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American Sand Wasp

Bembix americana[4]

The American sand wasp is a solitary, ground-nesting wasp that digs burrows in sandy soil and hunts flies to feed its young.[1][2][3]

Group
Insect
Order
Hymenoptera
Family
Crabronidae
US records
33 states
Sources
4 cited
Updated
2026-10-16
American sand wasp, black with white bands, at a sandy burrow
American sand wasp, black with white bands, at a sandy burrow. (c) Karen Kincy, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0
On this page
  1. Identification
  2. Look-alikes
  3. Where it lives
  4. Biology
  5. Damage and signs
  6. Health risk
  7. Control
  8. Related profiles
  9. Common questions
  10. Sources

How to identify it

  • Adults are robust, about 16 to 20 mm long, mostly black with five pairs of white spots forming broken bands on the abdomen, and green eyes.[1][2][3]
  • Many females nest close together in the same sandy patch, though they are not social.[1][2][3]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Cicada killerA larger ground-nesting wasp that Utah State groups with sand wasps; both often nest in sandy spots.[3]

Where it lives

Found across the United States, southern Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.[1]

US map: public records from 33 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Females provision nests with paralyzed flies; one larva may eat about two dozen.[1][2]

Males emerge first and fly low over nesting sites waiting for females.[1]

Damage and signs

  • No damage: they prey on more than 43 kinds of flies, including house flies and deer flies.[1][2]

Health risk

They are not aggressive and nests pose minimal risk, though a sting is painful; their habit of hovering near people is usually hunting flies drawn to them.[2][3]

Control

Prevention

Cover bare sandy areas with turf or other plantings to make them less attractive for nesting.[3]

Biological control

Tolerate them where possible: they catch pest flies.[2]

Common questions

Why are wasps hovering around me in the yard?
Sand wasps often hover near people to catch flies attracted to them; it isn't aggression.[2]

Sources

  1. University of Florida IFAS Extension (EDIS, Featured Creatures), “American Sand Wasp, Bembix americana (EENY-809).” ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1424 (accessed 2026-10-16)
  2. Missouri Department of Conservation, “Sand Wasps (Field Guide).” mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/sand-wasps (accessed 2026-10-16)
  3. Utah State University Extension (Integrated Pest Management), “Sand Wasps / Cicada Killer (nuisance pest fact sheet).” extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/notes_nuisance/sand-wasp-cicada-killer.php (accessed 2026-10-16)
  4. iNaturalist, “Bembix americana taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/53072 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-16. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.