Search

Mantispoidea exhibit a remarkably diverse morphology and life history for a relatively small group of insects, in part, complicating our understanding of its evolutionary history. Dietary specialisation of the larvae, however, seems to have played an important evolutionary role in this group. Symphrasinae (Rhachiberothidae) larvae are thought to be predators of aculeate Hymenoptera brood, while Mantispinae (Mantispidae) larvae are predators of spider eggs. Herewith the first observation of a Mantispinae adult emerging from the nest of a mud-dauber wasp (Sphecidae) is described. This is also the first genus record of Afromantispa Snyman & Ohl from the Oriental Region, including three new name combinations. The curious coincidence of a Mantispinae emerging from an aculeate wasp nest, the food source of a related taxon, is discussed in the light of our current understanding of Mantispoidea classification.

Predator diets represent a potential interaction between local prey availability, prey antipredator defenses, and predator foraging behavior. Female spider-specialist mud-dauber wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) collect spiders and provision them intact, but paralyzed, to their developing larvae, providing a unique means of quantifying the diversity and abundance of prey that they capture. Mud-dauber wasps are hypothesized to be a major source of selection on antipredator defenses in web-building spiders, and the spiny and thickened abdomens of female spiny orb-weaving spiders (Araneae: Araneidae) are hypothesized to function as antiwasp defenses. We inventoried spider prey from nests of the mud-dauber wasps Sceliphron caementarium (Drury) and Chalybion californicum (Saussure), and surveyed for spider fauna in areas surrounding nest collection sites, to specifically investigate if the spiny orb-weaver Micrathena gracilis (Walckenaer) was collected as prey by these wasps. We collected nests from six sites in southeastern Nebraska from two regions that we classify based on habitat—a forest corridor and agricultural land. We collected 761 intact spider prey from 87 nests and identified them to the family level. None of these spiders were M. gracilis. Micrathena gracilis were rare in faunal surveys on agricultural land and, surprisingly, absent in forest corridor surveys. Mud-dauber wasps were more common; we collected more spiders on agricultural land than in the forest corridor. We propose that in agricultural landscapes, the lack of certain spiders in mud-dauber wasp nests is driven by habitat use differences between predators and prey rather than physical antipredator defenses.

We report on the chemical analysis of a mud dauber wasp nest-associated fungus, Penicillium sp. CMB-MD22, leading to the discovery and structure elucidation of three known (1-3) and two new (4 and 5) anthrones, and a family of new and known bianthrones, neobulgarones 6-23. Detection and structure elucidation of 1-23 was supported by detailed spectroscopic analysis, as well as chemical (thermal) transformations, and global natural products social (GNPS) molecular networking. An empirical approach using HPLC retention times was effective at differentiating anti from syn bianthrone isomers, while a facile thermal equilibration was shown to favor anti over syn isomers. The neobulgarones 6-23 are natural products, and a crude extract rich in 6-23 exhibits selective antifungal activity against a co-isolated mud dauber wasp nest-associated fungus, suggestive of a possible ecological role as an antifungal chemical defense.

Nests of Sceliphron caementarium (black and yellow mud dauber) were collected from Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University (SGBAU), Amravati campus and analysed for their physicochemical composition. The investigation gave results for the nest as - pH 6.57, porosity 0.87mg/g, bulk density1.02g/mL, moisture content 1.01%, total surface area 5.55g/mgI2 and total surface charge 1.11mmolH+eq/g. Values obtained for the ordinary soil from the campus were pH 7.82, porosity 0.75mg/g, bulk density1.48g/mL, moisture content 2.27%, total surface area 4.76g/mgI2 and total surface charge 0.98mmolH+eq/g. Higher content of calcium and magnesium were found in nest clay samples as compared to the normal soil, whereas the iodine adsorption number and phosphorus were lower than normal soil.

In the course of searching for cytotoxic metabolites from insects associated actinomyces, two new natural p-terphenyl glycosides, strepantibin D (1) and strepantibin E (2), along with terferol (3),...

Two new p-terphenyls, strepantibins A and B (1 and 2), along with the first representative of a naturally occurring bisphenyltropone, strepantibin C (3), were characterized from a Streptomyces sp. associated with the larvae of the mud dauber wasp Sceliphron madraspatanum. Their structures were determined by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, NMR, and X-ray crystallography data interpretation. Strepantibins A-C inhibited hexokinase II (HK2) activity and displayed antiproliferative activity against hepatoma carcinoma cells HepG-2, SMMC-7721 and plc-prf-5. In SMMC-7721 cells treated with strepantibin A, the morphological characteristics of apoptosis were observed.

The mud-dauber wasp genus Sceliphron Klug (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) is reviewed, with six species and six subspecies reported from various parts of India. The Palaerctic species, S. destillatorium (Illiger), is recorded for the first time from the Indian subcontinent. The subspecies S. madraspatanum formosanum van der Vecht is also recorded for first time from the Indian subcontinent. The distribution records of species and subspecies within various states of India are augmented. A modified key to the species of Sceliphron occurring in India is provided. Intraspecific variation within nominal species is discussed.

