Thread subject: Diptera.info :: have you seen anyting like this?
Posted by mwkozlowski on 22-11-2013 16:42
#1
I was asked to identify this object; what I can do is to ask you the same……
Posted by Ectemnius on 22-11-2013 23:05
#2
Hello mwkozlowski,
My guess is that this is the work of a Hymenoptera of the superfamily Vepoidea. In the Netherlands Odynerus species of the subfamily Eumeninae produce similar constructs in walls. They are called (freely translated) Chimney wasps.
But I´m a Dipterist, not a Hymenopterist so hopefully someone comes along who knows what it actually is.
Greetings,
Ectemnius
Posted by John Carr on 22-11-2013 23:46
#3
I was thinking Eumeninae, "mason wasps" in English. Other wasps with mud nests include
Sceliphron (Sphecidae) and
Auplopus (Pompilidae).
Edited by John Carr on 22-11-2013 23:46
Posted by mwkozlowski on 23-11-2013 02:14
#4
thanks, I considered Sceliphron and Auplopus, but their mud nests I saw had rather smooth walls and other shapes; not to fansy for Odynerus? and those chimney so narrow….
Edited by mwkozlowski on 23-11-2013 02:15
Posted by Ectemnius on 23-11-2013 10:12
#5
Well, on second thought. There are bees of the genus Anthidium and they make such nest of pine resin.
http://www.wildbienen.info/Fotos/small/anthidium_strigatum_03_277.jpg
http://www.google.nl/imgres?imgurl=http://www.natuurfotoalbum.eu/map/watermark.php%3Ffile%3D7413&imgrefurl=http://www.natuurfotoalbum.eu/map/showphoto.php?photo%3D7413%26title%3Dkleine-harsbijanthidium-strigatum%26cat%3D663&h=480&w=640&sz=137&tbnid=6l1uoZ1WV4tPIM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=__R8LapHNJ_WxsBozfSUyFgyUOsYg=&docid=JtY3F9GaVtKXiM&sa=X&ei=j3CQUsO7L8GatQb85IGYDw&ved=0CDkQ9QEwAg
Those are nests of A. strigatum, the smallest member of the genus in The Netherlands. But there are two bigger species who produce similar but bigger nests...
Greetings,
Ectemnius