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Subfamily Larrinae - Sand Wasps 

This page contains pictures and information about subfamily Larrinae - Sand Wasps that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
 
Wasps in this subfamily are medium to large in size, with long body and usually black (and orange), more elongate than Bembicinae. They have spiny-legged and frequently with deformed ocelli. They generally provision with Orthoptera.
  

Trypoxylonini

Wasps in tribe Trypoxylonini have the emarginated eyes. They prey on spiders. They are usually black and some with orange-yellow colours. 
 
Hanging-mud-nest Wasp
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Pison sp., Trypoxylonini, nest size 30x40mm, Wasp body length 12mm 
We found this small mud nest under a shrub in late summer 2006. There was one small hole on the nest. We brought it home to see what would come out. Few days later we found four small brown wasps came out. We have more records on this page.
 
 
Mud Nest Tenant Wasp
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Pison sp., Trypoxylonini, body length 15mm 
Dec 2008 in Karawatha Forest, we saw this wasp, it seems collecting mud for mud-cells. We believed this wasp re-use the empty mud cells of the Mud-Dauber Wasp as its own nest for the young. Details please check this page.

Larrini

Wasps in Larrini are distinguished by their reduced scare-like hind ocelli. Their eyes are not emarginated. Their host are mostly Orthoptera and also caterpillars.   
 
Grey Wasp with yellow antenna
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Tachysphex sp., Larrini, body length 15mm
Pictures were taken in a bush near Mt Cotton during mid winter. The wasp was searching among the plant materials on the ground.
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Pictures were taken in Karawatha Forest in mid summer. The wasp was searching on the forest floor.
Reference:
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 993.
  
 
Black Wasp with grey antenna 
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Liris sp., Larrini, body length 15mm
Reference:  
1. Northern Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009.
2. Sphecidae - Insects of Townsville, Australia - Graeme Cocks.
 
 

Miscophini

Metallic Brown Wasp
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? sp., Miscophini, body length 15mm
This wasp is relatively small in size. It has the reddish-brown thorax and legs. Its head is Golden-brown in colour. On Dec 2006 in Karawatha Forest, we saw a small wasp dragging a spider. More pictures and information can be found in this page.
 

Reference:
1. Insects of Australia, CSIRO, Division of Entomology, Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition 1991, pp 991.
2. Insects of Australia and New Zealand - R. J. Tillyard, Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, 1926, p299.
3. Northern Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009. 
4. Sphecidae - Insects of Townsville, Australia - Graeme Cocks.

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Last updated: January 01, 2010.