First report of the South Asian eumenid wasp Delta conoideum in Western Europe (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), used as a host by an unidentified species of Strepsiptera
Verheyde, F. (2022). First report of the South Asian eumenid wasp Delta conoideum in Western Europe (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), used as a host by an unidentified species of Strepsiptera. HymenoVaria 25: 27-30 In: HymenoVaria: Nieuwsbrief sectie Hymenoptera van de Nederlandse Entomologische Vereniging. Nederlandse Entomologische Vereniging: Duiven. , more | |
Abstract | In the autumn of 2021 an exceptional observation was made in the Netherlands. There, in the coastal dunes near the port of Rotterdam (51°59'16.3"N, 4°06'44.8"E) a male of the eumenid wasp Delta conoideum was observed. This is the first observation outside its endemic area (Southeast Asia) and in Europe. Import seems certain. In the remaining part of the paper we discuss migration of Hymenoptera in general and give our estimation on a possible settlement in the future. Although there are examples of other invasive species in the genus and we cannot exclude it entirely, this seems rather unlikely. The insect was also parasitized by an unidentified species of Strepsiptera. This finding constitutes only the second report worldwide. |
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