Elegant Grass-carrying Wasp
Isodontia elegans
This record describes Isodontia elegans (species). Recorded family: Sphecidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Coloration is quite variable. At least part of the genus needs revision. It is possible that elegans (subenus Murrayella ) may eventually become a synonym of I. mexicana , or vice versa. (Comments by E. Eaton)
Wikipedia reference for Isodontia elegans: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isodontia_elegans.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Trigonaloidea
- Family
- Sphecidae (Thread-waisted Wasps)
- Subfamily
- Sphecinae
- Tribe
- Sphecini
- Genus
- Isodontia (Grass-carrying Wasps)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Formerly a Western species, it has been found in the Northeast in the past several years.
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Isodontia elegans. 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.
Photos of Elegant Grass-carrying Wasp (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Beatriz Moisset; Additional contributions by Chuck Entz , Vox Sciurorum , PaleoJon