Bug FAQAmmophila placida
Ammophila placida · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Sphecidae
The female digs its nest in relatively firm soil. It is found across the continental United States and Central America. It preys on caterpillars of the Noctuidae, Hesperiidae and Geometridae families, and its egg hatches in two days with the larva maturing after five days of feeding.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
The female digs its nest in relatively firm soil.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It hunts caterpillars from the Noctuidae, Hesperiidae and Geometridae families.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 14 of 51 states and DC. Most records: California, Ohio, Illinois, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, New York.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Same family (Sphecidae)
Yellow-legged Mud-dauber WaspSceliphron caementariumCan sting
Common Blue Mud-dauber WaspChalybion californicumCan sting
Great Golden Digger WaspSphex ichneumoneus
Great Black Digger WaspSphex pensylvanicusCan sting
Gold-marked Thread-waisted WaspEremnophila aureonotata
Mexican Grass-carrying WaspIsodontia mexicanaSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammophila_placida
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-26 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-26.