sand wasp

noun

1. any of certain sphecid wasps of the subfamily Bembicinae that nest in the ground and are common along the seashore.

sand wasp

noun

1. a solitary wasp of the subfamily Sphecinae, a subgroup of the digger wasps most of which nest in sandy ground

Word History and Origins

Origin of sand wasp¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

The cooler a female thistledown stays, the more time she can spend on her life’s true purpose: wandering the desert in search of sand wasp burrows to parasitize.

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The way in which the Bembex, or Sand Wasp, provisions burrows by maternal foresight is much less mechanical than that of the Sphex.

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I have noticed in Indian boys a sense of locality almost as keen as that possessed by the sand- wasp.

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Astonishing nonsense is often spoken of the sand wasp's knowledge of anatomy.

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