Sphex funerarius (Gussakovskij 1934) (Hym.: Sphecidae) - Europe's biggest digger wasp spreading northwards.

The Golden Digger wasp Sphex funerarius (Gussakovskij 1934) is the largest native European sphecid wasp. Whilst it is a species with a mainly Mediterranean distribution, it can be found sporadically in central Europe during periods of warm and dry weather. The exact reasons for its appearance and disappearance are not well understood, but are probably connected to the abundance of prey. It is probable that recent climate change, caused by long term global warming through human activity, has led to the spread of S. funerarius over central Europe, which makes it likely to appear, sooner or later, in northern Europe and Great Britain. This paper describes the breeding behaviour and general biology as well as the current range expansion of Sphex funerarius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]