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In social vespine wasps, the nest characteristics and associates vary intra- and interspecifically. I studied the nest characteristics and nest associates of three Dolichovespula wasp species in boreal Finland. The average number of combs and cells per nest was similar among D. media, D. saxonica and D. norwegica, and similar to Dolichovespula in the temperate zone. Most D. media and D. saxonica colonies produced both gynes and males, whereas D. norwegica produced mainly either one. The average colony lifespan of D. saxonica was a bit over two months, i.e. shorter than documented for Dolichovespula in the temperate zone. The proportion of nests parasitised by the ichneumonid wasp Sphecophaga vesparum was 36% in D. saxonica and 50% in D. media; S. vesparum has not been recorded from D. media before. The proportion of parasitized cells was 0.6–11% for D. saxonica and 0.2–22% for D. media. The proportion yellow, overwintering cocoons of S. vesparum was highly variable among the nests. The proportion of nests parasitised by the moth Aphomia sociella was 36% in D. saxonica and 13% in D. media. Sphecophaga and Aphomia were not recorded from D. norwegica colonies, which supports studies in the temperate zone. The study adds up to the previous research on the nest structure and nest associates of vespines, and together they indicate that there is geographical variation within Europe and globally in the host use of Sphecophaga.

Lasius maltaeus Seifert, 2020 was recently described as a Maltese endemic ant based on quantitative morphology, after decades of uncertainties over the identity of the local population, which has a phenotype resembling L. emarginatus (Olivier, 1791). At the same time, Sicilian L. emarginatus populations were discovered to diverge in their mitochondrial DNA to a degree that suggested heterospecificity. Considering the biogeographic similarity of Malta and Sicily, with land bridges connecting them repeatedly until the last glacial maximum, we questioned the assumption that L. maltaeus was endemic to Malta. We integrated quantitative morphology and mtDNA in the study of the Maltese and southern Italian populations phenotypically close to L. emarginatus. We discovered that the range of L. maltaeus extends over most of Sicily, while the true L. emarginatus replace it in the north-eastern sector of the island, the nearby Aeolian Islands, and the Italian peninsula. The distributions of L. emarginatus and L. maltaeus in Sicily follow biogeographic patterns recalling the island’s complex paleogeographic history. Further investigations should verify the existence of truly Maltese endemic ants, since the status of other allegedly endemic species is not strongly supported.

The first record of the Asian/yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina) in Ireland was reported in April 2021, when a single female individual was discovered in Dublin. Vespa velutina has been present in mainland Europe since 2004 and in the UK since 2016 and poses an enormous threat to European apiculture and bee-mediated pollination services. Three mitochondrial genes were sequenced from the Irish specimen to determine whether the specimen originated from the established European population or signified a new point of entry from its native range in China. Additionally, specimens from Portugal, Spain, France, Germany, and the Channel Islands were sequenced at these three genes to build on previous studies which have asserted, based solely on Cytochrome Oxidase 1 (COI) analysis, that the entire range of V. velutina in Europe represents a single invasion which has proliferated since the first record in France. Further data were retrieved from GenBank for comparison. Results reveal that the mtDNA lineage observed in Dublin is the same as that seen throughout Europe, and therefore the arrival of this species in Ireland likely represents a further spread of the ongoing European invasion.

Three new species of velvet ants known from females are here described: Mickelomyrme leleji Sittichaya & Williams, sp. nov., Nordeniella dokbua Sittichaya & Williams, sp. nov., and Smicromyrme songkhwae Sittichaya & Williams, sp. nov. One additional species is newly recorded from Thailand: Bischoffitilla selangorensis (Pagden). Synoptic list of Mutillidae in Thailand Natural History Museum with new records is given.

Several phragmotic species in the ant genus Carebara Westwood, 1840 with a cephalic shield are known from the Old World, but species with an anteriorly truncated head seem to be unknown until now. A new species, resembling the phragmotic workers of the ant genus Colobopsis, is here described as Carebara colobopsis Hosoishi & Yamane, sp. nov., based on major and minor worker found in Cambodia. This new species is similar to Carebara acutispina (Xu) and C. obtusidenta (Xu) in some important characters, but distinguished from the latter two by distinct metanotum and deep groove in front of metanotal disc in the major worker, and longer head and deep metanotal groove in the minor worker. This is the first confirmed record of a truncated phragmotic head in the major worker of the genus Carebara. We propose the Carebara acutispina species group to include all the three species, present a diagnosis of this group, and provide a key to species based on the major and minor worker castes.

