Thisbe's Tarantula-hawk Wasp
Pepsis thisbe
This record describes Pepsis thisbe (species). Recorded family: Pompilidae. Recorded order: Hymenoptera.
Identification and Appearance
Note the dark submarginal band basal to the hyaline edge of the wing. ( comment by Nick Fensler)
Wikipedia reference for Pepsis thisbe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepsis_thisbe.
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 thisbe Lucas, 1895
About Flies: the wider group
Order-level background for Hymenoptera, the group containing Pepsis thisbe. 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 Thisbe's Tarantula-hawk Wasp (3)
Photo credits: Contributed by Nick Fensler; Additional contributions by Aaron Schusteff | Contributed by Nick Fensler; Additional contributions by Aaron Schusteff , Harsi S. Parker , PaleoJon