Here, we report a 6.2-Mbp draft genome sequence of the bacterium Pseudonocardia sp. strain C8, which gave insight into the complete secondary metabolite production capacity of the strain and hinted that the strain possibly represents a new species.

Identifying ecosystems where biota may be contaminated with hazardous levels of methylmercury (MeHg) is a challenge. One widely used approach for determining site-specific MeHg contamination is to monitor MeHg contamination in sentinel species. Terrestrial shoreline spiders that consume emergent aquatic insects (e.g., midges and mayflies) have been proposed as sentinels of MeHg contamination of aquatic ecosystems. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a novel sampling technique, collection of spiders from nests of mud dauber wasps (Sphecidae), would be an efficient method for capturing MeHg-contaminated shoreline spiders for use as sentinels in ecological risk assessments. Mud dauber nests were collected near the Clear Fork of the Trinity River in Fort Worth, Texas (USA) on 3 dates from 4 human-made structures. Nests contained 627 unconsumed spiders from 5 families: Araneidae, Salticidae, Thomisidae, Oxyopidae, and Theridiidae. Methylmercury concentrations ranged from 12.2 to 56.3 ng/g wet weight in Thomisidae and Araenidae, respectively. Methylmercury concentrations of the spiders were generally low relative to risk thresholds for adult birds, but a few families of spiders could pose a risk to nestlings. Although mud dauber nests have been recognized as a source of spiders for biodiversity studies, the present study is the first to demonstrate the potential use of spiders collected from mud dauber nests for ecotoxicology studies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1335-1340. © 2021 SETAC.

Insect-microbial symbioses have vast biochemical diversity, which is beneficial to produce bioactive secondary metabolites. In this study, chemical examination of a Streptomyces sp. associated with a mud dauber wasp led to the isolation of fourteen compounds. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods and comparison with literature data. Among the isolates, compounds 1,2,3-benzotriazin-4(1H)-one and 4-(2-aminoethyl)phenyl acetate were first reported from this species. Bioactivities of the isolated compounds were assayed for the first time against hexokinase II. 4-(2-Aminoethyl)phenyl acetate, germicidin B, phenylacetic acid, isogermicidin A and germicidin C displayed significant inhibitory activity against hexokinase II, with the IC50 values of 5.11, 7.11, 7.15, 8.45 and 8.78 μM, respectively.

Diaz-Calafat, J. 2020. First record of Sceliphron caementarium (Drury, 1773) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) in the Balearic Islands, with an identification key to the archipelago’s species of the genus Sceliphron Klug, 1801. Ecosistemas 29(1):1939. https://doi.org/10.7818/ECOS.1939 The Black and Yellow Mud Dauber wasp (Sceliphron caementarium (Drury 1773)) is reported for the first time from two distant locations of the island of Mallorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). Possible entry pathways of this potentially invasive species to the archipelago are discussed, as well as potential threats to local biodiversity and ecologically relevant questions raised by the arrival of this new species in the archipelago. The addition of S. caementarium to the Balearic fauna raises the number of species in the genus Sceliphron Klug 1801 to four; with half of them being recent introductions of potentially invasive exotic species. Finally, an illustrated identification key to the Balearic species of the genus Sceliphron is presented in order to ease their identification in the future. Readers are encouraged to use the key and send new records of these species within the Balearic Islands to the author or to online biodiversity recording platforms in order to help studying the dispersion of introduced sphecid wasps and update the distribution data of native and introduced species.

Over a two-year period we operated two intercept traps for flying insects near and within a well-developed secondary forest in the Arima Valley of Trinidad. These yielded 368 Trypoxylon, representing 30 species. The sample’s Shannon–Wiener diversity of H′ = 2.61 is higher than that from a comparable study of Trypoxylon on the smaller island of Tobago (15 species, H′ = 2.09) and the even smaller Little Tobago (six species, H′ = 1.41). Analysis of the samples by the Chao1 method suggests that the species numbers recorded on the two smaller islands are complete, while there is at least one additional species at the Trinidad locality. The four most abundant species in our samples show no evident bias in numbers of females between the wet and dry seasons, consistent with the hypothesis that at least these species nest throughout the year.

Lay Summary Mud dauber wasp females hunt, sting, paralyze, and pack spider prey into a mud nest for their offspring to eat. Individual female wasps of the same species, in the same population, with access to the same resources have different preferences for the spider prey that they capture. Some females specialize on only one species of spider (prey specialists) while others catch a number of species (prey generalists). Individuals’ preferences remain consistent over time., Individual foraging specialization describes the phenomenon where conspecifics within a population of generalists exhibit differences in foraging behavior, each specializing on different prey types. Individual specialization is widespread in animals, yet is understudied in invertebrates, despite potential impacts to food web and population dynamics. Sceliphron caementarium (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) is an excellent system to examine individual specialization. Females of these mud dauber wasps capture and paralyze spiders which they store in mud nests to provision their offspring. Individuals may make hundreds of prey choices in their short lifespan and fully intact prey items can be easily excavated from their mud nests, where each distinct nest cell represents a discrete foraging bout. Using data collected from a single population of S. caementarium (where all individuals had access to the same resources), we found evidence of strong individual specialization; individuals utilized different resources (with respect to prey taxa, prey ecological guild, and prey size) to provision their nests. The extent of individual specialization differed widely within the population with some females displaying extreme specialization (taking only prey from a single species) while others were generalists (taking prey from up to 6 spider families). We also found evidence of temporal consistency in individual specialization over multiple foraging events. We discuss these findings broadly in the context of search images, responses to changing prey availability, and intraspecific competition pressure.

