Sphaeropthalma

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Sphaeropthalma
(male)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Hymenoptera
Suborder:	Aculeata
Superfamily:	Pompiloidea
Family:	Mutillidae
Subfamily:
Tribe:
Genus:	Sphaeropthalma

Sphaeropthalma is a genus of velvet ants in the family Mutillidae.

Description[]

Sphaeropthalma are among the smaller velvet ants. Many species have red hair (common to many species in the family), while a few are more pink or white, or black. The genus is largely made up of species that are active only at night. Some, however, are active during the day. The ones which have pink hair are nocturnal.^[1]

Habitat[]

Most dry areas, or open areas.

Behavior[]

Scurries along the ground, in search of solitary wasp nests, which it will parasitize.

Prey species[]

These wasps prefer to invade nests of bembicine wasps, e.g. cicada killers, horse guard wasps.

References[]