DECEMBER 1993 SPHECOS A FORUM FOR ACULEATE RESEARCHERS

$$$ SEND MONEY $$$ ARNOLDS. MENKE, Edhor grant so that he can study North Ameri­ TERRY NUHN, Assislant Editor can (Trypoxylon) as a part PLEASE! Syslematic Enmmology Laboratory of his revision of the Holarctic species Agricultural Research Service, USDA --editor.] rJo National Museum of Natural Hismry As of December 16 I have not re­ Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560 ceived my budget for FY94, but the FAX: (202) 786-9422 Phone: (202) 382-1803 Celso Ollvelra Azevedo (Universi­ dad Federal do Espirito Santo, Dept. feeling of leadership is that in all likeli­ - E-MAL (lnlllmat): [email protected] ~ hood it will be very small, and thus in­ Biologia, Av. Marechal Campos 1468, sufficient to pay for reproduction of one Maruipe, 29040-090 Vit6ria, ES, Brasil) issue of Sphecos. Thus your editor is DOS machine to a Macintosh, so you writes: •1 am now working as a teacher going to pay for this issue out of per­ might want to include an explanatory of zoology at the Universidad Federal do sonal funds (Ouchi). In order to recoup note to help us with these. Terry's ad­ Espirito Santo and am presently work­ my outlay (591 dollars) for Sphecos 26, dress is: ing on my Ph.D. program, a systematic I would appreciate contributions from the TNUHN @ASRR.ASRUSDA.GOV. and biogeographical revision of the ne­ readership. If each of you sends $5 (or otropical Dissompha/us (, whatever you can afford) that should de­ ).• fray my expense for issue 26, and hope­ fully provide money for issue 27, and Eduardas Budrys (Institute of Ecol­ possibly also 28. I know of no easier way ogy, Akademijos 2, Vilnius 2600, Lithu­ to resolve this problem, and I hope that anian Republic) is developing a comput­ most of you regard this rag as sufficient­ er database of the Pemphredoninae: ly wonderful that you will come through •My database already takes up over 5 with monetary aid. Hyou send your con­ RESEARCH NEWS MB of disk space (I say •my• but most tribution with a personal check, please of the data, especially bibliography are make it payable to Arnold Menke. Thank Alexander Antropov (Zoological Mu­ really Wojciech's [Pulawski]). It consists youl seum of Moscow Lomonosov State of 19 relationally linked data tables Univ., Herzon Street, Mowcow, 103009, (SPECIES, NOMSPEC, GENERA, NOTICE Russia) reports: •1 intend to submit an NOMGEN, AUTHORS, MUSEUMS, application for a long-term grant from SPECREF, GENREF, CHARS, ITEMS, We now have a link to the Internet. the International Science Foundation in MATERIAL, etc.) and contains not only Terry has a logon with the USDA com­ September [1993]. I am planning to re­ the bibliography for each species of puter at Beltesville, Maryland, and can view the Palearctic Belomicrus [one Pemphredoninae, but also addresses of receive E-MAIL and download files to his paper is listed in Recent Literature and authors, data about museums and col­ own computer. Those of you who wish two others are in press] as a project. lections, types, collected material, col­ to contribute to Sphecos with an article The ISF conditions imply that the work lecting localities, morphometric data of written on a computer and have access is to be completed in two years and measured specimens, list of characters to the Internet can choose to send it via mainly in the territory of the former So­ and states of each character, and even E-MAIL instead of mailing us a floppy viet Union, and I want to use this op­ descriptions of species in the disk. We can handle both ASCII files portunity to visit some places in the program format (the last can be used and word processing documents, just Central Asian republics as well as the for cladistic analysis, too). The database as long as we know the format of your BM(NH) to study type material.• [Alex­ is in PARADOX 4.0 format. Morphomet­ document. Diacritics sometimes don't ander is also applying to the Smithsoni­ ric data are analysed using the spread­ convert very well when going from a an Institution for a short term visitor sheet QUATTRO PRO for WINDOWS 2 SPHECOS26

compare the (the last program can immediately input years ago and on information we ex­ phy etc. He wishes also to to­ data from PARADOX data tables and changed when that unhappy colleague phylogenetics of these two genera, output them back). I hope that by joint was so remarkably active. So American gether with Dynatus and Trigonopsis, efforts of sphecidists a data base of all Crossocsrus are also in my mind, but since they form a natural group (former­ can be created. I would like not for the coming months. I must also ly called 'Podiini') within the Sceliphrini. to contact everybody working on wasp please Krombein with some Sri Lanka Michael Ohl (Kiel) wishes to take this taxonomic databases to standardize material.• further and work out the phylogenetics data structure, etc. [You might be inter­ of the entire subfamily Sphecinae. • ested in the BIOTA information system Alex Rasnltsyn (Arthropoda Labora­ described on p. 4 • editor.] tory, Paleontological Institute, Russian Rolf Witt (AG Terrestrische Okolo­ Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya gie, Fachbereich 7, University Olden­ Derek Daly (133 Linner Road, Speke, Str. 123, Moscow, Russia, 117647) is still burg, Postfach 2503,26129 Oldenburg, Liverpool l24 300, Great Britain) is in­ completely engaged in administering the ) says: •in the next two years terested in Vespu/a vu/garis, particulary program by Mr. George Soros to sup­ I'll be busy with my doctoral thesis, that in foraging behaviour and relatedness port biologists in the former Soviet Un­ deals with the distribution and indicator among nestmates. ion, using 4,000 individual grants in bio­ function of the Sphecidae. ■ ~ diversity of $500 each, to be distributed Julio Antonio Genaro (25 no. 466, in open competition. This takes almost Olaf Zimmermann (Journalistenburo Vedado 12300, Cuidad de La Habana, all his (Alex) time leaving practically Zimmermann & Franken GBR, Lurripen Cuba) writes: •1 am describing a new none for research. However, Alex hopes Str. 228, D-41065 MOnchengladbach, species of Lophostigma (). that he will be able to finish this pro­ Germany), an author, is writing a book This is known only from Central gram by the New Year and to return to entitled •Die sozialen Faltenwespen and South America. Also, I have other his earlier projects now in suspension. (). • interesting mutillids that are perhaps Among these are: (i) The History of In­ new for the West Indies.