The beetle-hunting wasp, Cerceris fumipennis Say (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), native to eastern North America, provisions its subterranean nest almost exclusively with adult metallic wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), including the destructive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, EAB). This wasp provides a unique opportunity to survey indigenous and nonindigenous buprestid diversity. We discuss the accessibility, sustainability, and productivity of C. fumipennis with respect to its application as a buprestid surveying and monitoring tool.

Smoky winged beetle bandits, Cerceris fumipennis Say, digger wasps in the family Hymenoptera: Crabronidae: Cercerini, provision their underground nests with adult metallic wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). Researchers, as well as engaged community volunteers, in several states have monitored female wasps returning to their nests as a means to detect invasive buprestid species. In this paper, we report the first detection of emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairemore), an invasive beetle responsible for killing millions of ash trees in North America, in Connecticut by C. fumipennis and discuss its relationship to A. planipennis survey efforts by other modalities in the state. We also report detections of A. planipennis by C. fumipennis in Illinois, New York and Ontario; all of which were made after it was known the beetle was in the area. These findings support the use of C. fumipennis as a biomonitoring tool and bolster the use of engaged volunteers.

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Cerceris fumipennis Say, 1837 (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) is a wasp that provisions its subterranean nests with jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). At 3 newly discovered colonies in British Columbia (BC), C. fumipennis prey were collected by excavating the subterranean nests, using sweep nets to capture paralyzed prey in the grasp of a female returning to her nest, or collecting prey discarded at the nest entrance. In total, 9 species were collected: Acmaeodera idahoensis Barr, Agrilus crataegi Frost, Agrilus granulatus populi Fisher, Anthaxia (Haplanthaxia) caseyi caseyi Obenberger, Chrysobothris laricis Van Dyke, Chrysobothris leechi Barr, Phaenops drummondi (Kirby), Phaenops gentilis (LeConte) and Phaenops intrusa (Horn). Anthaxia caseyi caseyi was the smallest beetle (4.2 mm) while C. leechi was the largest (12.0 mm). The average size of all buprestid prey taken by females from all 3 colonies was 8.8 mm. These represent the first prey records for C. fumipennis in BC and with the exception of P. drummondi are new prey records for this wasp. A single Harpalus affinis (Schrank) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) was discovered within a brood cell containing Acmaeodera spp. elytra, but it is unclear if this beetle was placed in the cell by a female wasp.

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