Chemical profiling of extracts from a mud dauber wasp-associated fungus, Aspergillus sp. (CMB-W031), revealed a remarkably diverse array of secondary metabolites, with many biosynthetic gene clusters being transcriptionally responsive to specific culture conditions. Chemical fractionation of a jasmine rice cultivation yielded many known fungal metabolites, including the highly cytotoxic (-)-stephacidin B and an unprecedented nonribosomal peptide synthase derived nitro depsi-tetrapeptide diketopiperazine, waspergillamide A (1). All structures were assigned by detailed spectroscopic analysis and, where appropriate, chemical degradation and Marfey's analysis.

Nonomuraea sp. strain C10 produces the cytotoxic natural product brartemicin. Here, we report its draft genome sequence to get insight into brartemicin biosynthesis and to enable genome mining for novel secondary metabolites.

Insects are highly involved in accidental introductions in non-native areas. Potential distribution modelling is routinely used to predict the dynamics of such range expansions, giving insights on which areas are climatically suitable for establishment. However, even in areas where climatic conditions are unsuitable, colonization may be still possible in sub-areas with particular, human activity-driven microclimates, such as cities. We used as a model species the Asian mud-dauber wasp Sceliphron curvatum (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), which arrived in Europe 40 years ago, to show that cities may be used by alien species to enlarge their distribution into climatically non-optimal areas. By using an average consensus from six different models, we predicted that, based on climate, S. curvatum would find the highest suitability in most part of Mediterranean basin, which are characterized by high summer temperatures and reduced climatic oscillations. The species is indeed often observed in such areas, but also in Central Europe, where suitability is overall lower. At such latitudes, however, the wasp was more often found in cities (which have the highest suitability) than in peri-urban and rural areas, possibly according to the urban ‘heat island’ effect. In Southern Europe, where climate is overall more favourable for the species, suitability tended to be more similar in both urban and rural environments, and urban detections were indeed rarer. The inclusion of population density in the model improved the suitability of Northern areas in an expected urbanization-driven jeopardized pattern. Hence, S. curvatum would be able to colonize in the future at least some climatically unsuitable Northern areas, reaching up to 70° latitude, by using cities as the main sites for establishment., This work was supported by Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (SECTI post-doctoral contract to CP) and by a Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Spain) (project funding to CP, grant number: CGL2017- 83046-P).

The solitary wasp Trypoxylon nitidum F. Smith nests in a variety of existing cavities. Nesting success – the fraction of completed, provisioned cells that produced adult offspring – can be estimated by examination of old cells. We estimated nesting success of T. nitidum in new and old (previously utilized by T. nitidum) bamboo traps nests, old nests of solitary wasps (Sceliphron fistularium (Dahlbom), Trypoxylon albitarse Fabr. and Zeta argillaceum (L.)) and social wasps (Polistes lanio (Fabr.) and P. versicolor (Olivier)) in Trinidad, West Indies. Success was markedly higher (61.4%) in new trap nests and significantly lower (5.6%) in old trap nests than in other substrates. Mean success in old nests of other wasps varied from 10.0% to 28.8%, with no general difference between those of solitary and social wasps. We infer that a) rented (reutilized) nests are more easily located by parasites than are new trap nests, and b) old trap nests have a higher load of parasites and disease organisms than substrates not previously utilized by T. nitidum.

Trypargilum is a subgenus of solitary spider-hunting wasps whose males guard the nest, an unusual behaviour for male wasps. A male pairs with a female and copulates repeatedly with her during the nesting process, although females regularly copulate with satellite males, which employ an alternative reproductive strategy. The purpose of this paper was to determine the sociogenetic structure in twenty-nine nests of Trypoxylon albitarse sampled at six sites in Brazil. A total of 367 wasps were genotyped for eight species-specific polymorphic microsatellite loci. Genotypic segregation analyses were conducted to test whether the nests sampled were monogamic family groups. The results indicated that all the offspring in 12 of the 29 nests could be attributed to a single couple (genetic monogamy). Approximately 9% of the offspring probably resulted from extra-pair copulations and 3% of the total offspring were attributed to a second mother (usurpation by conspecific females, a form of intraspecific parasitism). The sequential replacement of parents throughout the nesting process indicates that the 29 nests analyzed included 35 family groups. Thus, our findings indicate that Trypoxylon albitarse has a predominantly monogamous genetic mating system, despite the social polygamy reported in previous studies.

Chemical analysis of an Australian mud dauber wasp-associated fungus, Talaromyces sp. (CMB-W045), yielded five new coprogen siderophores, talarazines A–E (1–5), together with dimerumic acid (6), desferricoprogen (7), and elutherazine B (8). Structures inclusive of absolute configuration were assigned on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis and application of the C3 Marfey’s method. We report on the noncytotoxic Fe(III) chelation properties of 1–8 and demonstrate that biosynthesis is regulated by available Fe(III) in culture media. We demonstrate a magnetic nanoparticule approach to extracting high-affinity Fe(III) binding metabolites (i.e., 8) from complex extracts.

