Hemipepsis is a genus of large pepsid spider wasps found throughout the tropics. They are commonly known as tarantula hawks. Hemipepsis wasps are morphologically similar to the related genera Pepsis and Entypus, but distinguishable by the pattern of wing venation. In South Africa 18 plant species from three plant families, Apocynaceae, Orchidaceae and Asparagaceae subfamily Scilloideae are pollinated exclusively by Hemipepsis wasps.