Auplopus architectus

 As I write more posts for this blog, I'm not going to have images that I took for some of them. I don't actually have a portable camera, so I can't take wild pics. If I use someone else's photo, photo credit will be listed, and permission asked. If it is a stock photo, the website (and the user) will be credited. 

Onward. The insect I wanted to highlight today is a species of spider wasp (I study these, so there'll be more posts in the future). The species is common here in Richmond, VA. The scientific name is Auplopus architectus. This spider wasp does not have a common name, so it will be referred to as "A. architectus" for the remainder of the post. The wasp: 








These wasps are among the smallest spider wasps in VA, and some of the most beautiful. They mainly hunt smaller orb weavers, and small wolf spiders. The nests are made in cavities, holes, pipes, etc. The female wasps gather up balls of mud, and form them into nests. These nests occur in cavities. The female provisions the larvae by stocking the cells with spiders. 
Provisioning happens in stages: 
  1. Female seeks spider 
  2. Battle ensues
  3. Spider loses (usually)
  4. Spider's legs are amputated
  5. Spider is crammed in cell
  6. Egg is laid in cell
  7. Nest is covered/finished 
I found (and pinned) one of these yesterday (Nov. 18); it was nesting in a pipe. The pipe was about 2 arms length deep, and didn't appear to go anywhere. The surrounding environment: large, decorative rocks, with debris and sand. Lots of spiders. In an area with tons of other pompilid species. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Double Post: Poecilopompilus algidus and P. interruptus

Image
The most fascinating family of wasps, in my opinion, is Pompilidae; that is, the spider wasps. As Eric R. Eaton put it in the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America, " Spider wasps (family Pompilidae) are solitary, high-strung hunters".  In this post, I would like to focus on one genus: Poecilopompilus. This is one of the prettier genera, and P. interruptus mimics paper wasps.  Poecilopompilus interruptus (Interrupted Spider Wasp): pigsonthewing, Wikimedia Commons Poecilopompilus algidus (Frigid Spider Wasp): Xsanka, Wikimedia Commons Poecilopompilus are one of the larger genera of spider wasps in the eastern United States. They are, as the pictures above make evident, variable between species. The adult females, much like any other spider wasp, hunt large wolf spiders. They will dig a burrow after prey capture. During nest excavation, they cache the prey nearby, and it is then at risk of being parasitized. The wasps attempt to combat this by checking on the prey oft...
Read more

Ponerini in the City: Hypoponera opacior

Image
 I usually think of members of the tribe Ponerini as nesting in wood, in the suburbs. Recently, however, I've found a species that nests in the city sometimes. It's Hypoponera opacior, and it is a rather small ant.   Ponerines, in general, can be distinguished from most other ants by the sleek, cylndrical body, and often fast serpentine movements. The genus and species we are looking at today is distinguishable by it's small size, and the petiole being smooth. It's often found under wood, in wood, or in dirt under rocks and concrete.  I've found this species nesting by my house, and in Byrd park. It isn't something I usually find in cities, as they usually like more undisturbed habitats. Ants are the most diverse in nesting habitats, though, so I'm not that surprised.  In terms of diet, this species eats springtails and other small soft-bodied insects. They can scavenge bigger prey such as crickets and soft-bodied beetles. 
Read more

Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus)

Image
 As I stated in a previous post (see Locust Borer), beetles are fascinating and diverse, with varying diets, habits, sizes, and patterns. Well, the subject of this post will be the Red Milkweed Beetle, Tetraopes tetrophthalmus. The beetle is of the family Cerambycidae (the Longhorn beetles), which are somewhat known for their interesting and vivid patterns.  Many people who don't study insects will recognize the foodplant as that of the famous-yet-declining Monarch: Milkweed! However, sometimes, they feed on dogbane when no milkweed is present. These beetles employ a tactic called aposematic coloration,  which is what makes Monarchs so appealing to the eyes. Aposematic coloration, often a combination of red and black, is meant to deter predators by advertising a poisonous nature.  These beetles sequester toxins from milkweed, which is poisonous, as do the Monarch caterpillars. Milkweed gets its name from the fact that it "bleeds milk", or rather a latex-like substanc...
Read more