Photographs © Simon van Noort (Iziko Museums of South Africa).

Heidelberg, Gauteng. Photograph © Johan Heyns.

Distribution

Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Biology

Nest in pre-existing cavities in vertical banks, or in hollow stems, or empty cells of aerial mud nesters. The entrance has a downwards curved mud turret. An egg is laid within each of several cells, which are sealed after being provisioned with a stung caterpillar (Tortricidae, Gelechiidae, Oecophoridae and Pyralidae) (Gess & Gess, 2014).

References

Bequaert J. 1918. A revision of the Vespidae of the Belgian Congo based on the collection of the American museum Congo expedition, with a list of Ethiopian diplopterous wasps. Bulletin of the American Musuem of Natural History 39: 2-384.

Carpenter J. M. 1986. A synonymic generic checklist of the Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Psyche 93: 61-90.

Carpenter, J. M. & M. Madl. 2009. A catalogue of the Vespidae of the Malagasy Subregion (Insecta, Hymenoptera). Linzer Biologische Beiträge 41 (2): 1871-1935.

Carpenter, J.M., J. Gusenleitner & M. Madl. 2009. A catalogue of the Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) of the Ethiopian Region excluding Malagasy Subregion. Part I: Introduction, Key to Genera, Genera Aethiopicodynerus Gusenleitner 1997 to Cyrtolabulus van der VECHT 1969. Linzer Biologische Beiträge 41 (1): 513-638.

Carpenter, J.M., J. Gusenleitner & M. Madl. 2010. A catalogue of the Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) of the Ethiopian Region excluding Malagasy Subregion. Part II: Genera Delta de Saussure 1885 to Zethus Fabricius 1804 and Species Incertae Sedis. Linzer Biologische Beiträge 42 (1): 95-315.

Carpenter, J.M., J. Gusenleitner & M. Madl. 2010. A Catalogue of the Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) of the Ethiopian Region excluding Malagasy Subregion. Part III: Classification, Additions, Corrections and Index. Linzer Biologische Beiträge 42 (1): 919-1004.

Gess, S.K. & Gess, F.W. 2014. Wasps and bees in southern Africa. SANBI Biodiversity Series 24. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria. 320 pp.

Saussure H. de 1852-1853. Études sur la famille des Vespides I: Monographie des Guépes solitaires, ou de la tribu des Eumèniens. Genève (CHERBULIEZ) & Paris (MASSON): 268 pp.

Weaving A.J.S. 1994. Nesting behaviour in three Afrotropical trap-nesting wasps, Chalybion laevigatum (Kohl), Proepipona meadewaldoi Bequaert and Tricarinodynerus guerinii (Saussure) (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae, Eumenidae). Entomologist 113 (3-4): 183-197.

Credits

Photographs © Simon van Noort (Iziko Museums of South Africa).

Photograph of living specimen © Johan Heyns.