Chemical analysis of a jasmine rice cultivation of an Australian mud dauber wasp-associated fungus, Talaromyces sp. CMB-W045, led to the discovery of a new p-terphenyl, talarophenol sulfate (1). The structure elucidation of 1 was achieved by detailed spectroscopic analysis supported by acid hydrolysis to the p-hydroquinone talarophenol (2), and subsequent in situ air oxidation to trace amounts of the p-quinone talaroquinone (3). The same jasmine rice cultivation also yielded the new talarophilones A (4) and B (5), and known (+)-mitorubrin (6) and pochonin D (7), with structures assigned by detailed spectroscopic analysis. Neither 1 or 4–7 exhibited growth inhibitory properties against a panel of human cell lines, or bacterial or fungal pathogens, although 1 did exhibit selective antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pyogenes ATCC 12344 (IC50 10 µM).

The paper presents information on two species of digger wasps, Sceliphron destillatorium (Illiger, 1807) and S. curvatum (Smith, 1870), alien for the fauna of Poland (within its present borders). Both species are presently spreading in the country. Sceliphron destillatorium, a South-Palaearctic species, has been observed in Poland since 1960. Sceliphron curvatum was introduced to Europe from Asia in the 1970s, and at present it is known from many South- and Central-European countries. The species was found for the first time in Poland in 2003. New localities of the two species in Poland are given and issues connected with their present distribution are discussed.

Werren and Charnov (1978) and Seger (1983) proposed a model to explain a fairly common pattern of alternating sex ratio biases between generations in partially bivoltine insects. When first-generation males overlap and mate with females of the second generation, then females should bias sex ratios in favor of sons for the first generation and daughters for the second generation. In an intensive, 7-year study at four sites in northern Florida, pipe-organ mud-daubing wasps (Trypoxylon (Trypargilum) politum; Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) were found to have strongly male-biased sex ratios in the first or overwintering generation and 1:1 or female-biased sex ratios in the second or summer generation. These differences were not due to differences in mortality of the two sexes but rather resulted from changing female sex-allocation decisions. In some respects the mud dauber results fit Seger's model well: alternating sex ratios in partially bivoltine populations, first-generation males overlapping second-generation females and perhaps most convincingly, northern, univoltine populations do not have a male bias. Despite this qualitative fit, however, our data do not meet the quantitative predictions of the model. This could result from the fact that some assumptions of the model are not met by the life history of T. politum. Alternative explanations for alternating sex ratios include split sex ratios, seasonal differences in cost ratios, facultative maternal investment rules and facultative overwintering decisions by offspring. Despite the position that sex ratios have achieved in the modern study of evolution, it is clear that accurate, quantitative predictions on sex-allocation patterns demand the same detailed understanding of the biology of the organism that is required for the study of other adaptations. © 1992 Springer-Verlag.

Behavior study of mud dauber wasp S. caucasicum showed that the adults spend their hibernation beneath the falling leaves in fields nearby buildings from the early November till the end of February and returned to build their solitary nests in grouped cells with an average of 7.5 – 14.5 cell/ nest from March till the Middle of October and laid one egg per each cell. The results of 506 nest inspected from September 2008 till August 2009 revealed that the females builds 1 – 21 cell and single cell in 104 nests. The females of wasps collect orb weaver spiders and lepidopterous larva from the plants to fed the larva of wasps after hatching , variation appear in kind and number of the preys and reached 1 – 45 individual/ cell. The orb weaver spiders are available during the following months ( September, October, November and December, 2008 & also in January, February, May, June, July and August, 2009. A significant positive correlation appeared between wasp larva and their preys with temperature and non- significant negative correlation with relative humidity.

A new species of the blue mud-dauber genus Chalybion, C. sulawesii sp. n., is described from Sulawesi (Indonesia). The new species belongs in the C. fabricator species group, which up to now consisted of five rarely collected species. An identification key to the females of all species of the group is provided. Males are not keyed, because only a single male of the group, belonging to C. malignum, is known in addition to C. sulawesii. The last instar larva of C. sulawesii is described, although not all relevant characters could be reliably studied. We could show that the larva of the new species shows most of the relevant characters of the Sceliphrini, but differs from the larvae of other Sceliphrini studied yet in two characters. The majority of over 600 specimens of the new species have been reared from artificial trap nests, set up in different habitats and at different heights in the Lore Lindu National Park, Sulawesi. Of the 812 nests found, 606 provided adults, 64 provided pupae, and 40 provided larvae. 113 were just provisioned. The nesting activity of C. sulawesii showed a clear seasonality and was strongly influenced by the flowering plant diversity. Female activities were also significantly higher in lower strata. We assume that all three ecological factors studied influence the nesting activity of C. sulawesii via the spider prey density. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Contact kairomones from the host mud dauber wasp Trypoxylon politum Say (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae) that mediate behavioral responses of its ectoparasitoid Melittobia digitata Dahms (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) were investigated. Chemical residues from host by-products, the cocoon, and the meconium, induced arrestment behavior of macropterous female parasitoids, while those from the host stage attacked, i.e., the prepupa, did not. Melittobia digitata response to polar and apolar extracts of host by-products indicated kairomone(s) solubility mainly in hexane. GC and GC/MS analysis of cocoon and meconium apolar extracts revealed a mixture of linear carboxylic acids from C(6) to C(18), and both extracts contained almost identical compounds. When a reconstructed blend of host by-product carboxylic acids was tested, M. digitata females showed only a weak response, thus suggesting that other unidentified compounds present in small quantities also may be involved. Melittobia digitata's response to contact kairomones was innate and not affected by previous host exposure experience. Our results provide evidence of contact kairomone exploitation in the genus Melittobia. The ecological significance of these findings in the host selection process of M. digitata is discussed.