• sects (two multiauthored volumes in English, with the first one reviewing the Edllberto Giannotti (Dept. Zoologia, systematic, phylogenetic and paleonto­ Inst. Biociencias, Univ. Estadual Paulis­ logical history of the orders be­ ta, Caixa postal 199, Rio Claro, SP, ing nearly ready). (ii) Revision of the Brasil, 13.560-900) reports: •1 am en­ Sphecidae known from im­ gaged in research on social , pression fossils, with numerous new de­ HELP NEEDED mainly Po/istes and Mischocyttarus, scriptions (with WoJ Pulawskl, nearly concerning their biological cycles, be­ haH-ready). (iii) An analysis of the insect Work Progress on Tachysphex havior, foraging, and their role in the fauna of the Dominican amber based in pachuman/(Sphecldae: Larrlnae) ecosystem. I just defended my doctoral particular on the Smithsonian collection by dissertation on Po/istes /anio in Novem­ (with Don Davis and possibly other con­ Mark O'Brien & Frank Kurczewskl ber, 1992. ■ tributors, nearly ready). Possibly (de­ Museum of Zoology, Uniwrsity of Michigan, pending on the availability of a grant Ann Arbor, Ml 48109-1079 and Jean Leclercq (Faculte d'Agronomie applied for to the International Science Environmental & Forest Biology, SUNY Science & de Gembloux, rue de Bois-de-Breux, Foundation) he also has a new project: College of Environmental Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210-2na 190, B 4020, Liege -• Jupille, Belgium) The Worldwide Database of the non­ says: •Last year and this year up to Quarternary Fossil , to be com­ Over the last decade, we have been February, I was busy (too busy for any­ pleted by the staff of the Arthropoda La­ studying the behavior, ecology, and thing else) with my book with Jacques boratory, Paleontological Institute, Rus­ of Tachysph11x pBChumani Bltsch, Faune de , Sphecida11 I: sian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, distribution Krombein. During the past 3 years, we Generalites, Crabronina11, and with two Russia have greatly increased the number of parallel papers recording data on the observations, have added many new distribution of European . The KatsuJI Tsunekl (Asahigaoka 4-15, localities to its distribution, and have trav­ book has more than 300 pages and is Mishima, 411 ), who is now 85 elled several thousand miles searching due to be published in September, 1993, years old, writes: •At present I am tack­ for new sites. We are concentrating our while the other two papers are due to ling a revision of Sph9COd11s in Japan efforts in Michigan for, until this sum­ appear before the end of 1993. (possibly my final work.)9 mer, the only known populations were •Having written these papers, I spent situated in New Jersey and Michigan. much of my time last spring studying Colin Vardy (Dept. of Entomology, An extension of the Michigan popula­ Crabronini, including hundreds of North The Natural History Museum, Cromwell tion was discovered this summer in American specimens, received on loan Road, London SW7 5BD UK) writes: northwestern Ohio (Lucas Co.), which from the Snow Museum (Lawrence, Kan­ •1 would like to place on record my in­ was a nice range expansion. The New sas) and from the Florida Deptartment tention of revising the sphecid genus Jersey population had been studied pre­ of Agriculture (Gainesville); I got as far Podium. Readers will already be aware viously (Kurczewski & Elliott 1978), and as getting quite a good idea of the N. that Servlo Amarante (SAo Paulo) is we are comparing it with the Michigan American Crossocsrus, based on an un­ revising the closely related P11nspodium. population. published key Richard Miller prepared We will be comparing their biogeogra- December93 3

One of our remaining problems is to Jorge E. Frana: E. Oliber 1026, (2300) Golden State can only be described as fully define the current and past distri­ Rafaela, Santa Fe, . a disaster, precipitated by too many bution of this wasp species. Although we Eric Hammarstrom: c/o Johansson State and Federal administrations con­ have scoured oollections, written letters MajstA.ngsgatan 11AIII, S-414 72 vinced that what's good for them and to innumerable curators, and searched GOteborg, Sweden. their buddies is more relevant than in other areas where the species might Dr. Aloia Kofler: MeranerstaBe 3, A- what's good for the people at large. possibly occur, we have yet to find any 9900 Uenz iOsttirol, Austria. (Sounds sorta like what happened here other states besides Ml, NJ, & OH where Gabriel Augusto R. de Melo: Snow on a smaller, more personal scale.) T. pechumani occurs. We plan to go to Entomological Museum, Snow Hall, Whatever. LACM took a terrible series Wisconsin in the summer of 1994 to The University of Kansas, Lawrence, of 'hits' in personnel reductions, first in search in suitable habitats i.e., sandy KS 66045-2106. January, then again in August. Very soil with -pine barrens, savannas Sean O'Donnell: Dept of Entomology, nearly all County positions were elimi­ and woodlands or compacted areas of Univ. of California, Davis CA 95616- nated; most of these were 'rolled over' open sand (such as two-tracks). 8584. to the LACM Foundation. With one mi­ We are asking oollectors to examine Mlchael Ohl: II Zoologisches lnstitut nor exception, all these cuts came from their collections for T. pechumani. It is und Museum, Berliner Str. 28, 37073 areas other than Museum administra­ the only medium-sized Tachysphex with GOttingen, Germany. tion. Why is this no surprise? The Foun­ orange antenna! segments and anterior Dr. Margery G. Spofford: 112 Seneca dation has suffered from serious fiscal haH of the abdomen red in the female. Road East, Trumansburg, New York mismanagement and I think that a lot It is otherwise black, including the much 11886. more people will be lost from here be­ smaller males which are all black. H you Dr. R.J. Paxton: Department of Genet­ fore all is said and done. The option to know of any suitable habitat in the Great ics, Uppsala University, Box 7003, S- return under oontract to the Foundation Lakes region that we can examine (IN, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden (until 30 was offered me, but on terms that II OH, WI, Ml, NY, SW Ontario?), please April 1994). found morally repugnant. let us know. The emergence period for Dr. Peter F. Yeo: The Store House, •Over the last few years the research these wasps is early June to mid- late Gratton Road, Harringworth, North­ and collections component of the Mu­ July. NN17 3AD, UK. seum has been seriously compromised, The best way to oontact us is to send with some sections, such as Botany, en­ an e-mail message: ([email protected] tirely eliminated. On the more positive .umich.edu), or call Frank at 315-470- E-MAIL ADDRESSES side, our current Director will retire in 6- 6753, or Mark at 313-747-2199. We will 8 mos. and we may be fortunate enough appreciate any leads that our oolleagues Celso Oliveira Azevedo, Brasil: to acquire a new Director who will be can offer! [email protected] better able to manage this place. I do WojcJech J. Pulawski, San Francisco, oontinue to be optimistic that once the References CA : [email protected] present national eex>nomic crisis is over, the LACM can be rebuilt to its former Kurczewski, F. E., & N. B. Elliott. 