Great Golden Digger Wasp

Description:

A moderately sized wasp with golden highlights on its face and torso. It digs burrows (in the third photo, you can see an example) in which it lays its eggs. As its young develops, the wasp will paralyze grasshoppers or related species by stinging them. These paralyzed insects are then fed to the young wasps (the third photo shows female dragging a katydid into its burrow). As an adult, however, these wasps eat nectar from flowers.

Habitat:

Gardens, backyards, forests, grasslands. Anywhere with sufficient resources.