Pepsis grossa
This record describes Pepsis grossa (species). Recorded family: Pompilidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Very large, with two color forms: Orange-winged (xanthic) and black-winged (melanic). The two color forms are not often seen in the same locality. Melanic forms are easily confused with Pepsis mexicana , but that species is usually much smaller in size than P. grossa (males aren't known to overlap in size, though females are known to exhibit overlap in the 30-34 mm range). Males of P. grossa are unique in the genus in having only 12 antennal segments (scape, pedicel, and 10 flagellomeres). Males of all other Pepsis species have 13 antennal segments (or equivalently, 11 flagellomeres) . Males are additionally characterized by having thicker, straighter antennae that don't curl and 7 visible abdominal segments. Females of P. grossa are distinguished from all of our species except P. arizonica by having long, bristle-like hairs on the underside of the fore femur. Females have 12 antennal segments (scape, pedicel, and 10 flagellomeres) like the males of the species and like the females of other species. Females are additionally characterized by having narrower antennae that can be curled and 6 visible abdominal segments. Formerly known by the name Pepsis formosa , until synonymized with P. grossa in 2002 by Vardy .
Wikipedia reference for Pepsis grossa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepsis_grossa.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps and Sawflies)
- Superfamily
- Pompiloidea
- Family
- Pompilidae (Spider Wasps)
- Subfamily
- Pepsinae
- Tribe
- Pepsini
- Genus
- Pepsis (Tarantula-hawk Wasps)
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Pepsis grossa (Fabricius, 1798)
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Pepsis grossa. 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 Pepsis grossa (2)
Photo credits: Contributed by Nick Fensler; Additional contributions by Bug Eric , Matthias Buck , Aaron Schusteff , PaleoJon
Frequently Asked Questions About Pepsis grossa
What is Pepsis grossa?
Pepsis grossa is a species in the family Pompilidae, within the order Hymenoptera.
How big is Pepsis grossa?
Body length usually 30-51 mm ♀, 24-40 mm ♂
How do you identify Pepsis grossa?
Very large, with two color forms: Orange-winged (xanthic) and black-winged (melanic). The two color forms are not often seen in the same locality. Melanic forms are easily confused with Pepsis mexicana , but that species is usually much smaller in size than P. grossa (males aren't known to overlap in size, though females are known to exhibit overlap in the 30-34 mm range). Males of P. grossa are unique in the genus in having only 12 antennal segments (scape, pedicel, and 10 flagellomeres). Males of all other Pepsis species have 13 antennal segments (or equivalently, 11 flagellomeres) . Males are additionally characterized by having thicker, straighter antennae that don't curl and 7 visible abdominal segments. Females of P. grossa are distinguished from all of our species except P. arizonica by having long, bristle-like hairs on the underside of the fore femur. Females have 12 antennal segments (scape, pedicel, and 10 flagellomeres) like the males of the species and like the females of other species. Females are additionally characterized by having narrower antennae that can be curled and 6 visible abdominal segments.