A genus of predatory wasp that hunts and paralyzes spiders and other insects to provision its nests for its larvae.
From Latin ammophila or Greek ammophilos: ammo- (sand) + -phila (loving). The name refers to these wasps' habit of nesting in sandy soil. This Linnaean scientific name was formalized in the 18th century based on the wasps' ecological preference.
Ammophila wasps are nature's surgeons—they use their stings with surgical precision to paralyze prey without killing it, so their larvae have fresh food. Scientists study these wasps to understand how pain and paralysis work neurologically!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.