Chrysis taczanovskyi & Sceliphron destillatorium
Posted: 14 Jun 2014 13:54Hi everyone,
here an interesting paper on Sceliphron destillatorium and one of his hosts: Chrysis taczanovskyi.
Abstract—The nests of Sceliphron destillatorium in the Crimea were mainly built in attic spaces of houses and in various uninhabited buildings, and consisted of 3–39 (on average 16.5) cells. Twelve species of spiders from 11 genera of 4 families with predomination of Araneidae and Oxyopidae were recorded as prey. One nest cell contained 4–13 (on average 7.9) spiders, mostly adult ones. Successful development of S. destillatorium progeny was recorded in 48.6% of the cells; 26.5% of the progeny died from parasites: Amobia pelopei (16.0%), Chrysis taczanovskyi (4.3%), and Melittobia acasta (6.2%); 24.9% of the progeny died for unknown causes at the egg (13.0%) or prepupal (11.9%) stage. Nests of 17 other wasp and bee species from the families Pompilidae (2 species), Vespidae (4), Colletidae (1), and Megachilidae (10 species) were found in abandoned nest cells of S. destillatorium. The abundance of S. destillatorium has noticeably decreased in the last ten years, possibly due to immigration of a congener, S. curvatum, which has more diverse trophic links and a significantly higher rate of nesting success.
DOI: 10.1134/S001387381403004X
http://link.springer.com/article/10.113 ... 381403004X
here an interesting paper on Sceliphron destillatorium and one of his hosts: Chrysis taczanovskyi.
Abstract—The nests of Sceliphron destillatorium in the Crimea were mainly built in attic spaces of houses and in various uninhabited buildings, and consisted of 3–39 (on average 16.5) cells. Twelve species of spiders from 11 genera of 4 families with predomination of Araneidae and Oxyopidae were recorded as prey. One nest cell contained 4–13 (on average 7.9) spiders, mostly adult ones. Successful development of S. destillatorium progeny was recorded in 48.6% of the cells; 26.5% of the progeny died from parasites: Amobia pelopei (16.0%), Chrysis taczanovskyi (4.3%), and Melittobia acasta (6.2%); 24.9% of the progeny died for unknown causes at the egg (13.0%) or prepupal (11.9%) stage. Nests of 17 other wasp and bee species from the families Pompilidae (2 species), Vespidae (4), Colletidae (1), and Megachilidae (10 species) were found in abandoned nest cells of S. destillatorium. The abundance of S. destillatorium has noticeably decreased in the last ten years, possibly due to immigration of a congener, S. curvatum, which has more diverse trophic links and a significantly higher rate of nesting success.
DOI: 10.1134/S001387381403004X
http://link.springer.com/article/10.113 ... 381403004X