Oxybelus

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Oxybelus
Female of Oxybelus analis

Female of Oxybelus analis

Systematics
Order : Hymenoptera (Hymenoptera)
Superfamily : Apoidea
without rank: Digger wasps (Spheciformes)
Family : Crabronidae
Subfamily : Crabroninae
Genre : Oxybelus
Scientific name
Oxybelus
Latreille , 1797

Oxybelus is a genus of digger wasps (Spheciformes) from the Crabronidae family. About 215 species are known that are distributed worldwide, with the exception of Australia. There are 25 species in Europe.

features

The species of the genus are relatively small with 4 to 11 millimeters and have a stocky build. Many species have yellow or whitish markings on the abdomen. The wing veins are reduced, the only submarginal and discoidal cells are fused together. On the sides of the scutellum there are two lobed, often transparent appendages. The propodeum has a long channel-like extension (mucron) that is directed backwards. The edge of the frontal plate ( clypeus ) in the male has three teeth in front, in the female there are often only two small teeth on the sides. The extent of the abdominal markings, the puncturing and also the shape of the mucron are also very variable within the same population. Species identification is usually very difficult.

Way of life

Oxybelus argentatus when a stiletto fly ( Thereva sp.) Enters its nest

The European species colonize mainly dry and temperature-favored, sandy habitats. The females create their nests in the sand. They dig with scratching movements of the forelegs and often point their abdomen steeply upwards. There are also species that use their mandibles to help and drag away debris between the mandibles and forelegs in reverse. The nests consist of one or more cells that are six to ten centimeters deep in the ground. The brood is supplied with different types of flies , with the main focus on real flies (Muscidae). The females stab their prey in the hip joints, the underside of the thorax or in the base of the wings. It is transported on skewered in a supine or half-lateral position in flight. At least in some species, the prey is pressed against the abdomen by curving the tip of the abdomen. The tarsi of the hind legs can also be used for holding. However, there are also species that transport their prey not with the sting, but traditionally with the legs. If the nest is left, the nest entrance is closed so that it can no longer be recognized. However, some species common in America are known to not close the nest entrance.

In flight, the females hunt camouflaged through the vegetation or in open areas such as tree trunks. They approach their victim within one to two centimeters and then jump onto their back and try to stick the sting into the victim from the side. The overwhelming is lightning fast and wild, but very targeted. The poison of the Oxybelus species has an immediate and lasting effect.

The males of some American species guard the nests and defend them against other males, but also against parasites such as gold wasps and meat flies . However, the nests are not safe from parasites even when they are closed. There are those who dig through the sand into the nest to lay their eggs, but larvae can also hatch from the prey that is brought in and kill the brood. In addition to the real flies, there are also parasitoids from the groups of spider ants and wasps .

The adults of the Oxybelus species often fly to flowers, especially those of umbellifers .

Species in Europe

supporting documents

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f Manfred Blösch: The digger wasps in Germany: way of life, behavior, distribution . 1st edition. Goecke & Evers, 2000, ISBN 3-931374-26-2 , pp. 257 ff .
  2. ↑ Oxybelus. Fauna Europaea, accessed July 24, 2010 .

literature

  • Manfred Blösch: The digger wasps in Germany: way of life, behavior, distribution . 1st edition. Goecke & Evers, 2000, ISBN 3-931374-26-2 .

Web links

Commons : Oxybelus  - collection of images, videos and audio files