Abstract The behavioural ecology of ichneumonid wasps that attack aculeate Hymenoptera is still largely unknown. Field observations and morphological analyses were devoted to investigate host detection and rate of parasitism by Acroricnus seductor (Scopoli), a natural enemy of the black and yellow mud dauber wasp Sceliphron caementarium (Drury). At the study site, about half of the host nests suffered parasitism by A. seductor. No significant difference was found between the rate of parasitism in sheltered (inside human building) and unsheltered (outside building) nests. Larger nests did not suffer a higher rate of parasitism, and larger brood cells were not more likely to be parasitized. As revealed by contents of parasitized cells, A. seductor appeared to act as a kleptoparasitoid, devouring spider prey and young host larvae. Analysis of video recordings obtained in the field revealed the basic behavioural sequence of host detection. Acroricnus seductor female taps with the antennae the host nest surface and, once a suitable host brood cell is found, inserts the ovipositor through the mud wall, possibly facilitated by the secretion of a mud-softening substance. Behavioural data, together with the presence of modified tips on the apex of female antennae and the relative thicknesses of female fore tibiae, strongly suggest that A. seductor uses echolocation to detect the host.

Responses of macropterous females of the ectoparasitoid Melittobia digitata Dahms (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) to direct and indirect cues emitted by its natural hosts as well as laboratory hosts were investigated using a Y-tube olfactometer. To locate the nest of mud dauber wasps, Trypoxylon politum Say (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), and one of their inquilines, Anthrax spec., parasitoids exploit volatiles from the freshly built nest mud and the empty cocoon constructed by the wasps, as well as their meconium. However, the parasitoids did not respond to odors emitted by older nest mud or by the host stages that are attacked (T. politum prepupae and Anthrax spec. larvae). Melittobia digitata was not attracted to direct volatiles released by the dipteran hosts Anastrepha ludens Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae) (a natural host) and Sarcophaga bullata (Parker) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) (a laboratory host). Based on our results, we suggest that M. digitata adopts a ‘sit and wait’ strategy to locate mud dauber wasps, relying mainly on indirect host-related cues: females search for nests that are under construction and once found, they wait inside the cell until the host completes its cocoon and releases meconium, an indicator that is associated with host suitability. No attraction was found to dipteran hosts, suggesting that parasitization of these hosts may be incidental, due to the broad host plasticity of Melittobia wasps.

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the chemical compounds present in the nests of the mud dauber wasp, Sceliphron caementarium.Methods: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the nest samples was carried out by standard procedures. The resultant compounds were compared with the database of the National Institute Standard and Technology (NIST), WILEY8, FAME.Results: The results of the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of the concentrated ethanol extract revealed the presence of chemical compounds such as methylene chloride, 1, 1’:3’, 1’’-Terphenyl, 5’-Phenyl, Di N Decylsulfone, Eicosanoic acid, 1, 2-Bis (Trimethylsilyl) Benzene, and Androstane-11, 17-Dione, 3-[(Trimethylsilyl) Oxy]-, 17-[O-(Phenylmethyl) O.Conclusion: The compounds identified were found to have biological properties such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal, and further study of these isolated compounds may prove their medicinal importance in future.

Notes on nesting and gregarious behavior of the blue nest renting wasp Chalybion japonicum (Gribodo) are presented. Three focal nests, freshly attached to the walls of an abandoned house belonging to the mud dauber wasp Sceliphron madraspatanum were occupied by C. japonicum, suggesting that the wasp is a nest invader of S. madraspatanum. Aggregation of C. japonicum males on the string of the sack, which hung loosely beneath the ceiling, undoubtedly plays a role to help males finding females easily rather than by having to take flight. Discussion on relationship of occurrence between C. japonicum and C. bengalense is included. The new appellation “nest renting wasps” for Chalybion species is suggested.

Nesting substrates and construction materials are compared for 65 of North America’s 139 described native species of Osmia bees. Most accounts report Osmia bees nesting in preexisting cavities in dead wood or pithy stems such as elderberry (Sambucus spp.), with cell partitions and plugs made from a pulp of finely masticated leaf tissue. Mud is widely used by species constructing free-form clumps of nest cells against stone surfaces. Some Osmia bees adopt abandoned nests of other Hymenoptera, particularly those of mud dauber wasps (Sceliphron spp.) and larger ground-nesting bees (e.g., Anthophora spp.). Reports of subterranean nesting by Osmia species are uncommon but possibly under-represent the habit, because subterranean nests are obscure and likely to be scattered. Ground- or surface-nesting habits are suspected for species that are absent from intensive trap-nesting programs in their native ranges but that otherwise have been commonly taken at flowers. The range of nesting habits and material...