1978. status as an institution of some impor­ Nesting behavior and ecology of tance. Tachysphex pechumani Krombein •1 am now a Research Associate, so (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae). J. Kan­ will continue to come to the Museum sas Ent. Soc., 51 :765-780.2 with fair regularity. I will, finally, be able PEOPLE IN THE NEWS to conduct my research with a mini­ mum of disturbance, thereby increasing Julio Antonio Genaro (Apartado the liklihood that some of my numerous I 6099, Habana, Cuba) is working at the projects will actually see completion. able to Museo Nacional de Historia Natural admit that it is sort of neat to be off (Capitolio Nacional, Ciudad de La Ha­ say to myseH, when the alarm goes if I bana 10200, Cuba) as department chief at 0430: 'I don1 have to go to work go NEW ADDRESSES of oollections. don, wish to.' Then I get up and to work.• John C. Abbott: 1030 Dallas Drive, Roy Snelllng (Dept. of Entomology, Denton, Texas 76205. Natural History Museum of Los Angeles Celso Oliveira Azevedo: Universidad County, 900 Exposition Blvd., Los An­ Federal do Espirito Santo, Dept. Bio­ geles, CA 90007) comments: ·wen, logia, Av. Marechal Campos 1468, guys, it finally happened, though not on Maruipe, 29040-090 Vit6ria, ES, the schedule I had hoped for. But, Brasil. thanks to the concerted efforts the ad­ David L Evans: 2616 Lincoln Drive, ministration here at good ole LACM, I Montoursville, PA 1n54. was forced into an untenable situation Jeremy Fleld: Dept. of Eoology & Evo­ and therefore chose to retire. Effective lutionary Biology, Rice University, PO 1 September 1993. As everybody knows Cephalopamops denticulatus Spinola, male. Box 1892, Houston, Texas n251. by now, the eex>nomic situation in the (Chrysicidae, North Africa, Middle East) 4 SPHECOS26

Frank Parker retired from his USDA BIOTA A current nomenclatorial database of job in Costa Rica at the end of Septem­ all the scientific names (species-, genus-, ber. He will spend his retirement in Ne­ BIOTA (Biosystematic Information on and family-group names, including syno­ vada or Utah. We will publish his new Terrestrial ) was developed nyms, homonyms, misspellings, and mis­ address when available. as a project to create a nomenclatorial identifications) applied to insects and database of the insects of the world. It other terrestrial arthropods has the high­ has since assumed a broader meaning est priority because it is the backbone MISSING PERSONS and now serves as an umbrella to cover of all information services. The database all of the computer-related information is an SEL-wide project and is under the Dr. E.O. Grechka of Kherson, Ukraine resources existing or under development supervision of Ronald W. Hodges (chair), Dr. Henry Hermann of Athens, Georgia within the Systematic Entomology La­ Robert W. Poole, and F. Christian Dr. Daniel T. Jennings of Orono, Maine boratory (SEL) of the De­ Thompson. Mark Parrish of New Brunswick, New partment of Agriculture. Information tools The BIOTA nomenclatorial database Jersey. underway in the SEL are catalogs (Bio­ is divided into four data tables: species, Dr.TadashlSuzuklofTokyo,Japan. systematic Database of World Diptera, genera, families, and ranges (biogeo­ systematic catalog of worldwide cutworm graphic regions). A data entry program ), specimen label databases, the has been developed for the use of spe­ Fruit Fly Expert System (automated iden­ cialists and other contributors. A manu­ tification tool for extension specialists al, which provides full documentation on and quarantine inspectors), and other the check list, accompanies the program. automated identification systems. We Each individual contributing to the JOURNAL OF envision the day when a global network database and·his/her institutional affilia­ HYMENOPTERA of information databases and other tools tion will be fully acknowledged. First, RESEARCH developed by a union of individuals and there will be an introductory acknowl­ institutions (including SEL) will exist and edgment screen in the finished product. Coup Attempt at J. Byrn. Res. when anyone, anywhere will be able to Second, each record of each database access all available information on a ter­ contains a memo field. If data are based An insidious plot was uncovered to restrial species from his/her on the unpublished resources of a con­ turn the latest issue of the Joumal of computer. tributor, this fact will be noted. Hymenoptera Research into an Ameri­ The first project of BIOTA is a nomen­ The first two years of the nomencla­ can publication. On the spine was printed clatorial database. A nomenclatorial da­ torial database project will be spent as­ "AMERICAN JOURNAL HYMENOPTE­ tabase has many uses, among them are sembling all of the names for the North RA RESEARCH VOLUME 2, NUMBER the following: American fauna. Data entry will not be 1, 1993. • Quick thinking and some deft 1. A nomenclatorial database is a com­ restricted to North American species be­ work with black markers by David R. pendium of the known species of a cause this is a global project; however, Smith, Arnold and Nancy Menke, with group, Utarally a phone directory of the the emphasis will be on the North Amer­ biological sciences. It is the first step in ican fauna. A date for completion of the the approval of editor Paul Marsh, any biosystemalic or biociversity pro­ saved the day. We would like to assure check list on a world level cannot be es­ gram. timated accurately because it depends President-Elect Donald Qulcke of Shef­ 2. A nomenclatorial database can be on the collaboration and cooperation of field, , that his office is secure. used ID investigate fundamental ques­ Volume 2, number 1, was mailed No­ tions of biodiversity. For example, how our colleagues throughout the world. vember 17, 1993 and that's the correct are species distributed among the bio­ Similarly, no accurate estimates of the publication date for this issue. The Sep­ geographical provinces? Are predalDr or final size of the project are available. tember 30 date printed on the inside herbivore groups more diverse? Probably, well over two million names front cover is erroneus. 