Ancistrocerus campestris

This record describes Ancistrocerus campestris (species). Recorded family: Vespidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.

Identification and Appearance

Ancistrocerus campestris - Ancistrocerus campestris — Contributed by Eric R. Eaton; Additional contributions by cotinis , Beatriz Moisset , Matthias Buck , Vox Sciurorum , v belov

per Dr. Matthias Buck, the smiling face on scutellum and metanotum combined with the shape of the apical band on tergite 1 makes A. campestris fairly distinctive. Ancistrocerus lutonidus is similar but the spots on the scutellum are much larger, nearly confluent, and tergum 2 has a pair of yellow spots.

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
Superfamily: Vespoidea
Family: Vespidae
Subfamily: Eumeninae
Genus: Ancistrocerus

Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.

Habitat and Range

Geographic Range

a common eastern species (NH-FL to ON-MN-SD-TX)

Additional species information

Species notes from the sources

Etymology: Ancistrocerus campestris (de Saussure 1852)

About Flies: the wider group

Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Ancistrocerus campestris. Species-specific details appear above.

Group overview

Hymenoptera includes over 150,000 described species of ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies. Earth harbors approximately 20 quadrillion (20×10^15) ants, with a combined biomass of ~12 megatons of dry carbon - exceeding the combined biomass of all wild birds and mammals (PNAS, 2022).

Ecological role of the group

About 35% of the world's food crops depend on animal pollinators. The chocolate industry, valued at over $100 billion, depends on pollinating flies and midges. Ants are the dominant soil engineers in most terrestrial ecosystems, turning more soil than earthworms in many habitats.

Economic and practical significance of the group

Pollinators contribute $235-577 billion worth of annual global food production (FAO). In the U.S., bee pollination alone benefits crops valued at $18 billion annually, and honey bees are responsible for $5.4 billion in agricultural productivity. Between April 2023-2024, 55.1% of managed honey bee colonies were lost. The U.S. bee population dropped from 5 million to 2.5 million.

Recorded sources for this group: FAO, USDA, EPA, PNAS (2022), US Fish & Wildlife Service. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.

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