Scolia dubia | |
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Scolia dubia in Maryland on goldenrod | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
Order: | Hymenoptera |
Family: | Scoliidae |
Genus: | Scolia |
Species: | S. dubia |
Binomial name | |
Scolia dubia Say, 1837 | |
Scolia dubia, also known as the two-spotted scoliid wasp [1] or a blue-winged scoliid wasp, is a species in the family Scoliidae.
S. dubia is a 2.0–2.5-centimeter (0.8–1.0 in) long wasp. [1] The body is black from the head through the first or second segment of the abdomen. The second third abdominal segment and beyond are red. The nominate subspecies possesses has the second abdominal segment black and two yellow spots on the third tergite, which are lacking in the subspecies S. dubia haematodes. The wings are violaceous or with blueish reflections. [2] [1]
Males are colored as the female of their respective subspecies but have longer antennae and seven rather than six metasomal segments. [1] [3]
The subspecies S. dubia haematodes is colored much like Triscolia ardens but can be recognized by the forewing only possessing two submarginal cells rather than three in T. ardens. [2]
This species ranges from New England to Florida and west to California in the United States. [1] [4] The southern extent of its range extends to Coahuila, Mexico. [2]
Females burrow into ground in search of grubs, particularly those of the green June beetle, Cotinis nitida , and some research suggests, possibly the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica . [3] The wasp stings the grub and frequently burrows farther down to construct a cell and lay an egg on the host. The larva pupates and overwinters inside the body of the host. [1]
Adults collect nectar from flowers from July to September or October. [1]
Males of this species have been observed taking part in large mating flights from mid-August to early September in Virginia. [3]
There are two subspecies of S. dubia: [5]
The Scoliidae, the scoliid wasps, are a family of wasps comprising about 560 species worldwide. They tend to be black, often marked with yellow or orange, and their wing tips are distinctively corrugated. Males are more slender and elongated than females, with significantly longer antennae, but the sexual dimorphism is not as apparent as in many of the Tiphiidae and Thynnidae.
Sawflies are wasp-like insects that are in the suborder Symphyta within the order Hymenoptera, alongside ants, bees, and wasps. The common name comes from the saw-like appearance of the ovipositor, which the females use to cut into the plants where they lay their eggs. The name is associated especially with the Tenthredinoidea, by far the largest superfamily in the suborder, with about 7,000 known species; in the entire suborder, there are 8,000 described species in more than 800 genera. Symphyta is paraphyletic, consisting of several basal groups within the order Hymenoptera, each one rooted inside the previous group, ending with the Apocrita which are not sawflies.
Megascolia procer, the giant scoliid wasp, is a solitary wasp in the family Scoliidae found across Asia. It is one of the largest wasps in the world, with a wingspan of 11.6 cm (4.6 in).
Scolia hirta is a species of wasp in the subfamily Scoliinae of the family Scoliidae.
The mammoth wasp is a species of wasp belonging to the family Scoliidae in the order Hymenoptera. It is a parasitoid on scarab beetles and is found in Europe and Asia and is the largest wasp found in Europe
Scolia is a genus of scoliid wasps in the subfamily Scoliinae. There are over 200 described species in Scolia.
Campsomeris is a Neotropical genus of the family Scoliidae, also known as the scoliid wasps. They are generally parasites of beetle larvae, most often of Scarabaeidae.
Dielis trifasciata, also known as the three-banded scoliid wasp, is a species in the family Scoliidae.
Scolia nobilitata, also known as the noble scoliid wasp, is a species of scoliid wasp in the family Scoliidae.
Dielis is a New World genus of the family Scoliidae, also known as the scoliid wasps, formerly treated as a subgenus within Campsomeris.
Pygodasis is a New World genus of wasps in the family Scoliidae, formerly treated as a subgenus within Campsomeris.
Xanthocampsomeris is a New World genus of the family Scoliidae, also known as the scoliid wasps, formerly treated as a subgenus within Campsomeris.
Campsomerini is a cosmopolitan tribe of the family Scoliidae. An older, alternative representation of this group is as a subfamily, Campsomerinae.
Scoliini is a cosmopolitan tribe of the family Scoliidae.
Pyrrhoscolia is a genus of scoliid wasps in the subfamily Scoliinae. It is native to the Afrotropics, where they have been recorded in various Afromontane regions. They are external parasitoids of beetle larvae. The wings of all three species are noted for their brilliant lustre.
Dielis plumipes, the feather-legged scoliid wasp, is a species of scoliid wasp in the family Scoliidae.
Dielis pilipes, the hairy-footed scoliid wasp, is a species of scoliid wasp in the family Scoliidae.
Triscolia ardens is a species of wasp in the family Scoliidae. It is the sole member of its genus found in North America outside of Mexico.
Scolia carbonaria is a species of wasp in the family Scoliidae.
Dielis tolteca, the Toltec scoliid wasp, is a species of hymenopteran in the family Scoliidae. It is commonly found on plants in the genus Solidago.