Ammophila

Ammophila is a representative of burrowing wasps. The wasp preys on the caterpillars of butterflies, mainly of the Noctuidae family (Scoops). It does not kill prey, but paralyzes it, turning it into live canned food. Typical representatives have a one-time supply of food to the cell and seal it after laying the egg. But there are species of Ammophila where the female harvests only one caterpillar, and as the larva grows, it brings its new food. And sometimes it takes care of several nests at the same time.
The picture was taken in the Astrakhan region.
Author: VO

Ammophila sabulosa (Linnaeus, 1758) is a species of burrowing wasp (Sphecidae) of the genus Ammophila.Hymenoptera, solitary sand wasps.
North.America, Southwest pcs.Idaho
Adult life usually lasts only one summer. There is rarely more than one generation per year. In spring or early summer, males are the first to emerge from their pupae and fly away from the nests where they spent the winter. Then the females appear. Females mate with males that have grown up in other burrows, thus avoiding interbreeding.
Adult wasps feed on nectar and pollen. All types of burrowing wasps have developed care for their offspring.

End of July 2013, Idaho

Ammophila sabulosa (Linnaeus, 1758) is a species of burrowing wasp (Sphecidae) of the genus Ammophila.Hymenoptera, solitary sand wasps.
North.America, Southwest pcs.Idaho

What makes you think it's A. sabulosa? Idaho has plenty of other species of its own. The coloration, in my opinion, is not at all typical for A. sabulosa. Yes, and its range is the Western Palearctic, America does not capture at all.

This post was edited by IchMan - 12.12.2013 18: 37

What makes you think it's A. sabulosa? Idaho has plenty of other species of its own. The coloration, in my opinion, is not at all typical for A. sabulosa. Yes, and its range is the Western Palearctic, America does not capture at all.

Well, A. sabulosa's arepal is wider - the whole Palearctic. But in the Western Hemisphere, this species is really unknown.