About Philanthus gibbosus (Fabricius, 1775)
Philanthus gibbosus is a small, robust wasp, measuring approximately 10–12 mm in length. It has a notably broad head, and its shiny black chitin exoskeleton bears yellow spots on the head and yellow stripes on the abdomen and thorax. Its abdomen has very large, deep punctures, which makes this species easy to distinguish from other members of the genus Philanthus. This is a common, widely distributed species of wasp native to North America. Observations of the species are concentrated primarily in the central Midwestern United States, with records ranging as far west as Kansas and as far south as Georgia, and the highest concentrations around Missouri and Tennessee. P. gibbosus also inhabits coastal areas with sandy soil. It prefers the climate and habitat of deciduous forests, and favors the soil conditions found in both deciduous forest regions and coastal areas because it constructs its nests in underground burrows, which requires soil with a composition suitable for digging.
