Editha

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This article is about the wasp genus. For the historical figure, see Eadgyth. For the Anglo-Saxon saint, see Saint Editha

Editha
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Superfamily: Apoidea Family: Crabronidae Subfamily: Bembicinae Tribe: Bembicini Genus: Editha J. Parker, 1929
Species
Editha adonis Editha caesarea Editha diana Editha fuscipennis Editha integra Editha magnifica Editha pulcherrima

Editha is a small genus of large, brightly-colored sand wasps, restricted to South America. They are specialized predators of butterflies, and after capturing and paralyzing their prey, they strip the wings off before placing the bodies in an underground cell to serve as food for the wasp larva.

[edit] References

• Howard E. Evans, "A Review of Prey Choice in Bembicine Sand Wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)" Neotropical Entomology 31(1): 001-011 (2002) (PDF at [1])