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Sphecidae (Trypoxyloninae) (Sphecoidea) -- <Images> & <Juveniles>

Please refer also to the following links for details on this group:

Trypoxyloninae

In the subfamily Trypoxyloninae, nests are often constructed of a large number of mud cells, arranged often in tubular form on a solid surface. Each aggregation may comprise the cells of a number of successive generations. Other species use crevices or holes in walls, stems, etc., or they may burrow in soil. Almost always they provision their cells with spiders (Clausen 1940/1962).

Peckhams (1895, 1898) studied Trypoxylon rubrocinctum Peck. and T. albopilosum Fox, where females utilize existing burrows in woodwork or masonry that have been abandoned. T. rubrocinctum provisions its cells with 7-12 spiders, while T. albopilosum, being larger, requires 25-30. Prey may represent many genera and even families, although the majority usually are in the Epeiridae. An egg is laid on the side of the abdomen's dorsum of the last spider placed in the cell (Clausen 1940/1962).

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

Iwata, K. 1964a. Bionomics of non-social wasps in Thailand. Nat. & Life in Southeast Asia 3: 323-83.

Iwata, K. 1964b. Ethological notes on four Japanese species of Pison (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae). Mushi 38(1): 1-6.

Krombine, K. V. 1949. Aculeate Hymenoptera of Micronesia. I. Scoliidae, Mutilidae, Pompilidae and Sphecidae. Proc. Haw. Ent. Soc. 13: 367-410.

Masuda, H. 1939. Biological notes on Pison iwatai Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera, Trypoxylonidae). Mushi 12: 114-64.

Williams, F. X. 1927. Notes on the habits of the bees and wasps of the Hawaiian Islands. Proc. Haw. Ent. Soc. 6(3): 425-64.

Yasumatsu, K. 1953. Sphecoidea of Micronesia. 4. Revision of the genus Pison Spinola. Part 1 (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). J. Fac. Agric., Kyushu Univ. 10(2): 133-50.

Yoshimoto, C. M. 1960. Revision of the Hawaiian Crabroninae with synopsis of Hawaiian Sphecidae (Hymenoptera). Pacific Ins. 2(3): 301-37.

Yoshimoto, C. M. 1964. Nesting activity and larval description of Trypoxylon (Trypoxylon) bicolor Smith (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). Pacific Ins. 6(3): 517-21.