3. A nomenclatorial database provides are involved. stability for names and serves as an The database will be available on the authority list for users of biosystemalic Internet and on CD-ROM. names. Contact Ronald W. Hodges for further 4. A nomenclalDrial database is the first information. component of any comprehensive bio­ systemalic information system on in­ sects. Ronald W. Hodges 5. A nomenclatorial database has vital Systematic Entomology Laboratory, infonnalion for anyone doing biosystem­ ARS,USDA alic work on a group of organisms, be it c/o National Museum of revisionary, curatorial, or biodiversity. Natural History, NHB-168 6. The nomenclalDrial database in Bl~ Washington, DC 20560 USA TA provides acc:ess ID the literalUre by (202) 382-1ns: FAX c202) 786-9422 giving the source of the name (revision, catalog, check list, unpublished data) Nesogyne taino Krombein, female. and an authority who may be contacted (Chrysidiclae: Amiseginae, 110 provide further infonnalion. Dominican Repubtic December93 5

FORUM cies is represented, not to check its place authors did not so easily think they had among its nearest relatives. selected the most •essentiar characters Subgenera and Species Groups (c) in files, computerized or not, in at­ of value for the practical separation of by lases of geographic distributions, and taxa. Jean Leclercq other practical documents. In my own work, I often produce keys Faculte rl Agronomie de Gembloux, rue de So there is no contradiction in the fact with more characters than necessary, - Bois-de-Breux, 190, B 4020, Liege - Jupille, that in the Fauna de France -- Sphec­ or wanted by the user. But that is be­ Belgium. idae, with J. Bitsch, the species are com­ cause I deal with exotic faunas, and mented, grouped under their subgene­ usually with divergent specimens and I do not agree at all with the view ra (this is a comprehensive treatise in small series; careful examination of [See Sphecos 10:11-13, 11 :11-13, etc., which e.g. borealis, dives and these specimens does not reveal the for discussion of this topic -- editor] that guttatus must come together because characters which would make it easiest subgenera are best re-placed by spe­ they are related (in the same subgenus to recognise the relevant taxa. Very of­ cies groups. I believe that subgenera are Ectemnius), with information which must ten I am not sure I am dealing with a needed to indicate an evolutionary (or be readily compared) and the fact that true species (named or to be named) cladistic) level higher than species species are simply in alphabetical order but I feel it is important to present my groups and I really fail to see that no­ in my list •Hymenopteres Sphecides hypothesis of the status of these spe­ menclature is simplified if instead of us­ Crabroniens d' Europe et du Bassin cies (or subspecies) in order to encour­ ing subgenera in which there is one Mediterranean• (N.F.Gx n° 26, 1993) age further research by others. So in name and one author, imposed by the and in our set of maps J. Leclercq & Y. practice, my keys are a practical sys­ law of priority, we have longer names Barbier •Atlas de repartition des Crab­ tem to present the results of my com­ such as • group•. roniens de France et des regions limi­ parisons and to help future taxonomists (In that case why lapidarius and not trophes• (N.F.Gx, n° 27, 1993). check their material against my experi­ sexcinctus, and why not the name of ence, eventually producing improved the species which finally will appear keys due to better characters. Thus, for to be either the commonest, the best On Identification Keys exotic material (of course not the Euro­ known, or the obviously most primi­ by pean fauna), my keys are not built to tive?)1 Jean Leclercq permit the easiest determinations by In any case, I think that all formal anybody who thinks that should already names in a classification are hypothe­ [The following was prompted in part be possible. Colleagues in a hurry to ses to be tested and tested again, that by material in Sphecos 19:18 and 20: find a name must be discouraged but the species level is the only one likely 6-7 -- editor.] those who will intend to do better taxo­ to represent a final, duly tested and re­ I would like to recount my recent ex­ nomic work with new material should, I tested, natural category. Subgenera, periences with the keys of R.M. Bohart hope, appreciate that I leave to them a genera and other higher categories ex­ to the North american species of Crabro record of what I found and of the prob­ press something, certainly, but not al­ (1976), Ectemnius (1979) and Rhopalum lems I faced. ways the same evolutionary reality; in­ (1974). They proved to be concise keys deed they are subjective, pragmatic taxa: near to perfection. However I think that they are drawers which must have a a user would make 5 to 10% of his de­ ONE MAN'S WISDOM name and a coherent content, but which terminations wrong and 5 to 10% or ON TAXONOMIC for practical reasons, should not be too more determinations with a •?