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HYMENOPTERA, Sphecidae (Ampulicinae) (Sphecoidea)
-- <Images> & <Juveniles> Description &
Statistics
The subfamily Ampulicinae contains species that seldom dig burrows,
but rather utilize natural cavities for nests, which are provisioned with
immature cockroaches. Williams
(1919b) described the behavior of Dolichurus
stantoni Ashm., which attacks
nymphs of several genera of cockroaches.
The agile cockroaches are located by the female who grasps one by a
cercus or leg, and then stings it in the throat or thorax. As only partial paralysis ensues, the
cockroach is able to continue slow movement.
Then the wasp grasps an antenna near the base and leads or drags the
prey to the nest (Clausen 1940/1962).
The female positions the prey in the nest, and lays an egg rather
obliquely on one of the middle coxae.
After hatching in 1-2 days, the larval feeding period is completed in
4-5 days. D. stantoni as
introduced to Hawaii from the Philippines in 1917 and became well
established. Similar behavior is displayed by Ampulex caniculatus
Say, which attacks Poreoblatta virginica Bam. (Williams 1929). In this case paralysis is complete and the
female then bites off the distal 3/4ths of the antennae, feeding on the
exuding body fluids. She then
transports the prey to the next where the cockroach quickly recovers to some
extent from the sting. The egg is
then laid on the coxa of one of the middle legs. No other species in this subfamily is known to amputate the
prey's antennae (Clausen 1940/1962). Another interesting case of parasitism is described by Hingston
(1925). Ampulex assimilis Kohl
attacks the cockroach, Shelfordella
tartara Sauss. in India. Only female hosts are attacked probably
because they are wingless and cannot readily escape. Paralysis is not complete, but the sting
quiets the cockroach so that it can be led to the burrow, which is usually
that of a beetle in a palm tree. A
suitable storage site is found and the egg is fastened to the femur of one of
the legs. Initial feeding occurs at a
puncture in the femur, and the partly grown larva enters the cockroach body,
feeding for some time as an internal parasitoid. The thoracic tissues are consumed first. The body contents, but not integument, are
consumed and the cocoon is spun within the host's abdomen. The tarsal claws were toothed or cleft along the inner margin
(Finnamore & Michener 1993)
. The mesotibia has 2 apical spurs,
and the hind wing either has a small jugal lobe or it is absent. There is a sessile metasoma or the petiole
is composed of the tergum and sternum. They are mainly tropical with more than
172 species known as of 2000.
Finnamore & Michener (1993) reported 2 subfamilies: Ampulicinae and Dolichurinae. They are considered to be the most
primitive of the Spheciformes. Adults
of tropical species are usually metallic green and may reach 33.5 mm in
length. They prey on Blattoidea
(Dictuoptera). Females paralyze their
prey, and transport it to a cavity where an egg is laid. References: Please refer to <BIOLOGY.REF>, [Additional
references may be found at: MELVYL Library] |