He is often characterized as a digger wasp. Dennett describes the mechanical behavior of the digger wasp "Sphex". The Sphecinae is a subfamily of the digger wasp family Sphecidae. Mellinus arvensis, the field digger wasp, is a species of solitary wasp. Sphex pensylvanicus is a species of digger wasp, commonly known as the great black wasp. The old digger wasp family Sphecidae ("sensu lato") was paraphyletic and has been broken up. The great golden digger wasp ("Sphex ichneumoneus") is found in North America. The digger wasp ("Scolia dubia") attacks the larval stage of the beetle.