• if he CONTROVERSY large. were a hymenopterist without a refer­ Although I believe that subgenera ence collection, because there are not •My personal preference is to keep mean something and are to be used in enough characters in these keys to ver­ disagreements polite and respectful, just certain projects, when there are rea­ e.g. ify his results for every species, not in case the parson with whom I disa­ sons to make the nearest species more enough even if he continued reading gree turns out to be right after all: easily compared, I am against the use what is given further on in the paper. in many pratical circum­ of subgenera Furthermore, if while using these keys ex litteris Byron Alexander stances: he wanted to know whether one partic­ (a) on determination labelsl ular Mexican or South American speci­ the al­ (b) in collections - here I favor men belongs to one of those North phabetical order of the genera within a American species in the key, well again, subfamily and of species within a ge­ there is no answer without a good ref­ nus. The purpose of collections is not erence collection. to express or suggest taxonomic rela­ My experience with the keys of Kohl tionships. When searching in a collec­ for Crabronini and other Sphecidae and tion, the curator or the specialist needs of BIOthgen for Vespoidea leads me to to easily determine if a particular spe- conclude that these works guarantee more certainty of a correct identifica­ 'The generic name need not be pan of the apec:ies tion, or more reasons to believe you are group name, lapidatiusgroup ii sullicienL As far u which species name ID use, lhe iyp&-species ol lhe seeing another species, because more subgeneric name Hema a logical choice - EdilDr. characters are given, implying that the Haplogonotopus sp. male (), 6 SPHECOS26

PET PEEVE SCIENTIFIC NOTES waldt, 1918). The Horto Botanico, inci­ dently, is the type locality for many ~pe­ Serving the User Passaloecus p/ctus In Brasil cies described by Herman von lhenng, (Sphecldae) LOderwaldt, and other entomologists. I wish to support strongly Arnold by The French gardens contain some ex­ Menke's "Pet Peeve• in Sphecos 25:7. Servlo Amarante, otic plants, and perhaps pictus was in­ Workers who fail to add identification Museu de Zoologia da Universidade troduced with soil of some of them. In labels to every specimen they have de Sao Paulo, Caixa Postal 7172, an attempt to acquire more material of named are simply wasting their initial 01064.970 Sao Paulo, Brasil the wasp and its biology, the Horto and and investment of time - they are not com­ nearby French gardens are being municating. They should remember that David Vincent, searched for likely nesting areas of "No man is an Island": the human spe­ Research Laboratory (PSI), USDA, sand banks and slopes. Trap nests ARS, Bldg. 476, BARC-East, 10300 cies, being a social , makes pro­ Baltimore Ave., Beltsville, MD 20705-2350. have been set out as well in case the gress by cooperating - that includes nest building of pictus in the neotropics communicating. Entomologists (and oth­ In the New World the sphecid genus is not limited to soil. er authors) divide into two classes, those Passaloecus is restricted to North Amer­ who publish for themselves and those ica (Vincent, 1979). No species are DolHuss, H., 1991. Bestimmungssch­ who publish for others. The first should known in the Neotropical Region, the ge­ lussel der Grabwespen Nord- und not publish at all. The second category nus being replaced there by Po/smistus. Zentraleuropas. Stapfia, Publikation are distinguished (in both senses) by Amarante collected specimens of a der Botanischen Arbeitsgemeinschaft producing papers which are straightfor­ Passaloecus in Sao Paulo, Brasil, and am O. 0. landesmusem Linz, 24:1-- ward for others to understand and use; sent them to Arnold Menke for identifi­ 247. when they have to decide whether to cation. He tentatively identified the~ as Janvier, H., 1961. Recherches sur _le~ include or exclude an item, or on a par­ pictus Ribaut, a European specI~s. Hymenopteres nidificants aph1d1- ticular way to set out something, 1hi. Menke forwarded the specimens to Vin­ vores. Ill. Le genre Passsaloscus. decjsjon ~ at.wm 1alseo .wi1b 1hi. uw cent who confirmed that they were in­ Ann. Sci. Nat., Zool. 12:847-883. in .mlo.s!.. Ask yourself, -Would I find my deed pictus. LOderwaldt, H., 1918. 0 Herbario e o own publication convenient to ~se~• If In the Old World, Merisuo (1974) re­ Horto Botanico do Museu Paulista. this aim is not consciously borne tn mind, corded pictus from southern Fran<:9, Rev. Mus. Paulista 10:289-311. then something less than good co"!'m~­ the Crimea Peninsula, and Yugoslavia. Merisuo, A. K., 1974. Zur Kenntnis der nication will result. One small but signif­ DolHuss (1991) listed the species from europaischen Arten der Gattung icant instance happened a while ago: a southern Europe and Turkey. When Ri­ Passaloecus Shuckard. Ann. Ent. reviewer of a short paper I had submit­ baut (1952) described pict_us, he s~t~ Fennici 40:10-15. ted suggested that I give only the au­ that the species nested In the soil I~ Ribaut, H., 1952. Especes francaises thor and year of works cited in text­ southern France, near Toulouse. Janvi­ du genre Passa/oecus. Bull. Soc. references. In my reply to the editor, I er (1961) confirmed that this wasp nests Ent. France 57:23-28. strongly resisted this. If you give au­ in the ground, and he prov~ed a de­ Vincent, D., 1979. A revision of the thor, year iJld gaga, it makes it so much tailed description of the nesting behav­ genus Passaloecus (Hymenoptera: easier to find the reference. How often ior of pictus in France. Janvier fo~nd Sphecidae) in America North of Mex­ have you either spent a long time trying large aggregations of the wasp nesting ico. Wasmann J. Biol. 36:127-198. to find the part quoted, or given up on in sand banks at an abandoned sand finding it altogether, simply because of quarry of the Fertes-Alais. lack of a page number which was in­ Four females of pictus were collected Crabronlnae vs Larrlnae (Sphecldae) stantly available to the author himself? January and November 1989 and Jan­ by This is sheer lack of consideration for uary 1990, and one male was taken Arnold Menke the user. Incidentally, many editors will December, 1991 in Parque da lndepen­ not accept taxonomic works without dincia in the lpiranga district of the city Usage of family-group na"!'es is go~­ identification keys - if you cannot un­ emed by priority just as with generic - of Sio Paulo. The grounds of the Parque derstand their reasons, you should not include some French gardens designed and species level names. When Bohart be publishing! to copy those of the Louvre, and the and Menke (1976) published their bo~k, Museu Paulista (a historical museum), Sphecid Wasps of the World, subfamily Colin Vardy including its former Horto Bota_nico. The names were not studied to see if those Dept. of Entomology Horto Botanico is now nothing more in use had priority. In the newly pub­ The Natural History Museum than a wooded area and this is where lished Hymenoptera of the World edit­ Cromwell Road the wasps were collected. Hermann ed by Goulet and Huber, (1993~, I ex­ London SW7 5BD UK Uiderwaldt, one of Brasil's first