| The Pompilidae, or Spider wasps, are well known for their typically agitated searching behavior, giving them an apt nickname, Hymenoptera neurotica. Females searching for prey are thus rather challenging to photograph; but when visiting flowers they behave like many other insects and making photos poses no special difficulties. The prey sought for are almost exclusively spiders, themselves fearful predators. The female Pompilid paralyzes the spider with her sting; paralysis may be temporary or permanent. The spider is brought to a burrow where a single egg is put on the spider. The pompilid larva lives as an ectoparasitoid, killing its host when it is full-grown. The larvae of several species develop on spiders caught by other spider wasps, an example of kleptoparasitism. Source: Gauld, I. & B. Bolton, eds. 1988. The Hymenoptera, p. 221 - 243. |
| Anoplius concinnus |
| Authority | : | (Dahlbom, 1843) |
| Deutsch | : | Ufer-Borstenwegwespe |
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| Amstelveen, the Netherlands; 16 June 2007. Female transporting a paralyzed spider, Pirata piraticus, to its burrow. |
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| Anoplius viaticus |
| Authority | : | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Deutsch | : | Frühlings-Borstenwegwespe |
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| Bentveld, the Netherlands; 10 April 2011. | ||
| Female transporting a paralyzed spider, Trochosa spec., to its burrow. Trochosa spec. is by far the most commonly observed prey of Anoplius viaticus. |
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| Bentveld, the Netherlands; 5 June 2013. | |
| Female transporting a paralyzed spider, Pisaura mirabilis, to its burrow. This is an unusual prey, with far longer legs then the more common prey, Trochosa spec. The wasp had serious difficulties handling this prey, due to its long legs. |
| Episyron rufipes |
| Authority | : | (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Deutsch | : | Vierdornige Silberschuppenwegwespe |
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| Bentveld, the Netherlands; 4 June 2011. Female transporting a paralyzed spider, Nuctenea umbratica, to its burrow. Episyron is specialized in web spiders. |
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| Pompilus cinereus |
| Authority | : | (Fabricius, 1775) |
| Deutsch | : | Sand-Grauwegwespe |
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| Bentveld, the Netherlands; 6 August 2010. Female transporting an unidentified paralyzed spider to its burrow. |
An anthology of flower-visiting spider wasps |
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Batozonellus lacerticida |
| Authority | : | (Pallas, 1771) |
| Deutsch | : | Eidechsen-Wegwespe |
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| Cryptocheilus fabricii |
| Authority | : | (Vander Linden, 1827) |
| Deutsch | : | Südliche Buntwegwespe |
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| Eoferreola rhombica |
| Authority | : | (Christ, 1791) |
| Deutsch | : | Röhrenspinnen-Wegwespe |
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