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HYMENOPTERA, Sphecidae (Pseninae) (Sphecoidea). -- <Images> &
<Juveniles> Description
& Statistics
The subfamily is small, members provisioning their nests with
Homoptera. The behavior of Psen barthi Vier., that provisions its nest with adult leafhoppers,
was studied by Barth (1907). The latter are grasped by the neck or thorax
with the middle legs and held with the venter or side up, when being carried
to the nest. The nest is situated in
an old log and comprises a small number of cells, in each of which 3-5
leafhoppers are placed, the latter probably being killed by stinging during
capture. The egg is attached to the
thorax of one of the leafhoppers in the cell. Williams (1919c) recorded similar behavior in Nesomimesa hawaiiensis Perk. Clausen
(1940) noted that P. pallidipes Panz. (= atratus Panz.) stored its nests with
25-30 paralyzed aphids. Nests are
constructed in May, which continues until the season's end. Finnamore & Michener (1983) considered this group as a
subfamily of Pemphredonidae in the Apoidea.
Adults tend to construct ground nests, although some species of Psenulus use hollow twigs or
stems. Prey consists of Homoptera,
usually Cicadellidae, Cercopidae and Fulgoridae, but Membracidae and
Psyllidae are also accepted. The
subfamily contains ca. 460 species in 11 genera. In North America there are ca. 90 species in 7 genera (25
species, 5 genera in Canada). Finnamore (1987) analyzed the genera of Pseninae, described a new
genus, and keyed the world genera. References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references
may be found at: MELVYL
Library] Bohart, R. M.
y E. E. Grissell. 1969. New species of Psenini (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae ).
Pan-Pacific Entomol., 45: 216-221. Bohart, R.M. y A.S. Menke 1976. Sphecid wasps of the world. A generic
revision. Univ. California Press, Berkeley. 695 pp. Gittins, A. R. 1969. Revision of the Neartic
Psenini (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). I. Redescriptions and keys to the genera
and subgenera. Trans. Amer. Entomol. Soc ., 95: 49-76. Harris, R. A. 1979. A glossary of surface
sculpturing. Occas. Papers Entomol., 28: 1-31. Krombein, K. V. 1950. Taxonomic notes on the
wasps of the subgenus Pseneo
Malloch (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Washington
52: 277-287. Malloch, J. R. 1933. Review of the wasps of the
subfamily Pseninae of North America (Hymenoptera: Aculeata). Proc. United
States Nat. Mus ., 82: 1-60. Van Lith,
J. P. 1975 a . Neotropical species of Psen
and Pseneo (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae,
Psenini). Tijdschrift voor Entomol., 118: 1- 41. Van Lith, J. P. 1975 b. New Neotropical species
of Pseneo (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae,
Psenini). Entomol. Berichten 35: 170-173. |