Bug FAQSphex dorsalis
Sphex dorsalis · Order: Hymenoptera · Family: Sphecidae
Sphex dorsalis adults are about 19 mm long, roughly three-quarters of an inch. They occur from the southern United States down through Mexico, Central America and into South America.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Both males and females measure around 19 mm (0.75 in) in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is native to the southern United States and extends southward through Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 17 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, California, Tennessee, North Carolina, Mississippi.
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
Questions people ask
Where is Sphex dorsalis found?
It lives from the southern United States down through Mexico, Central America, and South America.
Source: Wikipedia
How big is Sphex dorsalis?
Adults are about 19 mm long, roughly three-quarters of an inch.
Source: Wikipedia
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/Sphex_dorsalis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-25 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-25.