ento­ amined Bert Finnamore s section on mologists, was formerly empl~ed as a . I noted ~is use of Crab­ gardener in the Museu Pauhsta. He roninae instead of Larnnae for the as­ planted representatives of the main veg­ semblage containing both Larrinae and etation zones of Brasil: Cerrado, Caa­ of Bohart and Menke (1976). tinga, Atlantic Rain Forest, Amazon MRain My curiosity was piqued because there Forest, and so on in the Horto (Luder- was no explanation for using the sub- December93 7 family name Crabroninae instead of Lar­ guide to families. vii + 668 p. Centre Literature cited rinae, but I assumed that Bert had dis­ for Land and Biological Resources Re­ covered that Crabroninae was the older search, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa. Menke, A. S., 1992. Mole cricket hunt­ of the two family-group names. Fortu­ Finnamore, A. T., 1993. Series Spheci­ ers of the genus Laffa in the New nately Handlirsch's treatment of Hyme­ formes, p. 280-306 in: Goulet and World. J. Hymen. Res. 1 :175-234. noptera in Handbuch der Entomologie, Huber Hymenoptera of the world: an volume 3, edited by Schroder (1925) identification guide to families. vii + lists most family group names (includ­ 668 p. Centre for Land and Biologi­ Addltlonal records for ing synonyms) and their authorship. cal Resources Research, Agriculture New World Plson Thus it provides a good starting place Canada, Ottawa. by for the origin of many higher category Griffin, Francis J., 1938. On the date of Arnold Menke names in Hymenoptera. From Hand­ publication of Latreille (In Sonnini's lirsch's work I ascertained that Latreille Bufton), An X [sic], Hist. Nat. Gen. eu Menke authored both names: Crabronites dat­ Partic. Crust. Ins. 3. J. Soc. Bibi. Nat. ing from 1802, page 340, and Larrates Hist. 1 :157. PANAMA: Darien: Cruce de Mono, Es­ dating from 1810, p. 438. Thus Finna­ Handlirsch, A., 1925. Geschichte, Liter­ tacion lrenare, Parque Nae. Darien (Mu­ more was correct in using Crabroninae atur, Technik, Palaontologie, Phylog­ seo de lnvertebrados G. B. Fairchild, instead of Larrinae. I should point out enie, Systematik, Vol. 3, viii + 1202 Panama, Panama), one male. here that Finnamore accepted the views p. in: Schroder, C., Handbuch der This specimen has weak tyli on fla­ of Evans (1964), Lomholdt (1985) and Entomologie. Gustav Fischer, Jena. gellomeres V-VII. The 000 is .9X the Menke (1988) in uniting the Crabroni­ Latreille, P.A., 1802. Histoire naturelle, HID and the UID is . 9X the LID. This is nae and Larrinae (sensu Bohart and generale et particuliere des crusta­ the first record of eu from Panama Menke) to form one subfamily. Of course ces et des insectes. Vol. 3. F. Dufart, Finnamore recognized all of the sub­ Paris. xii+ 13-467 p. Published be­ Pison gnythos Menke families of Bohart and Menke as fami­ tween September and November 6, lies, but that is another matter (see re­ 1802 (see Griffin, 1938 and Dupuis PANAMA: same locality data as above, view on page 17). 1986). one female. Michener (1986) reviewed the family­ Latreille, P. A., 1810. Considerations This is the first record of gynthos from group names for . In view of the generales sur l'ordre natural des ani­ Panama although it is known from Cos­ considerable study now being given to maux composant les classes des ta Rica and Colombia. the classification of Sphecidae by Alex­ crustaces, des arachnides, et des in­ ander, Prentice, Ohl, van Zuijlan, and sectes. F. Schoell, Paris. 444 p. others, and the possible changes in Lomholdt, 0. C., 1985. A reclassifica­ The Possible Prey of groupings resulting from their work, it is tion of the larrine tribes with a revi­ Laphyragogus aQer de Beaumont time that the family-group names be in­ sion of the of southern Af­ by vestigated so that priorities will be easy rica and (Hymenoptera: to determine. Woj Pulawski and I have Sphecidae). Ent. Scand., Suppl. 24, Mlchael Prentice to deal with this problem in connec­ Dept of Entomology, University of 183 p. California, Berkeley, CA 94720 tion with our work on a new Catalog of Menke, A. S., 1988. Pison in the New Sphecidae and may, therefore, produce World: a revision (Hymenoptera: In Sphacos 10, Kazenas presented a separate paper on family-group names Sphecidae: ). Contrib. brief observations on Laphyragogus and their authorship. Amer. Ent. Inst. 24(3):1-171. turanicus Gussakovskij describing a Michener, C. D., 1986. Family-Group wasp provisioning with pyralids of the Literature cited names among bees. J. Kansas Ent. genus Crambus. Previously, nothing had Soc. 59:219-234. Bohart, R. M. and A. S. Menke, 1976. been known of the habits of this pecu­ Sphecid wasps of the world, a gener­ liar sphecid genus which Bohart and Menke (1976) place in Its own subfami­ ic revision. University of California altamazonlca In Panama ly. To Kazenas' observations, I may add Press, Berkeley. x + 695 p. by that I found many scales on a fe­ Dupuis, Claude, 1986. Dates de publi­ Arnold Menke cation de I' "Histoire naturelle gene­ male specimen of Laphyragogus aijer deBeaumont sent me by Kenneth rale et particuliere des crustaces et This species is known from northern to Guichard. Possibly this species, like des insectes• (1802-1805) par La­ South America including western Colom­ turanicus, preys on small , treille dans le "Bufton de Sonnini". bia (Menke, 1992), but altamazonica has although the scales may, alternatively, Ann. Soc. Ent. France 22:205-210. not been recorded from Central Ameri­ be the result of collecting. Perhaps Gui­ Evans, Howard E., 1964. The classifi­ ca In February, 1993, Roberto Cambra chard knows whether the collector (I. L. cation and evolution of digger wasps collected one female in Panama: Dari­ Hamer, Oman, April 17, 1992) was like­ as suggested by larval characters en: Cruce de Mono, Estacion lnrenare, ly to place moths and wasps into the (Hymenoptera: Sphecoidea). Ent. Parque Nae. Darien (Museo de lnverte­ same jars (obviously a poor practice). News 65:225-237 brados G. B. Fairchild, Panama, Pan­ Since aijer is the most distinct of the six Goulet, H. and J. Huber, 1993. Hyme­ ama). The specimen represents the form species of Laphyragogus, it seems like­ noptera of the world: an identification with a red abdomen. ly that all prey on moths and that the 8 SPHECOS26

