Wasps of the Mediterranean
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E D I GU D IEL F coloring patterns coloring Very marked marked Very Thin waist Thin protection under the common agricultural policy. agricultural common the under protection strategy, the pollinators initiative and biodiversity biodiversity and initiative pollinators the strategy, hairless body hairless legislation, including amongst others the biodiversity biodiversity the others amongst including legislation, Smooth and and Smooth The project will contribute to a range of EU policy and and policy EU of range a to contribute will project The D IMPLIFIE S MY ANATO FLY differentiating wasp species. wasp differentiating and the color patterns are important traits in in traits important are patterns color the and The shape and segmentation of the abdomen abdomen the of segmentation and shape The • bees. can serve to quickly differentiate them from from them differentiate quickly to serve can of the remaining high-value pollinator habitats. pollinator high-value remaining the of hair and with a thin waist, a characteristic that that characteristic a waist, thin a with and hair and ensure sustainable management and restoration restoration and management sustainable ensure and In general, wasps have a smooth body, without without body, smooth a have wasps general, In • to address the main drivers behind pollinator decline decline pollinator behind drivers main the address to D FIEL HE T N I S FLIE IFY NT E D I obstacles to proper planning of successful programmes programmes successful of planning proper to obstacles IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THE IN their diversity. This knowledge gap is one of the main main the of one is gap knowledge This diversity. their WASPS AS POLLINATORS AS WASPS (Vespidae). of wild pollinators and the importance of conserving conserving of importance the and pollinators wild of vespids vespids the and , Sphecidae , Scoliidae (Pompilidae), Greece) there is inadequate awareness about the role role the about awareness inadequate is there Greece) NATORS lli PO 4 LIFE spider wasps wasps spider the (Chrysididae), wasps cuckoo the In Mediterranean countries (Spain, Italy, France and and France Italy, (Spain, countries Mediterranean In the Mediterranean region, the most important are are important most the region, Mediterranean the families and subgroups of wasps in the world. In In world. the in wasps of subgroups and families Mediterranean region. Mediterranean but most are solitary species. There are many many are There species. solitary are most but to a progressive change in practices across the the across practices in change progressive a to conservation by creating a virtuous circle leading leading circle virtuous a creating by conservation colonies, in live and eusocial are Some life. of forms The aim of the project is to improve pollinator pollinator improve to is project the of aim The different with insects of group diverse a are Wasps NATORS lli PO 4 LIFE S P AS W POLLINATING INSECTS LEPIDoptera short feathery large round eyes MOTHS antennae BEES smaller eyes BEE FLIES in comparison to flies 2 pairs of wings thick body rather hairy body upper and lower longer antennae attached, open at rest compared to flies bee mimic broader hind- legs short antennae mostly less colourful 4 long, 2 short legs 2 pairs of wings night flying some hairs are branched long and fine hind shorter than body 2 wings legs, no sting longer than body long straight or clubbed antennae BUTTERFLIES 2 pairs of wings large eyes thin body smaller, narrow eyes closed at rest in comparison to flies WASPS HOVERFLIES distinct narrow waist mostly colourful especially narrow in rather smooth body 4 long, 2 short legs longer antennae short antennae day flying compared to flies some wasps 2 pairs of wings thorax with few hairs broad connection shorter than body or nearly hairless 1 pair of wings between thorax and slender legs longer than body abdomen, no sting without dense hairs not folded at rest HYmenoptera DIPTERA (FLIES) BEETLES COLEOPTERA 2 pairs of wings, forewing forms protective wing cases, covering hind wings high colour diversity effective camouflage IDENTIFICATION KEY WASPS largest wasp in medium-sized small wasp Megascolia Europe. It is Dasycolia black wasp with Chrysis small wasp Omalus maculata characterized ciliata many golden- scutellaris auratus by its black colored hairs color with distributed al- Fema- four yellow Males most all over les have spots on the have the body, in more yellow abdomen and the abdomen greenish metallic yellowish heads, dark wings. in bands. blue head bluish tho- hairs and are slightly and thorax rax and bright larger and shorter antennae. and a red abdomen grey wings orange abdomen have shorter antennas than males. DIMENSIONS: 6-9 mm DIMENSIONS: 3-7 mm DIMENSIONS: 20–40 mm DIMENSIONS: 15–18 mm Prionyx Black wasp Sceliphron Medium-sized Ancistrocerus Black and Bembix Similar to the viduatus with a very spirifex wasp, black gazella yellow wasp oculata common thin pedunc- in color, characterized wasp, it le on the with a very by having an differs from abdomen, long yellow this by in the which is in the peduncle, abdo- anten- being smal- female orange in female as well as men nae are ler in size and the color. the several bands with black small wings in stinger is stinger is on the legs. uneven and very proportion to the more visible. more visible. segments fine. body. being the firsts ones larger and broader than those at the end. DIMENSIONS: 20–25 mm DIMENSIONS: 20–25 mm DIMENSIONS: 9 - 15 mm DIMENSIONS: 11-18 mm Cerceris Similar to Polis- Polistes gallicus Very abundant arenaria tes gallicus wasp and specie but It known for is charac- building terized to cellulose The have very nests For more marked seg- ends ments of the of the information on abdomen. antennae are yellow. each group, please go to: www.life4pollinators.eu/wasps DIMENSIONS: 12 - 16 mm DIMENSIONS: 10 - 16 mm Eumenes The first seg- Eumenes medi- Very similar coarctatus ment of the terraneus to Eumenes abdomen is coarctatus, narrow and but with elongated. a thinner abdomen DIMENSIONS: 6 - 15 mm DIMENSIONS: 6 - 15 mm.