Saving the small things that run the planet
European Bee Wolf
Fast Facts
Latin name: Philanthus triangulum
Notable feature: Large wasp with dark thorax and black and yellow striped abdomen.
Conservation Status: Not Evaluated
Where in the UK: Used to be scattered populations in southern England, however, range has rapidly expanded with records as far north as Lancashire. Globally, they can be found across Europe and Africa.
European Bee Wolf (Philanthus triangulum) with bee © Mick Massie
The European Bee Wolf (Philanthus Triangulum) is one of the UK’s largest solitary wasps. Along with their characteristically wasp-like appearance, European Bee Wolfs have a dark reddish-brown colouring around the back of their eyes and very thin antennae.
They are most often found on sandy areas of lowland heath and coastal dunes. The European Bee Wolf digs its nesting burrows in sandy banks or floors.
Female European Bee Wolves commonly prey on the Western Honeybee (Apis mellifera), paralysing them with a sting and carrying them back to their nesting burrows as food for their young. They have also been recorded taking Yellow-legged Mining Bee (Andrena flavipes) and the Bull-headed Furrow Bee (Lasioglossum zonulus) as prey in Britain.
Size: Up to 17mm
Life span: Annual
Diet: As adults, they feed on the nectar of brambles, sea holly, heather, Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) and Creeping Thistle (Cirsium arvense), among others.
Reproduction: Male European Bee Wolves perform lekking behaviour, where each male defends a small territory and uses pheromones to attract a female. After mating, they have no further role in the nesting process. Females create nesting burrows that can be up to a metre long with between 3 and 34 side burrows ending in brood chambers. These brood chambers are stocked with paralysed honeybees and a single egg is laid in the chamber before it is sealed with sand. After hatching, the larva will feed on the store of honeybees before spinning a cocoon to hibernate through the winter. They emerge as adults in the spring.
When to see: July to September
Population Trend: Increasing
Threats: Loss of flower-rich habitat.
Interesting Fact: Female European Bee Wolves cover the honeybees they paralyse and carry back to their nests in a chemical that prevents bacteria and fungi from growing and killing their young. Their eggs also release a gas that prevents the growth of fungus.
Buglife is working to restore habitat for the European Bee Wolf and other invertebrates through specific projects and campaigns, including Solitary Bee Week and B-Lines, but we need your help!
Buglife B-Lines are an imaginative and beautiful solution to the problem of the loss of flowers and pollinators. B-Lines are a series of ‘insect pathways’ running through our countryside and towns, along which we are restoring and creating a series of wildflower-rich habitat stepping stones. Linking existing wildlife areas together, creating a network, like a railway, that will weave across the UK landscape. More information about B-Lines and how you can help pollinators can be found here.
Join a recording scheme and log your finds – send any records/sightings to BWARS or download the iRecord app and get recording!
Do remember that we rely on donations to continue our work. If you have searched, found and learnt about our incredible invertebrates on our website, please do consider Making a Donation, Becoming a Member or maybe even making a purchase in our shop. For more ideas on how to support our work find out how to Get Involved. Thank you 🕷
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