Nick Upton / Sand-loving / Square-headed wasp (Tachysphex costae) feeding on Sea holly flowers (Eryngium maritimum) on a beach, Sardinia, Italy, June.

Adrian Davies / European beewolf (Philanthus triangulum) emerging from burrow in sand. Surrey, England, UK. August.

Piotr Naskrecki / Sand Wasp (Ammophila sp) carrying paralyzed caterpillar, on which she will lay her eggs in an underground burrow, Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique

Nick Upton / Heath sand wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying a caterpillar it has paralysed to its nest as food for its larvae, Studland heath, Dorset, UK, July.

Ingo Arndt / Sand wasp {Amophila sabulosa} with caterpillar prey, Germany

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Beautiful Yellow Underwing moth (Anarta myrtilli) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Common heath moth (Ematurga atomaria) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Common heath moth (Ematurga atomaria) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Milan Radisics / European beewolf (Philanthus triangulum) moving sand while digging nest, Budapest, Hungary, July.

Nick Upton / Female Sand wasp / Digger wasp (Bembix olivacea) excavating a nest hole in beach sand, flinging sand behind it as it works, Kos, Dodecanese Islands, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / Female Sand wasp / Digger wasp (Bembix olivacea) excavating a nest hole in beach sand, flinging sand behind it as it works, Kos, Dodecanese Islands, Greece, August.

David Kjaer / Sand wasp (Ammophila sabulosa) at burrow entrance, Arne, Dorset, UK, July.

David Kjaer / Sand wasp (Ammophila sabulosa) at burrow entrance, Arne, Dorset, UK, July.

David Kjaer / Sand wasp (Ammophila sabulosa) at burrow entrance, Arne, Dorset, UK, July.

John Abbott / Sand Wasp (Stizoides renicintus) Hornsby Bend Wastewater Treatment Facility, Austin, Travis County, Texas, USA.

Ammonite / Male Mining bee (Andrena praecox) attacking a Digger wasp (Sphex) at the entrance to a bee burrow, France, March.

Nick Upton / Female Sand wasp / Digger wasp (Bembix oculata) excavating a nest hole in beach sand, Crete, Greece, May.

Nick Upton / Female Sand wasp / Digger wasp (Bembix oculata) excavating a nest hole in beach sand, flinging sand behind it as it works, Crete, Greece, May.

Michael Durham / Female Cicada killer wasp (Sphecius grandis) in flight, captive.

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Common heath moth (Ematurga atomaria) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Common heath moth (Ematurga atomaria) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) stinging caterpillar of Beautiful Yellow Underwing moth (Anarta myrtilli), Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Beautiful Yellow Underwing moth (Anarta myrtilli) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying paralysed caterpillar of Beautiful Yellow Underwing moth (Anarta myrtilli) back to burrow, Surrey, UK, August

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila sabulosa) resting on wood. West Sussex, England, Uk, August.

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carrying sand while re-excavating burrow. This wasp returns to stock her burrow with more caterpillars as the larvae develop. West Sussex, England, UK, August.

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila sabulosa) kicking sand back with middle legs to disguise burrow entrance. Surrey, England, UK, July.

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) Re-plugging burrow with carefully chosen stone having returned to stock her burrow with more caterpillars and check on her progeny. West Sussex, England, UK, August.

Andy Sands / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) carefully re-covering her burrow with sand to disguise its location. West Sussex, England, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Sand-loving wasp / Square-headed wasp (Tachytes panzeri / Tachytes europaeus) resting on beach pebble, Samos, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / Sphecid wasp (Tachysphex sp) resting on rocks, Samos, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / Great potter wasp / Mason wasp (Delta unguiculatum) getting moisture from beach sand, Samos, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / Sphecid wasp (Tachysphex sp) resting on driftwood, Samos, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / Paper wasp (Polistes associus) taking moisture from beach sand, Samos, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / Great Potter / Mason Wasp (Delta unguiculatum) getting moisture from sand, Samos, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / Sand-loving / Square-headed wasp (Tachytes panzeri / Tachytes europaeus) taking moisture from sand, Samos, Greece, August.

Alex Hyde / Sand wasp (Ammophila sp) female with a caterpillar that has been stung and paralysed, Midi-Pyrenees, France, August.

