries! - **Age differences:** Adults feed on nectar, while larvae consume paralyzed insects provided by the mother. - **Primary Foods:** Gryllus pennsylvanicus, Scudderia furcata, Conocephalus strictus, nectar - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Fall Field Cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fall-field-cricket) (*Gryllus pennsylvanicus*) — primary food source for larvae - **Hunts:** Fork-tailed Bush Katydid (*Scudderia furcata*) — common prey species for larvae - **Parasitizes:** Flesh Fly (*Sarcophaga lherminieri*) — larvae can feed on wasp's stored prey - **Pollinates:** [Canada Goldenrod](https://www.snappit.app/explore/canada-goldenrod) (*Solidago canadensis*) — adults visit flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** [Eastern Bluebird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-bluebird) (*Sialia sialis*) — adult wasps can be bird food ## Traits - [Striped](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/striped): Marked with parallel bands or lines of color. - [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. - [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates. - [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. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. - [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 if you see a wasp and don't bother it; they are usually not harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Great 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 Great Golden Digger Wasp's wingspan? 25-40 mm ### How big is Great Golden Digger Wasp? 12-24 mm ### How long does Great Golden Digger Wasp live? 14-30 days ### How fast can Great Golden Digger Wasp fly? 25 km/h ### What does Great Golden Digger Wasp eat? Adults sip sweet flower nectar, but their young feast on paralyzed insects stored in underground nurseries! ### Where is Great Golden Digger Wasp usually found? Urban areas ### How does Great Golden Digger Wasp hunt? Pursuit ## Where to spot - [Bean Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bean-hill-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Chelsea Parade Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chelsea-parade-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Garland Hill Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/garland-hill-historic-district) — Virginia, US · Historic District - [Ortega](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ortega) — Florida, US · Neighborhood - [Paseo Arts District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/paseo-arts-district) — Oklahoma, US · Historic District - [South Bonnie Brae Tract Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/south-bonnie-brae-tract-historic-district) — California, US · Historic District [View all places to see Great Golden Digger Wasp](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/great-golden-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 Golden Digger Wasp: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-golden-digger-wasp)