The eumenine fauna of the Maltese Islands is reviewed and 17 species are asserted as occurring in the mentioned territory. Of these, Parodontodynerus ephippium and Stenodynerus fastidiosissimus are recorded for the first time from the Maltese archipelago. An annotated species list and a key to species are provided. Three doubtful records are also discussed., peer-reviewed

Vespa mandarinia Smith 1852 is a semi-specialized predator of other social Hymenoptera and one of the two largest species of Vespa. Several individuals of this predatory wasp were detected in Canada and the United States in 2019, including an entire nest that was located and destroyed on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. The Washington State Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service have collaborated to survey Washington State for V. mandarinia since 2020, using traps staffed by agency personnel, collaborators from local governments and nongovernmental organizations, and the general public. Trap data and public reports were used to select sites for live-trapping or net surveys, and live hornets captured in these efforts were subsequently collected and fitted with radio tags to locate nests. The survey ultimately led to the discovery of a V. mandarinia nest in October 2020, and three nests in August and September 2021. All of the nests were located within in red alder trees (Alnus rubra), with one just above the ground in a standing dead tree, and the other three in cavities ~2 to 5 meters above the ground in living trees. The number of combs in each nest varied between four and ten, cells between 418 and 1,329, and total hornets per nest between 449 and 1,474 (including immature and mature stages). Together, the four nests indicate an incipient population of V. mandarinia in the Cascadia region, and ongoing action by local, state, provincial, and federal governments, and residents of both countries is required to avoid the establishment of this exotic species in the region.

A newly discovered species, Subancistrocerus clypeatussp. nov., from China (Zhejiang) is described and illustrated. In addition, Subancistrocerus kankauensis (Schulthess-Rechberg) is redescribed and photographed after studying the type series. A key to the genus Subancistrocerus de Saussure, 1855 from China is presented. The distribution of this genus is briefly discussed.

A new species, Ropalidia daklak Bui, Mai & Nguyen, sp. nov., belonging to the plebeja-group of the genus Ropalidia Guérin-Méneville, 1831 is described and figured based on females and males from Vietnam. The nest structure of the new species is described, and an updated key is provided to all known species of the group.

Some Azteca ants are well-known symbionts that defend their Cecropia host plants against herbivory, although there is considerable variability in behavior among colonies, conditions, and species. In exchange, ants receive food, and also shelter within the plants’ internodes. Here we demonstrate that ants repair damage to the host plant when their brood is directly threatened. Using comminuted plant fibers and an unidentified binding liquid (probably plant sap) ants generally began patching holes in the tree trunk immediately, and significantly reduced the size of the hole 2.5 hours after it was created, and they generally completed the repairs within 24 hours.

One new species in the brachycistidine tiphiid genus Stilbopogon, monveroensis is described from the Monvero Dunes in Fresno Co., California. A revised key to the species of Stilbopogon is included.

New geolocated records of the invasive ant Linepithema humile (Mayr, 1868) are added to the previous references for the city of Madrid and its surroundings, and the possible causes of the occurrence and permanence of this species in urban areas are discussed. The data collection corresponds to a series of samplings carried out for the last three years in green areas of the city, bibliographic searches, citizen science platforms and personal communications. To date, eleven locations in the urban area of Madrid and four points outside the city have been registered. The city of Madrid is undergoing a colonisation by the Argentine ant, although it is not widespread yet, since observations over time and space are isolated and apparently unrelated. However, this species has a great capacity to disperse and establish new colonies, mainly human-mediated through the transport of goods, plants, gardening tools, etc. Considering the numerous colonizable urban green areas in the city that can provide the necessary conditions for its expansion, the Argentine ant should not be underestimated, and immediate action is strongly recommended.

Variation in wing design and wing loading according to body weight is well studied across taxa of birds and flying insects. Comparable studies have not been made in the few insects that show substantial size variation within the same phenon of a single species. We examine body measures of adults of the social waspDolichovespula maculata(Linnaeus, 1763), with particular attention to the limbs and wing loading. As expected, measures of the length of the legs scales isometrically with overall body weight and size. Against expectation, wing size also scales isometrically with body weight and size. This does not match the general pattern of comparison across species of flying animals, in which larger individuals have relatively larger wings, as a partial compensation for greater wing loading. We suggest that wing size inD. maculatamay be constrained by the demands of life in a crowded nest.

