Ammophila pictipennis (Walsh) 1869. This species occurs in the eastern U.S. with a few records from Mexico (Krombein 1979). In Michigan, it is found primarily in the southernmost three tiers of counties. It is never common, but further collecting should reveal a wider distribution in the SLP.
BIOLOGY: Ammophila pictipennis is similar to many Podalonia with regards to prey selection. Noctuid larvae, mostly cutworms, such as Leucania unipuncta (Haworth), Agrotis c-nigrum (L.), Prodenia ornithogalli Guenee, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and Pholisora catullus F., are placed singly in a shallow, unicellular nest. Hilarella hilarella Zetterstedt (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) is recorded as a parasite (Walsh and Riley 1869, Rau and Rau 1918, Krombein 1979).
COLLECTION DATES: 16 specimens, 14 June to 3 October.
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