Abstract Predatory habits of apoid wasps are well documented for many species, revealing a choice of prey ranging from generalist to specialised, but few studies tested the degree of specialisation when compared with the availability of prey in the environment. In a study carried out in northern Italy, nests of the mud-dauber wasps Sceliphron spirifex L. and S. caementarium Drury were collected to obtain the spider prey of the wasps, and a survey of the nesting area was performed to ascertain frequency of the available spider prey species in the environment. Wasps preyed preferably upon spiders of the family Araneidae. Adult preferred spider prey size ranged from 4 to 6 mm in length. The factor which most affected prey selection was the ecology of the spiders, with orb-web spiders being the preferred prey despite the fact that terricolous, non-web groups were the most abundant in the locality. Sex (female, male or juvenile) of prey was also important in prey selection: juvenile spiders were the most preferred even though males and females were equally and most abundant (respectively). Sceliphron spp. seem almost to be specialised rather than generalist predators. These results suggest that the terms 'generalist' or 'specialised' should not be applied to predators solely on the basis of prey collected from wasp nests, but should also be related to local prey availability.

Trypoxylon is a genus of solitary crabronid wasps whose population genetics is poorly known. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the genetic variation and differentiation among five populations of Trypoxylon albitarse, a species widely distributed throughout the Neotropics, with records from Panama to northern Argentina. Eight species-specific microsatellite loci were used for genotyping 96 adult wasps (one female per nest) sampled at five sites in Brazil. The analysis of allelic richness and private alleles indicated high genetic diversity in the populations sampled. Pairwise comparisons using the F st and D est indices revealed significant differentiation for all, but one pair of populations. F st, D est, AMOVA and assignment test values pointed to inter-population differentiation. Additionally, the analysis of population structure using Bayesian and PCA methods characterized two alternative genetic groups. The Mantel test indicated no correlation between genetic and geographic distances. Despite evidence of considerable dispersal capacity for T. albitarse, the data indicate low to moderate population structuring in this species.

Perishable architectural evidence recovered from prehistoric sites can be used to address significant archaeological questions regarding natural formation processes, occupation duration, and the physical appearance of houses. Specifically, postholes, wall daub, and mud dauber nests hold a variety of clues. Posthole frequency can be used to refine site chronology. Posthole size can be used to examine the structural capacities of house walls, and they often contain wood charcoal that can inform of the species type used for construction. Daub can help with the interpretation of wall thickness, construction materials, and building techniques. Mud dauber nests can provide key roof construction details such as rafter size and roofing material. Houses reconstructed based on archaeological evidence can in turn provide important experimental evidence useful for furthering our knowledge of natural formation processes.

Dibrachys pelos (Grissell) is an occasional gregarious ectoparasitoid of Sceliphron caementarium (Drury). We report the second record of this host association, collected in western Nebraska, and present results of laboratory experiments on host suitability and utilization. When D. pelos was reared alone on prepupae of 6 possible hosts, 4 proved entirely suitable: the mud dauber wasps Sceliphron caementarium and Trypoxylon politum Say, and two of their parasitoids, a velvet ant, Sphaeropthalma pensylvanica (Lepeletier) and a bee fly, Anthraxsp. On these hosts D. pelos completed development in 2-4 weeks, with average clutch sizes of 33-57, of which 24.7% were males. The other two hosts tested, the flesh fly Neobellieria bullata (Parker) and the leaf-cutter bee Megachile rotundata (Say), proved marginal, with very few adult progeny produced. When reared on these same 6 hosts with the addition of a competing parasitoid, Melittobia digitata Dahms, D. pelos fared poorly, being the sole offspring produc...

Resumen E apresentado pela primeira vez o uso de ninhos-armadilhas por Trypoxylon albitarse Fabricius, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). De outubro de 2000 a fevereiro de 2001 foram amostrados, em uma reserva de Cerrado do Estado de Sao Paulo, sete ninhos-armadilha ocupados por esta especie. Os diâmetros destes ninhos variaram de 12 a 20 mm e o comprimento de 150 a 200 mm. As femeas de T. albitarse nao preencheram toda a cavidade dos ninhos-armadilhas e os ninhos amostrados nao diferiram na aparencia daqueles construidos livremente. Esta e a principal diferenca entre os ninhos construidos em ninhos-armadilhas por T. albitarse e a especie norte-americana Trypoxylon politum Say, 1837, para a qual havia o unico registro de uso de cavidades preexistentes por especies do grupo albitarse. Sao discutidos fatores que poderiam promover esta diferenca.

This paper describes the characterization of a set of nine microsatellite markers for the pipe-organ mud-dauber wasp, Trypoxylon albitarse F. (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae), a common solitary wasp species in Brazil. Eight of the nine loci described were found to be polymorphic. The number of alleles ranged from three to 11. Observed and expected heterozygosity on the population level ranged from 0.135 to 0.891 and 0.177 to 0.865, respectively. Genotypic analyses revealed no deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium or linkage disequilibrium after sequential Bonferroni correction. Cross-species amplification was also tested for nine related species and positive amplifications were found in most of the assays. These markers will be useful in studies involving relatedness analysis and investigations of the population genetics of these wasps.