Female diurnal velvet-ants are among the insects most strongly protected against predation. These protections include an exceedingly hard and tightly fitting integument, powerful legs and rapid running ability, aposematic color, aposematic warning stridulation, aposematic odor, and, most famously, legendarily powerful stings. Small to medium-sized velvet-ants were rarely injured or killed in tests against potential predators. Velvet-ant stings are painful, often exceedingly so, but have low toxicity or lethality and are of defensive value primarily by causing intense pain. Despite being well defended against predators they do not form night-time resting aggregations that might enhance mutual protection.

A new fossil myrmicine ant genus and species Lelejus venustusgen. et sp. nov., are described from late Eocene Rovno amber (Priabonian, 33.9–37.8 Ma). This genus differs from all extant and extinct Myrmicinae genera known from the late Eocene European ambers in the combination of morphological features, in particular: 13-segmented antennae with a very short scape and filiform funiculus; 3-segmented maxillary and 2-segmented labial palps; well-developed mandibles with dentate masticatory margin; scutum with broad notauli; forewings with closed cells 1+2r, 3r and mcu, the cell 3r of approximately the same length as cell 1+2r; free vein M branches off from RS approximately at the midlength between the junction of cross-vein 2r-rs with RS and vein m-cu; the cross-vein cu-a is located far from the base of wing, so the branch 1M+Cu is much longer than 2M+Cu. The taxonomic position of the described genus is discussed.

The new genus Erythropompilus Shimizu & Pitts, gen. nov. from the Oriental Region (Pompilidae, Pompilinae) is described, based on the new species E. malaysiensis Pitts & Shimizu, sp. nov. from Malaysia. Two other new species of this genus, E. thailandensis Pitts & Shimizu, sp. nov. from Thailand and E. taiwanensis Pitts & Shimizu, sp. nov. from Taiwan, are also described. A key to the species is provided, and the taxonomic position of the genus is discussed.

A new Old World genus in the tribe Trogaspidiini Bischoff, 1920, Arkaditillagen. nov., is described based on male morphology. Six species are recognized in this genus: A. bagrada (Cameron, 1902), comb. nov. (Indonesia, Malaysia), A. depressicornis (Mickel, 1935), comb. nov. (Malaysia), A. frimsp. nov. (Malaysia), A. gibbasp. nov. (Indonesia), A. lelejisp. nov. (Indonesia), and A. nallinia (Zavattari, 1914), comb. nov. (Indonesia). The species of this new genus were formerly placed in the genus Krombeinidia Lelej, 1996, but they are differentiated from it and other genera by having a unique set of morphological character states, such as the mandible inner margin expanded, forming subbasal tooth; the paramere antero-ventrally serrate; and the digitus dorsal margin lamellate. A key to species of Arkaditilla is provided.

Ants are continually introduced into regions outside of their natural biogeographic ranges via global trade. The genus Strumigenys Smith 1860 (Formicidae: Myrmicinae) are minute predators with a growing history of global introductions, although tropical introductions into temperate zones are rarely able to establish outside of heated infrastructures. We report the first record of the Australasian Strumigenys perplexa (Smith 1876) to Europe and the British Isles from four sites on Guernsey, Channel Islands. This novel discovery is likely attributable to the species wide climatic and habitat tolerances, enabling the species to establish away from its natural range in Australasia and from heated-infrastructure. A key to the West Palaearctic Strumigenys species is provided alongside a preliminary and critical checklist of ant species recorded from the Channel Island archipelago, listing 32 species.

Made available in DSpace on 2021-06-25T15:03:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2021-04-29 Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) Zethus is the largest genus in Vespidae with over 270 species. It is currently divided into four subgenera: Z. (Zethus), Z. (Zethoides), Z. (Zethusculus) and Z. (Madecazethus). While the last three are restricted to certain biogeographic areas, the first is spread through western and eastern hemispheres. Studies have shown possible phylogenetic incongruence regarding this current division and even raised the possibility of paraphyly in the genus. To evaluate this classification, morphological pasimony analyses under implied weights was carried out, examining external morphology and male genitalia. Analyses showed paraphyly of the genus under various k values and paraphyly of two subgenera. Ischnocoelia and Ctenochilus are lowered to subgenera of Zethus. Zethus (Madecazethus) is no longer restricted to Malagasy species and now includes those of the African continent as well. Zethus (Zethastrum) subg. nov. is defined for Oriental representatives. Z. (Zethus) is subdivided into three subgenera: Z. (Zethus), Z. (Didymogastra) and Z. (WettsteinM). Zethus (Zethusculus) and Z. (Zethoides) are monophyletic and hold their status as subgenera. Three species-groups are Incertae sedis: Z. albopictus, Z. pallidus and Z. spinosus. Univ Estadual Paulista, Lab Aculeata, Dept Zool & Bot, Inst Biociencias Letras & Ciencias Exatas, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, Brazil Amer Museum Nat Hist, Div Invertebrate Zool, New York, NY 10024 USA Univ Estadual Paulista, Lab Aculeata, Dept Zool & Bot, Inst Biociencias Letras & Ciencias Exatas, Sao Jose Do Rio Preto, Brazil

