Sphecids of Mexico

The Sphecidae family is a group of predatory wasps that hunt other insects and spiders with which to supply their nests. The sphecids have certain characteristics that distinguish them from other groups of wasps and bees. The objective of this research was to gather current knowledge of predatory Sphecidae wasps for Mexico, which includes a general overview of Sphecidae worldwide, nationally, and by states. Available literature of the family and different databases were reviewed. In Mexico, 121 species and 14 genera have been reported. The genus Ammophila W. Kirby, 1798 contains the most species (43). Tamaulipas and Chihuahua are the states with the largest number of species in the family, which are part of the Nearctic region. The work contributes significant data of the number of species of Sphecidae in Mexico, updated to 121 from 91 species reported previously. However, a large number of species do not have locality data. Further studies are recommended of these insects that have an important role in tropical ecosystems as predators of other arthropods.