Zeta argillaceum (L.), a common neotropical wasp, is established in Florida. The characteristic mud potter-like nests are easily recognized. They prey on geometrid caterpillars. Their nests are reused by various arthropods, forming an ecological web similar to that of other mud dauber wasps. Prey, inquilines, parasites, and scavengers found inside the nests are presented.

We report on efforts to maintain two common sphecid wasps, Chalybion caeruleum (Saussure 1867) and Sceliphron caementarium (Drury 1773), in field and laboratory enclosures in order to observe their predatory interactions with the orb-weaving spiders Argiope aurantia Lucas 1833 and A. trifasciata (Forskal 1775). Both species of wasps seemed to locate webs primarily by chance while flying along the tops of the vegetation but differed greatly in their hunting tactics once webs were located. Sceliphron caementarium was most successful at capturing spiders that had dropped out of webs in response to the wasp's hitting the web. But, C. caeruleum often employed a type of aggressive mimicry: it landed in the web or used its middle legs to pluck the web, luring the spider to the wasp. Argiope did not differ in their defensive response to C. caeruleum and S. caementarium. Most Argiope dropped out of webs in response to attacks rather than using other defensive behaviors such as shuttling between sides of w...

Behavioral studies were conducted of Melittobia digitata Dahms on Apis mellifera (L.) pupae, pupa-shaped glass dummies, flat glass, and flat glass treated with honey bee extract to determine if females use shape or chemicals to identify a host for oviposition. Response to untreated flat glass was consistently lower than that to pupa-shaped glass. Females spent much more time on a pupa-shaped glass object than on a rectangular piece of glass. Time spent antennating on the bee pupa and on the glass pupa did not differ. However, antennation response to extract-treated flat glass and untreated flat glass was lower than that on pupa-shaped glass. The addition of host extract did not increase probing on flat glass. Wasps probed and antennated the glass dummy about as much as the bee pupa but did not respond much to the rectangular glass objects, indicating that shape plays a major role in the process of host acceptance. In these experiments, only bee pupae were accepted for oviposition and never the glass objects. In further experiments, M. digitata was found to oviposit on Parafilm domes containing agar-based diet but not on domes containing only agar. Females responded to both shape and nutritional content of the host but the surface chemical cues tested were unimportant to females considering an object for oviposition.

Spiders captured by Trypoxylon politum (Say) and Sceliphron caementarium (Drury) in Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp over two nesting seasons represented 5 families and 22 genera (n = 5191). A strong bias for female spiders exists in both species (89.5% of all prey), with immature females comprising nearly half of these (42.6%). Comparison of contemporaneously taken prey at the same site by T. politum using typical mud organ pipe nests or trap nests revealed that the same araneid species of Neoscona and Eustala predominated. However, spiders provisioned in trap nests were more diverse taxonomically, including the first records of Mimetidae and Salticidae as prey for this wasp, as well as a variety of other araneid genera. Seasonal changes in prey composition revealed no particular patterns or correlations with nest type. Sceliphron caementarium displayed a strong preference for araneid spiders, with N. arabesca comprising 53.8% of the total; Thomisidae comprised 10.5%, nearly all Misumenops oblongus.

Abstract The mud dauber wasp Sceliphron laetum (F. Smith) lays a single egg in a mud chamber that is provisioned almost exclusively with orb-weaving spiders. In Madang, Papua New Guinea, the wasps provision their chambers with between three and nine spiders that weigh between 0.01 and 0.28 g and are from at least twelve species. The number of spiders placed in each chamber is negatively correlated with the mean mass of each spider. A field experiment revealed that females cease provisioning after capturing a certain mass of spiders, rather than simply filling each chamber to its volumetric capacity. Furthermore, the wasps select different spider species according to the provisioning sequence. In general, wasps avoid provisioning the early larval instar with species of Gasteracantha, perhaps because the newly emerged wasp larvae cannot penetrate the hard integuments of these spiders.

E COLOGICAL concepts such as food chains, communities and interactions between species are routinely covered in life science curricula at many grade levels. In my experience, students readily relate to simple food chains such as grasshoppers or rabbits eating vegetation and in turn being consumed by birds or foxes. However, concepts such as parasitism and nutrient cycling can be more difficult to grasp. Over the past few years, I have used the distinctive nests of mud dauber wasps (Figure 1) as the basis for successful laboratory activities, both in university courses in ecology and behavior and in public school life science classes. The activities appear adaptable to a range of student ages and abilities, and seem to challenge and stimulate even the most complacent students. Mud dauber nests are widely available, inexpensive and safe. They are easily collected and stored prior to use in the laboratory exercise. After describing, measuring and sketching the nest exterior, open the nests, identify the contents using a simple dichotomous key, and record the data. Two to three 45-minute laboratory sessions are usually required.

