About Triscolia ardens Smith, 1855
Within North American wasp fauna, Triscolia ardens Smith, 1855 is recognized as a member of the genus Triscolia by the combination of a single recurrent vein and three submarginal cells. Its integument and setae are black from the head through the second segment of the gaster, and red on the rest of the gaster. In coloration, this species resembles the common Scolia dubia, but it lacks the distinctive yellow spots of S. dubia's nominate subspecies. Like other scoliid wasps, females have short antennae, while males have long antennae and a three-pronged pseudosting. T. ardens is recorded from the Mexican states of Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, and Sonora, and from the United States ranging from California to Texas. It inhabits open areas including open fields and meadows, where it flies near the ground searching for prey.