In Trinidad, West Indies the social wasps Angiopolybia pallens and Polybia rejecta come to foam nests of the frog Engystomops pustulosus, where they prey on eggs and tadpoles. Frog offspring in early-stage foam nests appear to be almost immune to predation by the wasps, but they become more vulnerable as the nests age and lose definition.

Phoretic copulation, a form of phoresy in which a male physically transports a female by flight and/or foot from their initial site of contact before mating, is newly recorded in the Nearctic velvet antSphaeropthalma pensylvanica(Lepeletier, 1845) (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae). Further, this is the first record of the behavior in the species-rich subfamily Sphaeropthalminae. A description of theS. pensylvanicamating observation and photographs are provided. All published observations of copulation events in Mutillidae are critically reviewed in the context of mating strategy, and new terminology is proposed for the mating strategies currently known to occur in the family.

Taxonomy of the potter wasps of the genus Labus from Vietnam is reviewed, with six species recorded. Of them, one species previously identified as L. clypeatus van der Vecht, 1935 is described as new, namely L. angulus, sp. nov. Another new species, Labus obtusussp. nov., is also described. In addition, a key to all species of the genus occurring in Vietnam is given.

In this study, Halysituberosus Dong & Wang, 2017 is treated as a synonym of Allorhynchium van der Vecht, 1963 (syn. nov.). Halysituberosus yingjiangensis Dong & Wang, 2017 is a new synonym of Allorhynchium lugubrinum (Cameron, 1900) (syn. nov.) and Halysituberosus menglianensis Dong & Wang, 2017 is transferred to Allorhynchium as a new combination (comb. nov.). Based on additional COI gene sequencing and morphological characters including genitalia characters, both Allorhynchium diffinis (Giordani Soika, 1986) and Allorhynchium radiatum Li, Barthélémy & Carpenter, 2019 are confirmed to be valid species, and their males of the two species are described for the first time. Allorhynchium quadrimaculatum Gusenleitner, 1997 is newly recorded from China. A key to the Chinese species of Allorhynchium are also updated.

This study updates and summarizes information on the taxonomy and status of the Arabian Lepisiota fauna. We describe and illustrate the new species Lepisiota elbazisp. nov. from the Dhofar Governorate, Oman based on the worker caste. The new species is closest to the Arabian species, L. arabica Collingwood, 1985 from the southwestern mountains of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and can be separated by having fewer body hairs (two pairs on the posterior margin of the head, two or three pairs on the promesonotum and, one or two pairs on the first gastral tergite), the longer head, scapes, and propodeal spines, and the shorter mesosoma. We present the first illustrated key to the worker caste of the Arabian species of Lepisiota using stacked digital color images to facilitate species determination. The new species is probably endemic to the Dhofar Governorate and seems rare. An up-to-date synoptic checklist of 21 species representing the Arabian Lepisiota Santschi, 1926 is emended based upon the most recent literature in ant systematics. Five species are excluded from the Arabian Lepisiota fauna, L. arenaria (Arnold, 1920), L. erythraea (Forel, 1910), L. incisa (Forel, 1913), L. sericea (Forel, 1892a), and L. simplex (Forel, 1892) for issues related to previous species misidentification. Lepisiota carbonaria (Emery, 1892) is proposed as a senior synonym of L. depilis (Emery, 1897) syn. nov. The faunal composition of Lepisiota species recorded from the Arabian Peninsula can be divided/delineated into two main groups according to their zoogeographical relationships; (1) Afrotropical (11 species-~52.38%); (2) Palearctic (10 species-~47.62%) elements whereas eight species (~38%) are Arabian endemics.

