''Tiphia femorata'', often known as a beetle-killing wasp or common tiphiid wasp, is a species of wasp belonging to the family
Tiphiidae, subfamily
Tiphiinae.
Subspecies
Subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
include:
*'' Tiphia femorata femorata''
Fabricius, 1775
*'' Tiphia femorata vaucheri''
Tournier, 1901 (Belgium, Spain, North Africa)
Distribution and habitat
This species is present in most of
Europe, the eastern
Palearctic realm, and
North Africa.
Fauna europaea
/ref> It mainly inhabits warmer, dry and semi-arid grasslands and meadows.[
]
Description
The adult males grow up to long, while females reach .
/ref> The body is completely black, light haired, and the tibiae and femora of the middle and rear pairs of legs are reddish brown.[ Rather similar species are '' Tiphia minuta'' and '' Tiphia unicolor''.
]
Biology
It is a univoltine species. These wasps can be encountered from June through September[ feeding on nectar and pollen of flowers (especially on Apiaceae species).][
Like most members of Tiphiidae, ''T. femorata'' parasitizes by stinging the larvae of various species of Scarabaeidae, though especially hunts beetles of '']Amphimallon solstitiale
''Amphimallon solstitiale'', also known as the summer chafer or European june beetle, is a beetle similar to the cockchafer but much smaller, approximately in length. They are declining in numbers now, but where found they are often seen in lar ...
''. The females can smell larvae of beetles in the soil, then they dig up and drop an egg in their victims. The larvae of ''T. femorata'' feed externally on the grubs.
Gallery
Image: Tiphiidae - Tiphia femorata..jpg, Female
Image:Tiphia femorata (dkrb)-2.jpg
Image:Tiphia femorata (dkrb)-6.jpg, Dead female specimen; wings unfolded, antennae curled
Bibliography
*Allen H. W., Jaynes H. A. (1930). Contribution to the taxonomy of Asiatic wasps of the genus Tiphia (Scoliidae). // Proc. U. S. Nat. Museum, 1930. Vol. 76, N 17. 105 p.
*Tsuneki К. (1985). Taxonomic studies of the Japanese species of the genus Tiphia (I). Revision and addition (Hymenoptera, Tiphiidae). // Spec. Publ. Jap. Hymen. Assoc. 1985. N 31. P. 1-90.
References
External links
Insectconsultancy
{{Taxonbar, from=Q310081
Tiphiidae
Insects described in 1775
Hymenoptera of Europe
Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius