Ammophila mediata Cresson 1865. A western, montane, and Canadian species, A. mediata is found as far north as the Yukon (Krombein 1979). In Michigan it occurs only in sandy plains dominated by Pinus banksiana on Isle Royale, the UP, and some areas of the NLP.
BIOLOGY: O'Brien and O'Brien (1988) studied this species at the Huron Mountain Club, and found females nesting in Jack pine-dominated habitats. Nests were constructed in sandy soil, and were provisioned with a single large caterpillar, usually an arboreal noctuid or geometrid. Females temporarily closed the nest before hunting for prey. Females ran up and down branches of trees searching for prey. This was the most common species of Ammophila in Malaise traps from the Huron Mountains (O'Brien and O'Brien 1988).
FLOWER RECORDS: Apocynum andraesifolium, Chrysanthemum leucanthemum, Galium trižorum, Solidago spp.
COLLECTION DATES: 200+ specimens, 13 June to 5 September. Most dates are in late June and early July.
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