In this paper, a total of five species of the genus Paraleptomenes Giordani Soika, 1970 is reported from China, including two new species and two newly recorded species. The two new species P. setaceussp. nov. and P. transfoveolussp. nov. are described and illustrated in detail. P. darugiriensis Kumar, Carpenter & Sharma, 2014 and P. nurseanus montanus Giordani Soika, 1994 are first recorded from China. Photos of the type specimen of P. kosempoensis (Schulthess, 1934) deposited in the American Museum of Natural History are provided. Furthermore, a key to the world species of Paraleptomenes is updated.

Celonites ivanovisp. nov.is described as a new species from Dagestan where it has been recorded from dry habitats in a small area on the northern side of the Greater Caucasus.Celonites cagriisp. nov.is described from Erzurum Province in east Turkey. As in other members of theC. cyprius-group, the females of both species were observed to visit flowers ofHeliotropium(Boraginaceae). A morphological examination including the male genitalia of all species of theC. cyprius-group revealed thatC. ivanovisp. nov.andC. cagriisp. nov.share the apomorphic characters of this group and are closely related toCelonites osseusMorawitz, 1888. Mean genetic distance betweenC. ivanovisp. nov.andC. cagriisp. nov.based on COI-5 sequences is 7.40%. The geographical distribution of all members of theC. cyprius-group is summarized and an illustrated key is provided for the identification of males and females of the species. A lectotype is designated forC. osseus.

New records of Celonites tauricus Kostylev, 1935 are reported from Chios, Rhodes, Samos (Greece), Dagestan (Russia), Georgia, and the main portion of Azerbaijan (previous records were made from the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic only). Flower visits of imagines were observed at six species of Lamiaceae, four of them being recorded for the first time as forage plants of C. tauricus. The newly recorded Teucrium canum Fisch. & C.A. Mey. and Ziziphora taurica M. Bieb. (both Lamiaceae) are principal forage plants in Dagestan and the Crimea, correspondingly. The behaviour of females at flowers of Z. taurica differs from that previously described at flowers of Teucrium chamaedrys L. and Satureja thymbra L. (also Lamiaceae) in that pollen removal from the anthers and nectar uptake take place separately from each other in temporal succession. This difference is obviously caused by the flower structure of the genus Ziziphora, specifically its much longer corolla tube. Females also try to collect pollen from flowers of Salvia nemorosa subsp. tesquicola (Klokov & Pobed.) Soó but usually without success, while nectar uptake from this species is successful. The specialized morphological structures of the females for pollen-uptake from the nototribic anthers and pollen-transfer from the exoskeleton to the mouthparts are described. They are similar to those of the closely related Celonites abbreviatus (Villers, 1789), and consist of specialized stiff “knobbed” pollen-collecting setae covering the anterior surface of the head, particularly the frons and the clypeus, as well as comb-like rows of specialized, particularly strong pollen-brushing setae along the anterior margins of the inner surface of the first and the second segments of the fore tarsi. Males of C. tauricus patrol in flight along the forage plants of the females. Successful copulations occur either on flowers or on the ground.

The introduction of the predatory Giant Asian Hornet, Vespa mandarinia Smith, to North America in 2019 has motivated efforts to create early detection systems for this and other non-native social wasp species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Various trap and bait combinations have been used for this purpose, most of which require assembly and materials that are costly, reducing their usefulness in large-scale survey systems. This study tests an inexpensive and efficient trapping technique for detecting or surveying vespine wasps. Traps were made from reused plastic bottles containing a brown sugar and water bait. They were deployed at heights ranging from 0–6 m above ground in several configurations. Captures for traps suspended 1 m or greater above ground were, on average, nine times higher than the catch of ground-level traps. A rapid trap deployment method for large geographic areas was created, which captured seven different vespine wasp species along a 395 km east-west road transect from mountains to coastal plain in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The trapping design and survey methodology described below is inexpensive and fast and could be used by land managers or citizen scientists to detect V. mandarinia, other exotic vespine, or conducted on a large-scale vespine diversity survey.

A new species, namely Methocha transcarinatasp. nov. is described and illustrated from Guangdong and Hainan, China. Additionally, M. cariniventris Narita & Mita, 2018 and M. kandyensis Krombein, 1982 are newly recorded from China. A key to all the known species of the genus from China is updated.

