Taken from: A Revision of the North American Ammophila (hymenoptera, Sphecidae). Arnold S. E. Menke, 1965.
Ammophila (Ammophila) mediata Cresson
Ammophila mediata Cresson, 1865. Proc. Entomol. Soc. Philadelphia 4:459.
Holotype female, Colorado (Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia).
The lack of appressed silver hair on the mesosomal pleura is distinctive in mediata.
Cresson’ s type has been studied. Fernald (1934) synonymized mediata with “arvensis Dahlbom”.
Ammophila mediata occurs at higher elevations throughout the western United States. East of the Rocky Mountains it is found in the northern states as far as Michigan. The species ranges across Canada from British Columbia to Labrador and Quebec. I have seen records from Dawson and Rampart Rouse, Yukon Territory. This latter locality is north of the Arctic Circle.
Ammophila azteca Group
Diagnosis. The azteca group characteristics are essentially the same as for the urnaria group except that the preepisternal sulcus is long, ending in the ventral region.
Included species. Ammophila acuta (Fernald), azteca Cameron, breviceps Smith, californica Menke, evansi Menke, harti (Fernald), karenae Menke, mediata Cresson, peckhami (Fernald), pruinosa Cresson, regina Menke, strenua Cresson and varipes Cresson.
Discussion. The azteca group is in need of a thorough study since the status of several species is in doubt, For example, “Ammophila pruinosa” is now known to consist of several closely related and undescribed species. The same situation may exist in Ammophila strenua and azteca.
Erect hair color, mesopleural patterns of appressed silver hair, color, and the configuration of the pronotal collar are useful for species discrimination in this group, The male genitalia are distinct in only half of the species; e, g., acute, californica, karenae, peckhami, pruinosa and regina (see figs, 115-120). The aedeagi of the remaining species are similar to that of Ammophila urnaria in the urnaria group (figs. 128-129).
The azteca group is represented throughout North America, The range of A. mediate and azteca extends past the Arctic Circle in western Canada. The group occurs in Mexico and specimens of an undescribed species belonging to the azteca group have been seen from the Andes of South America.
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