• There are about 20 species of Scoliid wasps in North America. In certain areas, they are quite abundant.

• Many of these species are quite large (larger than a honeybee) and have lots of hairs similar to a bee.

• They visit flowers to drink nectar. They do not eat or intentionally try to gather pollen, instead it is accidentally transferred to their bodies while drinking the nectar. Some studies have shown that female wasps that have more access to flower nectar may produce more offspring.

• Scoliid wasps are beneficial insects. Beneficial Insects are organisms that providing natural pest control or plant pollination.

• Over 1,700 species of beneficial insects are used to help manage crop pests, regulate herbivore populations, and provide pollination services in the USA.

• Most species usually functional as either as a pest control agent or as a flower pollinator.

• However, a few species do both! The Scoliid wasp serves as both effective pollinators and natural enemies of scarab beetles (e.g. Japanese Beetle).

A photograph of the Scoliid wasp (Campsomeris plumipes) on Spotted Bee Balm wildflowers.

A photograph comparing a Scoliid wasp (Campsomeris plumipes) with a honeybee (Apis mellifera).