In social vespid wasps, colony activity varies at many temporal scales. We studied the peak season activity (number of individuals entering the nest per min) of colonies of the social vespine wasp Dolichovespula saxonica in its native range in boreal Finland. Six colonies were monitored non-stop for a full day, starting before sunrise and ending after sunset. Shorter monitoring was carried out before and/or after the full-day monitoring. All colonies were active before sunrise and after sunset, and the overall activity was positively linked with colony size. Activity showed irregular minute-to-minute cycles in all colonies. The broader within-day dynamics were idiosyncratic among the colonies: activity varied generally between 40–100% of the peak, there were usually a few peaks per day, and the timing of the peaks varied. Ambient temperature was not related to activity dynamics consistently. Our study provides high-resolution information about the all-day activity of D. saxonica and underscores high among-colony variability in the dynamics of vespine wasps.

The pompilid genus Balboana Banks, 1944 is preoccupied by Uvarov, 1939. A new replacement name, Braunilla Wasbauer and Kimsey is proposed and a species checklist included.

Taxonomy of the paper wasps of the subgenus Gyrostoma of the polistine genusPolistesfrom Vietnam is treated, with a key to all the five species occurring in Vietnam, including one described herein as new to science under the namePolistes longussp. nov.Nests ofP. gigasandP. longussp. nov.are also described.

Rhopalosomatidae are unusual wasps whose larvae develop as ectoparasitoids on crickets. In America north of Mexico, three genera and six species are recognized. Host species are known only forRhopalosoma nearcticumBrues and includeHapithus agitatorUhler,H. brevipennis(Saussure), andH. saltator(Uhler) (Gryllidae: Hapithinae). Here we report a new host species: theAnaxipha exigua(Say) species-group (Trigonidiidae: Trigonidiinae) discovered by barcoding nine rhopalosomatid larvae collected from Cypress Grove Nature Park, Jackson, Tennessee.Rhopalosoma nearcticumis currently the only documented species ofRhopalosomaCresson in America north of Mexico, but our phylogenetic analyses recovered two genetically distinct clades ofRhopalosomaand thus reveal the presence of at least two species ofRhopalosomain America north of Mexico.

A total of 38 species belonging to 26 genera of Eumeninae are recorded from Hong Kong, among which two new species, namely Allorhynchium radiatumsp. nov. and Orientalicesa nigrasp. nov. are described and illustrated. Symmorphus tsushimanus Yamane, 1990 is newly recorded from China and its female is firstly described. Eighteen species are newly recorded for Hong Kong. Antepipona ferruginea Kim & Yamane, 2003 is synonymized with Antepipona rufescens (Smith, 1857) (syn. nov.) and Eumenes quadratus obsoletus Dover, 1926 is synonymised with Eumenes quadratus quadratus Smith, 1852 (syn. nov.). A checklist, a key and illustrations to Hong Kong Eumeninae are also provided.

Two new species of eumenine wasps were described from Panama and Peru, namelyPirhosigma abregoiGarcete-Barrett & Hermessp. nov.andP. cambraiGarcete-Barrett & Ferreirasp. nov.Lectotypes are designated forEumenes deformata barberoiBertoni andEumenes superficialis mondaiensisBertoni.Pirhosigma mearimense putumayenseGiordani Soikastat. nov.is treated as a color variation of the typicalP. mearimense(Zavattari). Additions to the key by Ferreira et al. (2017) are made and an updated catalog for species included in the genus is provided.

Data on the nest structure, morphology of all stages and behaviour have contributed to the phylogenetic and taxonomic studies of social vespids. Two underground nests ofVespulastructor(Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Vespinae) were discovered in China. For the first time, the morphology of all the stages, and the nests are described in detail and illustrated. It is additional evidence supporting the recent conclusion that synonymizedVespulagongshanensiswithV.structor. The status ofVespulastructorwithin both the genusVespulaand thevulgaris-groupare briefly discussed.

A new species, Formica ribbeckei Radchenko & Perkovsky, sp. nov., is described based on four workers from late Eocene Rovno amber (Ukraine). It most resembles F. flori Mayr, 1868 but differs from the latter mainly by the 5-segmented maxillary palps with the preapical segment subequal in length to the apical one, and by the shorter first funicular segment. Fossil F. luteola Presl, 1822, F. trigona Presl, 1822, F. macrognatha Presl, 1822 and F. quadrata Holl, 1829 are considered incertae sedis in Formicidae. Thus, ten valid Formica Linnaeus, 1758 species (including F. ribbeckei) are known now from late Eocene European ambers. The diversity of Formica in the early and middle Eocene deposits of Eurasia and North America is considered. It is assumed that the genus Formica most likely arose in the early Eocene.

