Scolia dubia

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Scolia dubia
Scolia dubia on goldenrod MD3.jpg
Scolia dubia in Maryland on goldenrod
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
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.

Contents

Description and identification

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]

Distribution

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]

Biology

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]

Subspecies

There are two subspecies of S. dubia: [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scoliidae</span> Family of wasps

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sawfly</span> Suborder of insects

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.

<i>Megascolia procer</i> Species of wasp

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).

<i>Scolia hirta</i> Species of wasp

Scolia hirta is a species of wasp in the subfamily Scoliinae of the family Scoliidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mammoth wasp</span> Species of wasp

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

<i>Scolia</i> (wasp) Genus of wasps

Scolia is a genus of scoliid wasps in the subfamily Scoliinae. There are over 200 described species in Scolia.

<i>Campsomeris</i> Genus of wasps

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.

<i>Dielis trifasciata</i> Species of wasp

Dielis trifasciata, also known as the three-banded scoliid wasp, is a species in the family Scoliidae.

<i>Scolia nobilitata</i> Species of wasp

Scolia nobilitata, also known as the noble scoliid wasp, is a species of scoliid wasp in the family Scoliidae.

<i>Dielis</i> Genus of wasps

Dielis is a New World genus of the family Scoliidae, also known as the scoliid wasps, formerly treated as a subgenus within Campsomeris.

<i>Pygodasis</i> Genus of wasps

Pygodasis is a New World genus of wasps in the family Scoliidae, formerly treated as a subgenus within Campsomeris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xanthocampsomeris</span> Genus of wasps

Xanthocampsomeris is a New World genus of the family Scoliidae, also known as the scoliid wasps, formerly treated as a subgenus within Campsomeris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campsomerini</span> Tribe of wasps

Campsomerini is a cosmopolitan tribe of the family Scoliidae. An older, alternative representation of this group is as a subfamily, Campsomerinae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scoliini</span> Tribe of wasps

Scoliini is a cosmopolitan tribe of the family Scoliidae.

<i>Pyrrhoscolia</i> Genus of wasps

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.

<i>Dielis plumipes</i> Species of scoliid wasp

Dielis plumipes, the feather-legged scoliid wasp, is a species of scoliid wasp in the family Scoliidae.

<i>Dielis pilipes</i> Species of scoliid wasp

Dielis pilipes, the hairy-footed scoliid wasp, is a species of scoliid wasp in the family Scoliidae.

<i>Triscolia ardens</i> Species of wasp

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.

<i>Scolia carbonaria</i> Species of wasp

Scolia carbonaria is a species of wasp in the family Scoliidae.

<i>Dielis tolteca</i> Species of wasp

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Holm, Heather (2021). "Chapter 10 Scoliidae: Scoliid Wasps". Wasps: Their Biology, Diversity, and Role as Beneficial Insects and Pollinators of Native Plants. Minnetonka, MN: Pollination Press LLC. pp. 214–229. ISBN   9780991356317.
  2. 1 2 3 Ramírez-Guillén, Luis Damián; Falcon-Brindis, Armando; Gómez, Benigno (2022). "The Scoliidae wasps (Hymenoptera: Scolioidea) of Mexico: taxonomy and biogeography". Zootaxa. 5214 (1): 47–88. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.5214.1.2.
  3. 1 2 3 Alcock, John (2016). "The Scramble Competition Mating System of Scolia dubia (Hymenoptera: Scoliidae)" . Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society. 89 (2): 168–173. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  4. MacKay, William P. (1987). "The Scoliid Wasps of the Southwestern United States (Hymenoptera: Scoliidae)". The Southwestern Naturalist. 32 (3): 357–362. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  5. Osten, T. (2005). "Checkliste der Dolchwespen der Welt (Insecta: Hymenoptera, Scoliidae). Teil 1: Proscoliinae und Scoliinae: Campsomerini. Teil 2: Scoliinae: Scoliini. Teil 3: Literatur" [Checklist of the Scoliidae of the World. Part 1: Proscoliinae and Scoliinae: Campsomerini. Part 2: Scoliinae: Scoliini. Part 3: Literature](PDF). Bericht der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft Augsburg (in German). 62 (220–221): 1–62. Retrieved 2023-07-17.