Arizona Naturalists >>> Sonoran Desert Naturalist >>> Field Guide >>> Insects, Spiders, Centepedes and Scorpions >>> Wasps, Bees and Ants

Sonoran Desert Hymenoptera

All wasps, bees and ants have four distinct life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Only the adults can have wings, and with the exception of wingless forms there are always two pairs of wings, usually clear without markings. Many species possess a stinger at the posterior of the abdomen, but most sting only when provoked. Chewing mouthparts. Bees usually have also a specialized proboscis for gathering nectar. Many important pollinator species belong to this order. There are thousands of species inhabiting the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. This guide shows only a select few.

Leaf-cutter Bee Megachile sp. Very common bees at lantana and other urban flowers in the Sonoran Desert. Oval and round cuts from leaves used to build nests. More info	Honey Bee Apis mellifera A relatively large bee (as compared to most native bees), golden, orange-brown in color and abdomen banded orange and brown. Common everywhere. More info	Sonoran Bumblebee Bombus sonorus Large yellow and black bee with conspicuous pubescence. Fairly common at sunflowers, trumpets and snapdragons. More info	Cactus Bee Diadasia spp. Various shades of silvery-gray pubescence. Closely associated with cactus flowers. More info	Carpenter Bee Xylocopa californica Large, black fearsome-looking bees found especially around urban settings. Not dangerous. Frequent at paloverde flowers. More info
Digger Wasp Sphex sp. Medium sized wasps typically 12 mm long. Thin thread 'waste' between reddish abdomen and thorax. Digs tunnels in bare soil areas. More info	Paper Wasp Polistes spp. Builds papery colony nests under eaves and other protected spots. Hunts on foliage and visits flowers for nectar. Comes to water to drink. More info	Cricket Hunter Wasp Chlorion aerarium Large irredescent, green-blue wasp hunts along banks of washes and ravines. Frequently enters burrows and crevices in soil. More info	Mexican Tarantula Hawk Pepsis mexicana Very large wasp with long legs. This species is all blue-black. Frequents flowers and often seen hunting running along ground. More info	Tarantula Hawk Pepsis chrysothemis Large, long-legged, blue-black wasps. Wings orange or reddish. Males patrol hilltops and rocky slopes in search of females. Females hunt large spiders. Also come to flowers. More info
Thread Waisted Wasp Ammophila Elongated, very narrow, first and second abdomenal segments. Often black marked with orange or red. Digs tunnels in loose soil. Beneficial. More info	Potter Wasp Eumenes bollii Abdomen appears double jointed. Also has dark markings on rich red and yellow abdomen. Makes small pots of mud. More info	Grub Hunter Wasp Triscolia ardens Blue-black and brilliant orange-red. Visits flowers and hunts on ground for subterranean grubs. More info	Green Sweat Bee Agapostemon texanus Medium-sized bee with emerald-green thorax. Abdomen is banded yellow and black. Common around lantana. More info	Sweat Bee Lasioglossum Many, many difficult to separate species, but also very common in native habitats. Small (< 8mm) dark bees with sometimes a metalic sheen. More info
Sawfly Dolerus tejoniensis Two pairs of wings as in all winged hymenoptera, but no stinger. More common species in Sonoran Desert are orange/red and black. Upper elevations in riparian habitats. More info

Native Fire Ant Solenopsis xyloni Frequent stinging ants found especially in and near urban lawns in the Sonoran Desert. More info	California Harvester Ant Pogonomyrmex californicus Harvester ants partial to sandy soils. Often red-colored. Fast moving on longer, thinner legs. More info	Red Harvester Ant Pogonomyrmex barbatus Large, conspicuous ants with wide, cleared nest areas. Gather seeds. Painful stings. Several species. More info	Rough Harvester Ant Pogonomyrmex rugosus Usually dark red to nearly black. Conspicuous striations on head. More info	Desert Harvester Ant Messor pergandei Harvester ant of low, hot desert. Jet black, slightly smaller than common harvester ants. More info
Big-headed Ant Pheidole xerophilla Gather seeds like harvesters, but nests less conspicuous and most species smaller. Majors with greatly enlarged heads. More info	Carpenter Ant Camponotus festinatus Large, tan-coloured ants are almost entirely nocturnal. Emits formic acid when disturbed. One segmented petiole. More info	Bicolored Pyramid Ant Dorymyrmex bicolor About 2 to 3mm in length. Nests are distinct pyramids in loose soil. Malodorous gas emitted when disturbed. More info	Acrobat Ant Crematogaster spp. Small ants usually on plants and with a spade-shaped abdomen (gaster). Several species. Small stinger is harmless to people. More info	Bear-trap Ant Odontomachus clarus Mesic habitat only including orchards. Long mandibles held open when foraging. More info
Alkali Bee Nomia melanderi More conspicuous by the large clusters of nests in soil. Common near alfalfa fields. More info

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