Identification to species level, based on Leclercq’s detailed description of the female and comparison with images of the holotype. At the time of Leclercq’s major revision (1997), only that holotype was known in collection. We can now add several more females … plus the missing males!

A close look at our local species of Podagritus, identified as P. leptospermi, with detailed images of both sexes. Plus a short sequence of ‘live action’, featuring a female with prey struggling to find her nest burrow.

Key features for distinguishing between the 22 described Australian species of Arpactophilus.

The key features distinguishing Podagritus from Rhopalum, and a guide to distinguishing between Podagritus species of eastern Australia.

A rather old specimen, collection details unknown … but my first chance to take a close look at this species.

Arguably one of the most variable Bembix species in terms of colour pattern … and therefore one of the most challenging to identify from field photos. Finally I have one in the hand and so can be more confident that this is indeed B. littoralis.

This page includes a detailed comparison matrix for five Bembix species which can sometimes look very alike: B. littoralis; B. variabilis; B. lamellata; B. musca; B. furcata.

Last summer I captured images of Pseudoturneria territorialis females, both in the field and upon collection. But at that time no males were to be seen. More luck this year, as in early November males are suddenly swarming about the nesting site.

This is a relatively common species throughout coastal and near-coastal Queensland. Thanks to Scott W. Gavins, I take a closer look at key identification features of the female … including the clypeal lamina and the mesopleuron.

Key features for distinguishing between the 48 described Cerceris species of eastern Australia.

Summary of Leclercq’s 2007 revision of this small genus, endemic to Australia. I was prompted to delve into this genus by an iNaturalist sighting from Victoria. Included is a summary table to features of the three described species of Chimiloides, and links to the relevant literature. Also, I detail my reasoning behind suggesting a species ID for the iNat sighting (Chimiloides doddii).

Summary of Evans’ & Matthews’ 1973 work on Australian Bembix, with a focus on the 44 species known from the eastern states. Included are extracts from the original monograph, such as the figures and key to all 80 species known at that time. The summary table is detailed (& rather cumbersome!), but necessarily so at this stage. The large number of species in the genus, and the high level of intraspecific variation, demand attention to multiple characters in order to make an ID.

A close look at our local Sphodrotes species … now confirmed as Sphodrotes punctuosa, the type species for the genus. In addition to the detailed evidence and logic behind my species ID, I’ve included brief biological observations and a small set of images.

Also included is a summary table for the 12 species of this endemic – and little known – Australian genus.

Pseudoturneria territorialis collected locally and imaged, including several live shots in the field. Annotated images illustrate the identification to tribe, then genus, and finally species. A summary table for distinguishing the 5 known species is provided, along with relevant references.

These may be the first such images available online … I certainly haven’t located any others as yet.

Summary table for the 31 species of Austrogorytes, a genus endemic to Australia.

Summary table for the three Australian species of Ammatomus, along with copies of the original species descriptions.

Summary table comparing the seven species of Australian Nitela and Auchenophorus, along with various diagrams and references.

The Bembicini genera Argogorytes and Austrogorytes are superficially similar. Here's a definitive comparison for two WA species that I have previously struggled to differentiate from written descriptions alone.
(cover image: Kerry Stuart, iNaturalist sighting
https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/observations/235308189

Comparing the 14 Australian species within these three, very similar genera.

Short note: copies of the published descriptions of Australia’s two species: P. interstitialis lutescens (Turner, 1907) and P. carinifrons scutellatus (Turner, 1912) … along with links back to iNaturalist sightings.

Exploring published descriptions of Australia’s Dasyproctus and Neodasyproctus species – there are just six currently described, but discriminating between them is an ongoing challenge.

Arpactophilus deakinus, identified from a local specimen (#2406A) using the key and species description in Matthews & Naumann, 2002.

Identification of our local Cerceris, based on Evans 1981 review of species from eastern Australia.

Identification notes based on collected specimen

Identification notes based on collected specimen
[cover image a different individual: imaged nearby, 16/11/22]