unusual morphology of the genus is in notum which is dorsally long, unlike the er social wasps: Agelaia baezae (Rich­ part a specialization for moth collecting. derived, short pronota of living scoleby­ ards) and Mischocyttarus rufomaculatus thids. This feature, by the way, supports Richards. This mimicry group is not re­ Brothers' (1975) and Carpenter's (1986) corded by Richards (1978 p.30). The Early Cretaceous from view that the shortened pronota of Scol­ ground colouring of the wasps is black Lebanese amber ebythidae and Plumariidae evolved inde­ except for the anterior half of the gaster by pendently. Another less well preserved which is yellowish or pale reddish­ Michael Prentice wasp has a scolebythid appearance, brown. I found all three species in the and a number of disassociated wings Banos Vally of Ecuador together with With the help of Or. George Poinar of have scolebythid-like venation suggest­ other insects belonging to the same U. C. Berkeley, I have had the opportu­ ing that the family was considerably mimicry group. These were: a nity to examine two interesting collec­ more common in the Early Cretaceous sp. (Sphecidae), a halictine bee, an ich­ tions of Lebanese amber. This amber than today. neumonid wasp and a Tipu/a (Diptera) has the distinction of being the oldest Among the forms that may represent which flies in a manner reminiscent of a known to contain insect inclusions and new families is one comparatively large hunting social wasp. is minimally dated to 135-120 Ma (Earli­ wasp (around 5mm in length). Due to est Cretaceous), an important period the present state of polish of the piece, Reference in aculeate evolution. The insects pre­ it is impossible to provide many details served are for the most part small (usu­ except to say that this wasp appears Richards, O.W. 1978. The social wasps ally 5mm or less), although a few par­ very primitive, resembling a squat scol­ of the Americas excluding the Vespi­ ticularly interesting ones exceed this iid in outline. The remaining aculeates nae. British Museum (Natural Histo­ and there are many fragments of larger are in need of extensive polishing, but ry), London. 580 p. insects. My impression is that the am­ are all chrysidoid-like in appearance. ber is comparatively rich in Aculeata When properly studied, these speci­ (seemingly more so than Dominican am­ mens, along with others that will surely Defensive Behaviour of Chartergus ber) although I have only been able to be uncovered, will provide an unequaled chartarlus (Oliver) look through a fraction of the material view of early aculeate evolution. by to this point. Martin Cooper There are at least 15 aculeates, some just represented by wings. Several of A Social Wasp Which Stores Nectar It is well known that wasps of the ge­ the wasps may be tentatively assigned by nus Synoeca make a noise like some­ to extant families including Scolebythi­ Martin Cooper one sawing wood when their colonies dae, Oryinidae(?), Bethylidae and Sphec­ "Hillaest", Ware Lane, Lyme Regis, Dorset are alarmed; hence the name •guitarre• 07T 3EL England idae, while others are probably new. ra• (guitar player) in Columbia. The The most impressive is a female ampu­ wasps make the sound by rasping the My friend Dr. G. Onore of the Univer­ licine, approximately 4mm in length, envelope with their mandibles in uni­ sidad Catolica in Quito tells me that which, unfortunately, lacks a portion of son. Another species of social wasp Po/ybia a. aequatorialis Zavattari, a so­ the metasoma and most of the wings. I which makes a sound when alarmed, cial wasp of the montane zone in Ecua­ have been able to only briefly examine though less intimidating, is Chartergus dor stores nectar in its nest. Af Oyacachi, it, but can report that it is unquestiona­ chartarius (Oliver). a village in the province of lmbabura at bly an ampulicine, resembling Ampu/ex When I once disturbed a nest of this 3,200m, the country folk relish the combs to a high degree with an elongate pro­ species the workers aggregated on the containing nectar as a delicacy. It is well notum. However, it lacks the wedge­ outside of the envelope with their abdo­ known that two species of the Neotropi­ shaped clypeus and greatly elongate mens raised. As I continued to molest cal genus Brachygastra, /echeguana (La­ mandibles of female Ampulex. This is them (I wanted the nest as a trophy) treille) and mellifica (Say) also store the oldest undoubted sphecid and indi­ the wasps became more excited and nectar in their nests. cates that the family (in the broad sense began to beat their abdomens against I examined a nest of aequatorialis of Bohart and Menke (1976)) may ex­ the envelope to make an audible drum­ which Onore had collected. It was a typ­ tend well back into the ! That it ming sound. Such a noise could serve ical Polybia nest built around the twig appears so close to an extant genus is either as a warning to a potential pred­ of a shrub: pyriform, 12cm long by 9.5 incredible, and indicates Ampulicinae ator or to arouse the workers still inside cm wide with four combs. The enve­ the nest have changed little since the beginning lope was pale brown, 1-2cm wide with of the Cretaceous. In one of the collec­ The envelopes of Chartergus nests pockets forming air spaces between 3- tions there is also a much smaller am­ are white and the wasps black so they 4 layers of carton. The spaces in the en­ pulicine-like wasp, around 1.5mm in are very conspicuous when assembled velope probably help to insulate the nest length, that I have not had a chance to on the envelope. Some nests have black during the cold Andean nights. I found study in detail. patches, perhaps to simulate an aggre­ neither nectar nor brood in this nest Among the other finds is a well pre­ gation of wasps. Other species which are which had been collected four months served scolebythid which I am currently black and have nests with white or whit­ previously. describing. It has the characteristic pro­ ish-grey envelopes are: Pseudopo/ybia A aequatorialis in Colombia and Ecua­ pectal morphology of the family, but is compressa (Saussure), Epipona sp. and dor forms a mimicry group with two oth- more primitive with respect to the pro- some Parachartergus. December93 9