Identifying new sources for small molecule discovery is necessary to help mitigate the continuous emergence of antibiotic-resistance in pathogenic microbes. Recent studies indicate that one potentially rich source of novel natural products is Actinobacterial symbionts associated with social and solitary Hymenoptera. Here we test this possibility by examining two species of solitary mud dauber wasps, Sceliphron caementarium and Chalybion californicum. We performed enrichment isolations from 33 wasps and obtained more than 200 isolates of Streptomyces Actinobacteria. Chemical analyses of 15 of these isolates identified 11 distinct and structurally diverse secondary metabolites, including a novel polyunsaturated and polyoxygenated macrocyclic lactam, which we name sceliphrolactam. By pairing the 15 Streptomyces strains against a collection of fungi and bacteria, we document their antifungal and antibacterial activity. The prevalence and anti-microbial properties of Actinobacteria associated with these two solitary wasp species suggest the potential role of these Streptomyces as antibiotic-producing symbionts, potentially helping defend their wasp hosts from pathogenic microbes. Finding phylogenetically diverse and chemically prolific Actinobacteria from solitary wasps suggests that insect-associated Actinobacteria can provide a valuable source of novel natural products of pharmaceutical interest.

A dense aggregation of 866 nests of a solitary mud daubing wasp, Sceliphron assimile Dahlbom, was censused at Hacienda La Pacifica near Caflas, Guanacaste Prov- ince, Costa Rica. The data were treated to yield both cohort and stage life tables. Nests had 1-26 cells. The number of cells per nest was used as an index of minimum female reproductive longevity. Reproducing females had a Type II (colstant probability of death) putt.ttr of survivorship. There was a72.IVo rate of successful adult emergence from nests. The rate of successful adult emergence did not vary as a function of nest size. Previously published data were used to estimate female-only fecundity values. Interval-spe_ciftc real- ized fecundity values were at a maximum in the first age interval and decreased pr_ogres- sively. A technique for calculating interval-specific recruitment values is introduced. Females living to produce l-LZ cells had higher recruitment (as a proportion of the population total) than did females producing either fewer or more cells. Interval-speci!c iecruitment values can be summed to yield a net recruitment rate (R,) that can be easily calculated, has fewer constraints than a net reproductive rate (Ro), and yields biologically meaningful information. An average female that initiated nesting produced 1.6 female offspring. The population can maintain constant size with 387o loss of emerged females to prereproductive death or emigration or both'

We investigated two populations of Melittobia digitata Dahms, a gregarious parasitoid (primarily upon a wide range of solitary bees, wasps, and flies), in search of Wolbachia infection. The first population, from Xalapa, Mexico, was originally collected from and reared on Mexican fruit fly pupae, Anastrepha ludens Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae); the other, from Athens, Georgia, was collected from and reared on prepupae of mud dauber wasps, Trypoxylon politum Say (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae). PCR studies of the ITS2 region corroborated that both parasitoid populations were the same species; this potentially provides a useful molecular taxonomic profile since females of Melittobia species are superficially similar. Amplification of the Wolbachia surface protein gene (wsp) confirmed the presence of this endosymbiont in both populations. Sequencing revealed that the Wolbachia harbored in both populations exhibited a wsp belonging to a unique subgroup (denoted here as Dig) within the B-supergroup of known wsp genes. This new subgroup of wsp may either belong to a different strain of Wolbachia from those previously found to infect Melittobia or may be the result of a recombination event. In either case, known hosts of Wolbachia with a wsp of this subgroup are only distantly related taxonomically. Reasons are advanced as to why Melittobia - an easily reared and managed parasitoid - holds promise as an instructive model organism of Wolbachia infection amenable to the investigation of Wolbachia strains among its diverse hosts. Se investigaron dos poblaciones de Melittobia digitata Dahms, un parasitoide gregario (principalmente sobre un rango amplio de abejas solitarias, avispas y moscas), en busca de infección por Wolbachia. La primera población, provenía de Xalapa, México, y fue originalmente colectada y criada sobre pupas de la Mosca Mexicana de la Fruta, Anastrepha ludens Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae). La segunda población, originaria de Athens, Georgia, fue colectada y criada sobre prepupas de avispas de barro, Trypoxylon politum Say (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae). Estudios de PCR de la región ITS2 confirmaron que ambas poblaciones del parasitoide pertenecen a la misma especie; lo que nos provee de un perfil molecular taxonómico muy útil debído a que las hembras de las diversas especies de Melittobia son superficialmente similares. La amplificación del gen de superficie de proteina (wsp) de Wolbachia confirmó la presencia de este endosimbionte en ambas poblaciones. La ejecución de la secuencia reveló que Wolbachia alojada en ambas poblaciones exibe un wsp que pertenece a un subgrupo único (denominado aquí como Dig) dentro del supergrupo B de los genes wsp conocidos. Este nuevo subgrupo de wsp podría pertenecer o a un lineaje de Wolbachia de los previamente conocidos infectando a Melittobia o podría ser el resultado de algún evento recombinante. En cualquier caso, los huéspedes conocidos de Wolbachia con un wsp en este subgrupo están relacionados taxonómicamente en forma lejana. Se presentan razones posibles del por qué Melittobia - un parasitoide fácil de criar y manipular - es prometedor como un organismo modelo conveniente para el estudio de líneas de Wolbachia entre diversos huéspedes.