EpipompilusKohl comprises 52 species of wasps that are parasitoids of spiders; 16 species occur in the Neotropical region and 36 species occur in the Australian region. The biological knowledge of this genus is limited and its interactions and host spiders are still incipient. Here, we report some behavioural and biological characteristics ofE.excelsus, a parasitoid of the tube-dwelling spiderAriadnamollis. We observed anE.excelsusfemale attacking an adult female ofA.mollisin São Paulo, Brazil. We photographed daily the larval development of the wasp, from the egg stage to adult emergence. The entire developmental cycle of the wasp took 24 days. This period was shorter than the developmental periods of wasps belonging to other genera of Pompilidae. Although all species within Pompilidae use spiders as host, they present great behavioural diversity, characterized by different ethological sequences. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the Neotropical species ofEpipompilusexhibit biological characteristics similar to the Australian species, acting as a koinobiont ectoparasitoid, but displays differences in larval morphology. Studies on other species could elucidate the extent of these differences and similarities, contributing to our understanding of the evolutionary history ofEpipompilus, and consequently of Pompilidae.

Based on the morphological examination of the exoskeleton and the male genitalia of newly discovered specimens from Syria the status and taxonomic position of Celoniteshermon Gusenleitner, 2002 is reinvestigated. The hitherto unknown male is formally described. Celoniteshermon is a member of the C.abbreviatus-complex. It shares several probably derived characters with C.andreasmuelleri, from which it is considered to be reproductively isolated by differences in the male genitalia, the form of sternum VIII and tergum VII as well as the colour pattern of the male antennae. Therefore C.hermon is hypothesized to represent a separate biospecies. It has been recorded only from a small area in the mountain ranges along the Lebanese section of the Dead Sea Transform in Syria and Israel.

Three new species namely Labus edentatus sp. n. from China L. sparsipunctus sp. n. from Thailand and L. robustus sp. n. from Indonesia are described and illustrated. Both L. amoenus van der Vecht 1935 and L. pusillus van der Vecht 1963 are newly recorded from China and Vietnam and L. angularis van der Vecht 1935 is also firstly recorded from China. An updated key to the world species of the genus Labus is provided.

Females of Quartinia major Kohl were observed to visit flowers of Pulicaria mauritanica Batt., Cladanthus arabicus (L.) Cass. and Asteriscus graveolens (Forssk.) Less., (all Asteroideae Asteraceae) at two localities in southern Morocco. Pollen in the provisions of two brood cells was more than 99% Aster-type (Asteroideae), indicating broad oligolecty. During pollen uptake from P. mauritanica, the females of Q. major employed a hitherto undescribed harvesting technique: They used their mouthparts to squeeze pollen from the corolla tubes of early male phase disc florets. Pollen was ingested immediately after it had been extracted. The nest was a multicellular subterranean burrow excavated in friable soil and surmounted by a turret. The nest walls were stabilized with self-generated silk., Journal of Hymenoptera Research, 62, ISSN:1070-9428, ISSN:1314-2607

The distribution of Zethus Fabicius, 1804, in the Oriental and Palaearctic regions is discussed, with special reference to the northeastern Oriental species. A newly discovered species, Z. velamellatus Tan, sp. n. from China (Zhejiang), is described and illustrated. The first key to species of Zethus Fabricius from China is presented. Zethus nigerrimus Gusenleitner, 2001 is recorded for the first time from China and redescribed.

International audience; In theVespinae, morphological differences of castes are generally well-marked, except for some Vespa species, where it is difficult to distinguish between future queens and workers in autumn-winter colonies. Individual weights have widely been used as a distinguishing factor but recently cuticular hydrocarbon profiles seems to be the definitive tool, although much more expensive and time-consuming. Parameters such as size (mesos-cutum width), wet and dry weight were analysed, throughout several colonies, to differentiate female castes (workers and gynes) in the hornet Vespa velutina in Europe. These parameters were compared to cuticular hydrocarbon profiles. The results showed that in late autumn, but not earlier, populations are divided into two size groups, which, based on their CHC profiles, can be hypothesized to correspond to workers and gynes. This differentiation mirrored a good separation by size that proves to be more accurate than weight (wet and dry). The size limit between workers and gynes is established at a mesoscutum width of 4.5 mm.