Philippe Clement / Digger / Sand wasp (Sphex funerarius / rufocinctus) at Field cricket's burrow, La Brenne, France

Pete Oxford / Sand Wasp (Sphecidae) mud tubes, Kanuku Protected Area, Rupununi, Guyana

Edwin Giesbers / Sand wasp (Ammophila sabulosa) with caterpillar prey, Lesbos, Greece

Edwin Giesbers / Sand wasp (Ammophila sabulosa) with caterpillar prey, Lesbos, Greece

Paul Harcourt Davies / Sand wasp (Ammophila heydenii) Umbria, Italy

Nick Upton / Female Digger / Sand wasp (Sphex funerarius / rufocinctus) sweeping soil away from burrow entrance, Pyrenees, Spain

Nick Upton / Female Digger / Sand wasp (Sphex funerarius / rufocinctus) with a paralysed Bush cricket / katydid for larvae to feed on, Pyrenees, Spain

Nick Upton / Female Digger / Sand wasp (Sphex funerarius / rufocinctus) dragging a parlalysed Bush cricket (Metrioptera roeseli) to burrow, where her larvae will feed on it, Pyrenees, Spain

Piotr Naskrecki / Sand Wasp (Sphecidae) female dragging paralyzed caterpillar to her borrow to feed her larvae, Modjadji Cycad Reserve, South Africa

Solvin Zankl / Velvet ant / Flightless wasp {Mutillidae} on sand dune, Namib Desert, Namibia

Michael Durham / Sand Wasp (Sphex habenus) male flying, Texas

Solvin Zankl / The Golden Wheel Spider (Carparachne aureoflava) rolling down sand dune to escape its predator, a pompilid wasp, Namib Desert, Namibia

Solvin Zankl / Pompilid wasp {Pompilidae} digging hole in sand to reach the Golden wheel spider in its burrow beneath the sand, Namib desert, Namibia

Solvin Zankl / Spider hunter wasp {Pompilidae} on sand dune, Namib Desert, Namibia

Konrad Wothe / Sand Wasp (Sphecidae) bringing bush cricket prey into the nest, Peloponnese, Greece

Konrad Wothe / Sand Wasp (Sphecidae) at nest, Peloponnese, Greece

Konrad Wothe / Sand Wasp (Sphecidae) with bush cricket prey, Peloponnese, Greece

Pete Oxford / Sand wasp {Ammophila beniniensis} female carrying caterpillar to hole in sand, Ankarana SR, Madagascar

Philippe Clement / Female Sand / Digger Wasp (Sphex rufocinctus) in undergrowth, La Brenne, France

Pete Oxford / Female Sand wasp (Ammophila beniniensis) digging hole for caterpillar and eggs, Ankarana Special Reserve, Madagascar

Pete Oxford / Female sand wasp {Ammophila beniniensis imerinae} with caterpillar prey, next to burrow, Madagascar.

Kim Taylor / Spoil heaps outside hunting / field digger wasp burrows in sand bank, UK.

Kim Taylor / Sand wasp {Ammophila pubescens} plugs burrow entrance before hunting. UK.

Kim Taylor / Sand wasp {Ammophila pubescens} takes caterpillar prey to burrow. UK.

Kim Taylor / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) drags caterpillar into its burrow. Surrey, UK.

Kim Taylor / Sand Wasp (Ammophila pubescens) excavating burrow. Surrey, UK.

PREMAPHOTOS / Sand wasp taking large caterpillar prey to nest. (Amophila sabulosa) UK

PREMAPHOTOS / Sand wasp (Amophila sabulosa) taking moth larva prey to nest England

PREMAPHOTOS / Hunting wasp (Bembix sp) carrying horsefly prey to nest. Kenya, Africa

Pete Oxford / Sand wasp {Ammophila beniniensis imerinae} female carries paralysed caterpillar to nest Ankarana SR, Madagascar

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Wheel Spider (Carparachne aureoflava) captured by a parasitic Pompilid wasp, Sand Dunes, Namib Desert, Namibia

Kim Taylor / Digger wasp (unidentified) excavating its burrow, Namibia, Africa

Nick Upton / Spiny mason wasp (Odynerus spinipes) female, flying towards mud chimney protecting her nest burrow on coastal sand bank, Cornwall, England, UK. June.

