Ornate-tailed Digger Wasp

The Ornate-tailed Digger Wasp is a medium-sized solitary wasp, about 8 to 12 millimetres long. It has a black body with yellow markings and a banded abdomen with pale spots. The female's tail segments have especially detailed patterns, which is why the species is called "ornate-tailed." This wasp hunts only weevil beetles, which it paralyses and stores in its burrows as food for its young. The wasp is common across England and Wales but becomes less common in Scotland. It prefers places with bare or thinly covered ground, such as sandy heaths, coastal dunes, and more recently, urban brownfield sites and garden lawns. Adults are most active from June to August. Female wasps are often seen flying low over suitable ground before digging their burrows. Male wasps patrol these areas, waiting for females to emerge.