Ergatomorph wingless males are known in several species of the genus Technomyrmex Mayr, 1872. The first record of these males is given in T. vitiensis Mann, 1921. In comparison with winged males, wingless males have a smaller thorax and genitalia, but both forms have ocelli and the same size of eyes. Wingless males seem to form a substantial portion (more than 10%) of all adults in examined colony fragments. Wingless males are present in colonies during the whole year, whereas the presence of winged males seems to be limited by season. Wingless males do not participate in the taking care of the brood and active foraging outside the nest. Males of both types possess metapleural gland openings. Beside males with normal straight scapes, strange hockey stick-like scapes have been observed in several males. The cause of this divergence is unclear.

Exotic ants have been a prevalent ecological problem, particularly in tropical and subtropical islands. Here Plagiolepis alluaudi Emery, 1894 is recorded from the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) for the first time, where it was commonly encountered in the town Puerto de la Cruz. This is the first Canary Islands record of this species that is presumably native to Madagascar and surrounding islands. Whether or not P. alluaudi will be able to spread into natural Canary ecosystems that have a high share of endemic species is unknown.

Male and female of Celonites abbreviatus tauricus Kostylev, 1935 are redescribed and a neotype is designated. Based on morphological characters Celonites a. tauricus is synonymized with Celonites spinosus Gusenleitner, 1966 and Celonites abbreviatus invitus Gusenleitner, 1973. The taxon is hypothesized to be reproductively isolated from Celonites abbreviatus Villers, 1789 by differences in the male genitalia and in the colour pattern of the male antennae and is therefore regarded as a separate biospecies named Celonites tauricus. Celonites tauricus is allopatrically distributed with regard to C. abbreviatus and has been recorded from the Crimea, Kos, Asia Minor and Cyprus. Within this range six intraspecific taxa can be separated by morphological characters and colour patterns. Habitat, flower association, flower visiting behaviour, mate seeking behaviour and nesting of C. tauricus are almost similar to C. abbreviatus.

Leptogenys elongata and Leptogenys manni (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Ponerinae), the only described Leptogenys known from the continental US, were recently included on a list of exotic ants established in North America. To evaluate this possibility, I compiled and mapped published and unpublished specimen records of L. elongata and L. manni. Leptogenys elongata records have an essentially continuous distribution through central and eastern Texas (65 counties), southern Oklahoma (one county), and western Louisiana (eight parishes), south through much of Mexico (nine states), plus one questionable record from Colorado and one almost certainly erroneous record from the District of Columbia. Leptogenys manni records are known from much of Florida (22 counties), plus one isolated record from Georgia that needs corroboration. I found no credible evidence that L. elongata or L. manni have established populations anywhere beyond their native ranges.

Herbivory significantly impacts the growth and reproduction of plants. Many plants have developed ways to defend against herbivores and one common strategy is to associate with ants. In many ant-plant interactions, ants are known to protect their host. However, in the Neotropical ant-plant genus Triplaris, the benefits provided by associated ants have never been tested. Many Pseudomyrmex spp. ants are obligate inhabitants of Triplaris spp. trees. In this study, Triplaris americana was studied in association with Pseudomyrmex dendroicus, an ant highly specific to its host (it has not been collected from any other species of Triplaris). Ant exclusion experiments were carried out to assess the protective effect of ants. In addition, ant behavior was monitored in control plants to study the mechanisms by which ants might confer protection against herbivory. Ant removal led to a more than 15-fold increase in herbivory. Pseudomyrmex dendroicus are active at all times of day and night and aggressively and efficiently remove insect herbivores from their host. © 2016 Sanchez Adriana et al.

Labidus coecus (Latreille) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) is a New World subterranean army ant with an extensive geographic range. We compiled and mapped >650 site records for L. coecus, documenting the earliest known report for 27 geographic areas (countries, US states, and major West Indian islands), including three for which there are no previously published records: Margarita, Tobago, and Trinidad. With the new records, L. coecus has now been reported from 20 countries in Central and South America (all except Chile), three West Indian islands (Margarita, Trinidad, and Tobago), and four US states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas). The range of L. coecus appears to be essentially continuous, from Buenos Aires, Argentina in the south (~34.6°S) to Delaware County, Oklahoma in the north (~36.6°N). The three West Indian islands with L. coecus populations are all continental shelf islands that were connected to South America during periods of lower sea levels a few thousand years ago, so L. coecus populations on these islands have only recently become isolated. Labidus coecus commonly nests in caves, a microhabitat that may allow it to live in regions with otherwise inhospitable climates. Although recent papers listed L. coecus as an exotic species in North America, we found no evidence that L. coecus is exotic to any part of its known range.