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HYMENOPTERA, (Sphecoidea), Sphecidae (Larrinae) -- <Images> & <Juveniles>

All of the American genera of Larrinae are ground nesting but one extralimital genus is known to nest in twigs. The North American species prey upon various Orthoptera. However, no prey preference has been reported for our single species of Prosopigastra; in Europe some species of the genus prey upon Hemiptera and Homoptera. One extralimital genus preys upon lepidopterous larvae.

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References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references may be found at: MELVYL Library]

Frank, J. H., J. P. Parkman, and F. D. Bennett. 1995. Larra bicolor (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), a biological control agent of Scapteriscus mole crickets (Orthoptera: Gryllotalpidae), established in northern Florida. Fla. Entomol. 78: 619-623.

CSIRO, Division of Entomology. 1991. Insects of Australia. Melbourne University Press, 2nd Edition, pp 991.

Tillyard, R. J. 1926. Insects of Australia and New Zealand. Angus & Robertson, Ltd, Sydney, p299.