The genus Apis is now part of the bee family Apidae and the species Linnaeus described as Apis carbonaria was based upon a Scoliid wasp,[1] so the original name has become a Basionym.

[3] A specimen of this species which belonged to Carl Linnaeus is held in the collections of the Linnean Society, London.

[4] Scolia carbonaria has wings that are brown in colour rather than transparent.

[5] In 2019 Jean-Baptiste Castagnet and Jacques Bitsch produced a key to show how Scolia carbonaria can be distinguished in its characteristics from the similar-looking species Scolia (Discolia) propodealis and the melanistic form of Scolia hortorum, for example S. carbonaria averages at a slightly larger size than the other two species (females at 17–19 mm in length, and males at 16–18 mm).

[5] Based upon live observations and preserved museum specimens Scolia carbonaria has a wide distribution across the Mediterranean, Middle East and Asia, having been observed in Algeria, Egypt, India, Israel, Palestine, Spain, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates,[6] and Italy.