Cerceris goddardi — Life in a Southern Forest

Workbook

A few weeks ago, Scott Gavins posted a sighting of nesting Cerceris on their Queensland property (https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/320998131) (& see photo above).

I was initially thinking it might be C. megacantha, based largely on the width of the clypeus and head, and the lack of a prominent clypeal lamina. A few days later (19th October), Scott collected a female leaving the same nest (https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/321779429) and sent her to me for closer examination.

Now, with the specimen in hand, I am confident that it is actually C. goddardi. There is no prominent spine on the mesopleura … so despite any other superficial similarities to C. megacantha, we can rule that out. And it fits Evans’ 1982 description of C. goddardi very well. Below are the full details.

Cerceris goddardi is a member of the AUSTRALIA Group of Cerceris species … the same species group as C. antipodes, C. australis, and several others (Evans, 1982). And like C. antipodes and C. australis, C. goddardi is known to nest communally (Evans 1988). These tend to be small to medium-sized species with an apically broad clypeal lamina, and simple, rounded mesopleura. C. goddardi is distinguished by the shape of the lamina, the very broad head, and the colour patterning of T1 and T2.

For a comparison of all described Cerceris species of eastern Australia, see the summary table on the Cerceris overview page.

The following images are all the same individual as shown in the panel above (specimen ID 2510A). Of note is the colour change just one week after death! The images below were all made on 26th November, 2025. It is little wonder published species descriptions of colour based on older specimens in collection are often not an accurate representation of the living animals.

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clypeus shape

HOLOTYPE DESCRIPTION: “Clypeus short and broad, with a subrecumbent lamina which is broadly incomplete medially, each side of the lamina curved mesad and upward so that, from above, there appears to be a pair of small teeth;apical clypeal margin truncate medially, dentate opposite lateral margins of lamina and with a pair of smaller teeth mesad of these” (Evans 1982, p. 352)

NOTE re VARIATION: “… the degree to which the lamina is incomplete medially varies somewhat; there may be a rather broad space that is unthickened and unpigmented, or at the other extreme the lateral margins may be connect by a somewhat thickened and pigmented ridge which is, however, depressed.” (Evans, 1982 p. 353)

clypeus colour

HOLOTYPE DESCRIPTION: “clypeus yellow except narrowly dark along apical margin and that of lamina, also black mediobasally” (Evans 1982, p. 351)

NOTE re VARIATION: “I have seen a few females in which the clypeus is mostly or wholly black” (Evans 1982 p. 353)

clypeus shape

The clypeus is subrecumbent … a condition best assessed in a lateral view such as this.

mesopleuron shape

KEY STEP 1: “Mesopleura rounded, without a tubercle, spinose process, or carinae on lower central part” (Evans 1982, p. 305)

Note that C. megacantha is otherwise. In that species the mesopleural process is very large, spinose, and strongly projecting from the sides of the thorax. It would be obvious!

lateral view of thorax (colour)

There is a suggestion of a yellow spot in the anterodorsal region of the mesopleuron. Othewise it is entirely black.

head shape & colour (viewed dorsally)

Head broad. Distance between lateral ocellus and eye (OOL) is much greater than the distance separating the lateral ocelli (POL).

Upper orbits and vertex each with a pair of yellow spots.

dorsal thorax colour & punctation

HOLOTYPE DESCRIPTION: “pronotal collar, tegulae, scutellum, and propodeal slope each with a pair of yellow spots; metanotum transversely yellow” (Evans 1982, p. 351)

“mesoscutum and scutellum with small, subcontiguous punctures with a longitudinal bias” (Evans 1982 p. 352)

dorsal thorax & propodeum colour

HOLOTYPE DESCRIPTION: “… tegulae, scutellum, and propodeal slope each with a pair of yellow spots; metanotum transversely yellow” (Evans 1982, p. 351)

propodeal structure

HOLOTYPE DESCRIPTION: “enclosure of type B, dull, with a few punctures and short, basal striae” (Evans, 1982 p. 352)

petiole shape & colour

HOLOTYPE DESCRIPTION: “petiole about as wide as long, sides subparallel, bearing some long, pale setae”‍ …“petiole yellow except black basally” (Evans 1982, pp. 351-2)

HOLOTYPE DESCRIPTION: “T2 transversely yellow just before posterior margin, this yellow extending to include lateral margins” (Evans 1982, p. 351)

NOTE re VARIATION: “the amount of yellow on T2 is also variable, and some specimens have rufous areas on T2, either posteriorly or bordering the anterior black” (Evans 1982, p. 353)

T2-5 colour & structure

HOLOTYPE DESCRIPTION: “T2 transversely yellow just before posterior margin, this yellow extending to include lateral margins; T3 with a narrow yellow band posteriorly and T4 and 5 with wider yellow bands” … “Tl-5 with small, subcontiguous punctures, interspaces alutaceous, rather weakly shining” (Evans 1982 pp. 351-2)

NOTE: compare the colour bands as seen in life (panel at top of page) with the dramatic loss of yellow pigment after death (here).

forewing venation & length

Wing venation varies little between Cerceris species, but colour does.

HOLOTYPE DESCRIPTION: Wings subhyaline, fore wing fumose along costal margin; stigma pale amber” (Evans 1982 p. 352)

The forewing length of this female is nearly 8mm, the same as in the holotype … although Evans reports wide size variation (6.5-10mm).

References

Evans, H.E. 1982 (Dec 1981 edition, hence ambiguity in citations). The genus Cerceris in eastern Australia (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 107(4): 299-380 available here

Evans, H.E. 1988. Further studies on the systematics and nesting behavior of eastern Australian Cerceris wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Transactions of the American Entomological Society, 114(1): 1-13

This is a workbook page … a part of our website where we record the observations and references used in making species identifications. The notes will not necessarily be complete. They are a record for our own use, but we are happy to share this information with others.