About Cerceris rybyensis (Linnaeus, 1771)
This species, scientifically named Cerceris rybyensis (Linnaeus, 1771), shows clear size differences between sexes: adult females are 8 to 12 millimeters long, while adult males measure 6 to 10 millimeters. It has easily recognizable markings: distinct yellow and black bands run across its abdomen, including a wide yellow band on one of the middle abdominal segments, and the tibia of its rear legs are yellow. Cerceris rybyensis is a Palearctic species. Its distribution ranges from southern England and the Iberian Peninsula in the west, across most of Europe (including Scandinavia), and extends eastward as far as Japan. This wasp can be found in sandy soil areas, both in coastal and inland locations. It also occurs in sites with heavier soils and in chalk grassland, and has even been recorded living in a suburban garden in London. It often nests alongside other burrowing wasps and bees, including the sand tailed digger wasp, Cerceris arenaria.
