Thread subject: Diptera.info :: Tachysphex obscuripennis by W. Heitmans
Posted by Isidro on 29-06-2008 14:47
#1
Maybe Sphecidae s. l.
Yesterday. La Pe?a, Huesca, NE Spain. About 500 meters high. Mix of mediterranean and alpine climate. Habitat: clear forest of Quercus faginea and other trees. Size: about 14 mm (more or less the same than a Polistes).
What species can be?
Thanks.
Regards
Edited by Isidro on 30-06-2008 14:25
Posted by Jose Luis RC on 29-06-2008 16:03
#2
Probably Sphex. Regards.
Posted by Isidro on 29-06-2008 16:42
#3
Thanks..
very small for a Sphex!
Posted by Jose Luis RC on 29-06-2008 18:31
#4
The genre Sphex, beside being in almost quite the planet, your size is between 10 and 32mm.
Posted by Christian Schmid-Egger on 30-06-2008 07:24
#5
Its not a Sphex, but a member of the subfamily Astatinae (Crabronidae). I am not really sure about the genus, but Astata is probable. I also thought on Larra, because of the size, but Larra normally takes Gryllotalpa for prey.
Sphex is preying large Ensifera.
Regards, Christian
Posted by cthirion on 30-06-2008 10:23
#6
Astata: predator of the Heteroptera!
Posted by Paul Beuk on 30-06-2008 11:01
#7
According to my colleague (W. Heitmans), specialist bof cockroaches:
Tachysphex obscuripennis on
Ectobius pallidus nymph (male, last nymphal stage).
Posted by Isidro on 30-06-2008 14:24
#8
Thanks everybody! The cockroach was already identified (E. pallidus is common in my zone) but the wasp would be impossible for me without your help. I don't know these specific relationships between predator and prey, I thinked that these wasps was less specific.
Thanks again.
Regards
Posted by cthirion on 01-07-2008 23:17
#9
Tachysphex panzeri also predator of the Blattodea!
Posted by Christian Schmid-Egger on 02-07-2008 07:30
#10
I think it is not possible to identify Tachysphex (or related genus) by photo. Tachysphex occurs with appr. 50-60 sp. in Southern Europe, and species ID even with pinned specimens is really difficult.
Regards, Christian