Plega hagenella (Neuroptera: Mantispidae) Parasitism of Hylaeus (Hylaeopsis) sp. (Hymenoptera: Colletidae) Reusing Nests of Trypoxylon manni (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) in Trinidad uri icon

abstract

  • Two adult specimens of Plega hagenella were reared from a nest of the crabronid wasp Trypoxylon manni collected in Trinidad in 2008. The mantispids developed by feeding on the immature stages of a colletid bee, Hylaeus (Hylaeopsis) sp., which had secondarily occupied the cells of the aerial mud nest of T. manni. Two dead Hylaeus pupae were found within the nest, one of which had six dead mantispid larvae attached. Numerous insect egg chorions, interpreted as belonging to P. hagenella, were found in clusters inserted into small cavities in the mud of the outer surface of the nest. Five additional adult P. hagenella were collected in microhabitats where other T. manni nests were collected. These new observations confirm the presence of P. hagenella in Trinidad, establish the presence of the subgenus Hylaeopsis in Trinidad, and document Plega hagenella as a new parasite of bees in the genus Hylaeus.

published proceedings

  • JOURNAL OF HYMENOPTERA RESEARCH

author list (cited authors)

  • Hook, A. W., Oswald, J. D., & Neff, J. L

complete list of authors

  • Hook, Allan W||Oswald, John D||Neff, John L

publication date

  • April 2010