Nick Upton / Mud chimney built by a female Spiny mason wasp (Odynerus spinipes) to protect her nest burrow entrance in coastal sand bank, Cornwall, England, UK. June.

Nick Upton / Spiny mason wasp (Odynerus spinipes) female, entering mud chimney protecting her nest burrow entrance carrying Weevil grub (Hypera sp.) prey for her larvae, coastal sand bank, Cornwall, England, UK. J...

Nick Upton / Ruby-tailed cuckoo wasp (Chrysis viridula) inspecting the mud chimney built over the nest burrow of its host species, the Spiny mason wasp (Odynerus spinipes) on coastal sand bank, Cornwall, England,...

Nick Upton / Spiny mason wasp (Odynerus spinipes) adult female flying to the ornate mud chimney protecting her nest burrow entrance with a Weevil grub (Hypera sp.) she has paralysed to act as food for her larvae,...

Jiri Lochman / Club wasp (Podalonia tydei) female, excavating underground nest chamber in sand, Guilderton, Western Australia.

Jiri Lochman / Club wasp (Ammophila sp.) female, carrying sand removed when excavating underground nest chamber, Yanchep National Park, north of Perth, Western Australia.

Jiri Lochman / Club wasp (Ammophila sp.) female, excavating underground nest chamber in sand, Yanchep National Park, north of Perth, Western Australia.

Jiri Lochman / Potter wasp (Anterhynchium nigrocinctum) female, excavating an underground nest chamber in sand, Yanchep National Park, north of Perth, Western Australia.

Jiri Lochman / Flower wasp (Thynninae sp.) wingless female, burrowing in sand in search of prey after mating, Yalgorup National Park, south of Mandurah, Western Australia.

Marie Lochman / Club wasp (Sphex bilobatus) female, excavating an underground nest chamber in sand, Peak Charles National Park, north-west of Esperance, Western Australia.

Doug Wechsler / Horse guard wasp (Stictia carolina) digging burrow in sand, Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey, USA. August.

Doug Wechsler / Horse guard wasp (Stictia carolina) in flight, Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey, USA. August.

Doug Wechsler / Horse guard wasp (Stictia carolina) digging burrow in sand, Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey, USA. August.

Doug Wechsler / Horse guard wasp (Stictia carolina) portrait, Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey, USA. August.

Doug Wechsler / Horse guard wasp (Stictia carolina) digging burrow in sand, Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey, USA. August.

Doug Wechsler / Horse guard wasp (Stictia carolina) digging burrow in sand, Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey, USA. August.

Doug Wechsler / Horse guard wasp (Stictia carolina) digging burrow in sand, Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey, USA. August.

Doug Wechsler / Common eastern velvet ant / Cow killer (Dasymutilla occidentalis) female, digging in sand, Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey, USA. August.

Doug Wechsler / Common eastern velvet ant / Cow killer (Dasymutilla occidentalis) female, digging in sand, Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey, USA. August.

Andy Sands / Ruby-tailed wasp (Chrysis ignita) curled up in defensive posture after being dragged from Silver leaf cutter bee (Megachile leachella) nest tunnel in sand dunes. Cornwall, England, UK. May. Focus...

Andy Sands / Ornate tailed digger wasp (Cerceris rybyensis) flying back to burrow, carrying paralysed Mining bee (Andrena sp) to lay eggs on. Oxfordshire, England, UK. July.

Andy Sands / Red legged spider wasp (Episyron rufipes) digging nesting tunnel in sand. Oxfordshire, England, UK. July

Jiri Lochman / Gasteruptid wasp (Pseudofoenus sp.) female, portrait, on sand, Durba Hills, Little Sandy Desert, Western Australia. August. (Gasteruptiidae)

Jiri Lochman / Velvet ant (Ephutomorpha formicaria) female, on sand, Goongarrie Station, north of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. November. (Mutillidae)

Jiri Lochman / Velvet ant (Ephutomorpha distinguenda) female, on sand, west of Esperance, Western Australia. December. (Mutillidae)

Jiri Lochman / Velvet ant (Bothriomutilla sp.) female, on sand, Dampier Peninsula, West Kimberley Region, Western Australia. May. (Mutillidae)