American pelecinid wasp
(Pelecinus polyturator)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
American pelecinid wasp is a black, shiny, vespoid wasp. Females can reproduce without fertilization, and males of this species are rare. Males are ½″ to ⅝″ or 1″ long. The posterior end of the abdomen is club-shaped. The females are 2″ to 2⅜″ long, relatively common, and distinctive. The abdomen is long and slender. It has six segments and is five times the length of the rest of the body. The hindwings of both sexes are ⅓ the length of the forewings. |
Size |
Male: ½″ to ⅝″ or 1″ long Female: 2″ to 2⅜″ long |
Similar Species |
| No similar species |
Habitat |
Deciduous forests |
Biology |
Season |
July to August |
Behavior |
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Life Cycle |
The female thrusts its ovipositor into the soil to detect beetle grubs. It lays a single egg on each. The wasp larva burrows into and feeds on the grub. It overwinters in the soil. |
Larval Hosts |
May beetle (Phyllophaga) grubs |
Adult Food |
Flower nectar |
Distribution |
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Sources Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 7/12/2025). |
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| 7/12/2025 | ||
Occurrence |
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Common |
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Taxonomy |
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Order |
Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps, and sawflies) |
Suborder |
Apocrita (narrow-waisted wasps, ants, and bees) |
Infraorder |
Proctotrupomorpha |
Superfamily |
Proctotrupoidea |
Family |
Pelecinidae |
Genus |
Pelecinus |
This is the only member of the family Pelecinidae that occurs in North America north of Mexico. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Ichneumon polyturator |
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Common Names |
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American pelecinid American pelecinid wasp |
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Glossary
Ovipositor
A tube-like organ near the end of the abdomen of many female insects, used to prepare a place for an egg and to place the egg.
Visitor Photos |
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Nicole Rojas-Oltmanns |
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Matt |
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1st one I've ever seen. |
Scott Bemman |
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Brian Johnson |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
American pelecinid wasp |
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About
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Other Videos |
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American pelecinid wasp (Pelecinidae: Pelecinus polyturator) Female on Table |
About
Uploaded on Jul 20, 2010 Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (20 July 2010). |
American pelecinid wasp? (Pelecinidae: Pelecinus polyturator?) Resting Male? |
About
Uploaded on Aug 27, 2011 Photographed at the Turtle River State Park, North Dakota (27 August 2011). Thank you to John and Jane Balaban (@Bugguide.net) for suggesting the identity of this specimen. |
American pelecinid wasp (Pelecinidae: Pelecinus polyturator) Female Grooming |
About
Uploaded on Jul 23, 2010 Photographed at Icelandic State Park, North Dakota (23 July 2010). This was but one of perhaps two dozen females that I observed in an hour-long walk over the mowed lawns beneath the park's canopy of an Oak, Elm, Ash, and Boxelder trees. |
American pelecinid wasp (Pelecinidae: Pelecinus polyturator) Feeding on Leaf Surface |
About
Uploaded on Aug 6, 2011 Photographed on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River north of Red Wing, Minnesota (04 August 2011). |
Visitor Sightings |
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Nicole Rojas-Oltmanns |
Location: Northeastern MN |
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| Matt 8/27/2022 |
Location: Columbus, Ohio 1st one I've ever seen. |
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Shawn Dause |
Location: Almora, MN |
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| Scott Bemman August 2020 |
Location: Baker Park Reserve |
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| TPS 8/7/2015 |
Location: Saint Paul, MN I'd never seen or heard of this until late last night when one (female) flew about my bedroom as I was about to go to sleep. Was startled by its appearance after getting a clear view of it with my glasses on. Had to find out what it was. Have lived in Minnesota my entire life (51 years) and this was a first. |
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| Brian Johnson 8/31/2014 |
Location: northern St. Louis County, Fairbanks never seen one before. |
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| The Novaks 8/25/2013 |
Just found your site when trying to identify an insect we have never seen before. We found photos and made a positive ID - the bug we found is the female pelecinid wasp. We noticed that there were only three areas listed where this insect has been found in Minnesota. We found the insect in St. Louis County in the Side Lake area, more specifically, at Perch Lake. Just thought you might like to know about where we found the insect. |
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| Joshua D. Haglund 8/9/2012 |
Hello MinnesotaSeason.com!! I killed 3 female pelecinid wasps in Pennington County, ... if you want to update your locations spotted. One crawled at me fast, like a scorpion about to attack... This is the first time I've seen them. I had to figure out what they were. Thanks for the site |
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Created 8/25/2010 Last Updated: © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved. |