Unusual Behaviour of Female Slmllar Mating Behavior In Ants louse, un ferrugineus Agelala testacea (F.) 9 trainant sa volumineuse proie by I once observed similar behavior in ( tenebrosus Hentz, Pisauri­ Martin Cooper flying ants. One night on the campus of dae, det. Coddington) en direction d'un North Carolina State University in Ra­ mur de !'habitation (preuve de la pre­ When in a Bolivian forest a few years leigh, many species of ants were hav­ sence de Pompilides), je disposai a la ago I came across two Agalaia testacea ing their mating flights. In an aspirator I lisiere de la foret et dans le sous-bois (F.) behaving in a manner such as I collected a diverse group including a fe­ une vingtaine de bacs en aluminium have never seen before in a social wasp. male Pheido/e vinelandica Forel (Myr­ lager (20 cm x 13 x 5), paints en jaune The wasps were repeatedly flying with­ mecinae) and some male Paratrechina clair et remplis d'eau additionnee de out touching at about two feet from vividula Nylander (Formicinae). Upon quelques gouttes de detergent (mate­ the ground. I have seen a similar con­ finding themselves in close quarters riel utilise en alimentation pour la pres­ frontation between two male Trypoxylon in a collecting bottle, all the male entation des hors-d'oeuvres et plats ( Trypargilum) of a species in the nitidum Paratrechina attempted to mate with prepares). Ces bacs resterent en place group (Sphecidae) and two males of an the female Pheidole dispite being from pendant 6 jours seulement, du 9 au unidentHied bombiliid fly. However when different subfamilies. I assumed that 14. Vlll.93 (laps de temps, qua d'expe­ I caught the two A testacea they turned such unusual behavior was an artifact rience, j'estime largement su1fisant pour out to be females. of being in unnatural conditions. Some­ une premiere analyse). Chaque soir, je how, being confined short-circuited the prelevais las hymenopteres pieges pen­ normal behavioral sequences that would dant la journee, nettoyais las bacs et Unusual Mating Behavior allow proper descrimi[lation of the cor­ rajoutais, si necessaire, un peu d'eau by rect female species. pour compenser la perte par evapora­ Robert S. Jacobson Tarry Nuhn tion. Dept. of Pathology and Laboratory Ce systeme est particulierement effi­ Medicine, School of Medicine, East Carolina cace pour las Pompilides generalement University, Greenville, North Carolina TECHNIQUES consideres, avec raison, comma de cap­ 27858-4354 ture difficile. II permet notamment la prise d'especes de petite taille lesqJJelles, se While collecting Bombus and Yellow Pan, an Easy and Vary Effec­ depl~ dans la vegetation ou au sol from flowers on the afternoon of 24 Oc­ tive Way for catching Wasps. dans la litiere de feuilles mortes, passe­ tober 1993 in Beaufort Co., North Caro­ by raient autrement inaper~ues. Dans ce lina I saw what appeared to be an at­ Raymond Wahls milieu apparemment peu propice, j'ai pu tempt by a male of Bombus fratemus Faculte des Sciences agronorniques ainsi recolter sans peine 51 specimens (Smith) to mate with a young queen of Zoologie g6nerale et appliqu'8 repartis en 15 especes. Bombus impatiens Cresson. These were B-5030 GEMBLOUX (Belgium) Je ne saurais done trop recommand­ together inside my net along with a cou­ er !'utilisation de ces bacs, peu co0teux ple males of impatiens, another male Ma fille cadette sejournant pour une et faciles placer. Moins encombrants of fratemus, and a male of Bombus a annee au pair dans une famille ameri­ et plus discrets qua d'autres pieges, pennsy/vanicus (Degear). The rather se­ caine, a Alexandria {Virginia), je profitai comma le MALAISE, leur emploi, voire nescent fratemus male persisted in de cette occasion pour une premiere en complement de la chasse tradition­ mounting the female and extruding his visite au USA ou je sejournai une dou­ nelle au filet, permet, sans y consacrer claspers. As far as I could see, the fe­ zaine de jours dans sa famille d'accueil trop de temps et d'efforts, de dresser male was not receptive and I doubt the (Family Teague, Emerald Drive), dans un inventaire relativement oomplet des male had much success. They remained un anvironnement residential boise, especes las plus representatives d'un together even after being placed into a a Waynewood, a proximite immediate milieudonne. rather weak cyanide jar. Unfortunately, du pare de Fort Hunt. Derriere !'habi­ no fratemus queens were seen that af­ tation, la pelouse donne sur une par­ : ternoon, in order to give this male a celle boisee avec de hauts arbres Priocnessus nebubsus (Dahlbom) 3 9 choice. I find it amazing that a male from tels: Liriodendron tulipifera. Liquidambar (s.str.) scitula scitu/a a different subgenus would attempt this styracif/ua, Sassafras albidum, Robinia (Cresson) 1 9 mating. Perhaps their being as close pseudoacacia, Hamame/is virginiana, fasciatel/us alienatus together as they were in a net artHicial­ Acer nigrum, Fagus grandifolia, Quercus (Smith) 2 9 ly bypassed isolating mechanisms that alba et coccinea, etc. La strata arbus­ (s.str.) brevis recalvus would otherwise prevent it, but what H tive se compose principalement de Townes2 9 these two had landed by chance on the Comus florida et de rares /lex opaca Dipogon (Deuteragsnia) papago same flower? Comments or questions Le sous-bois, a sol en majeure partie anomalus (Dreisbach) 1 9 are welcome. I should add that neither couvert d'une litiere de feuilles mortes, Dipogon (Dsuteragenia) sayi sayi of the impatiens males were observed est relativement sombre avec toutefois Banks2 9 attempting to mate with this queen, quelques spots ensoleilles peu etendus, mel/ipes mellipes (Say) 5 9 which appears slightly callow. se depla~ant au cours de la journee Aup/opus nigrel/us (Banks) 1 9 suivant la position du soleil. Ageniel/a (s.str.) norota Banks 1O 9 Ayant ape~u et capture, sur la pa- 10 SPHECOS26

Pompilinae: COLLECTING REPORTS ex1raordinary engineering, construction, Tachypompilus fsrruginsus ferrugineus and overall planning achievement, but (Say) 1 9 avec sa proie, Dolom«Jes Egypt Revisited what habitat destruction! The uncon­ tenebrosus Hentz [det. Coddington] by trolled population growth (about 2% a biguttatus biguttatus Wojclech J. Pulawski year) is doubtless the most serious prob­ (Fabricius) 2 9 1 & Dept of Entomology, California Academy of lem that the country is facing. For ex­ Evagetss parvus (Cresson) 2 9 Sciences, Golden Gate Park, San ample, for the first time in its history, (s.str.) niger(Cresson) 2 9 Francisco, CA 94118 Egypt became a food importer, and most Allaporus pu/chel/us (Banks) 12 9 2 & people have to wait years in order to My first acquaintance with Egypt was get a new apartment in spite of all the : back in 1957/58, when I spent seven government efforts. New jobs can bare­ Csropa/es hatoda Brimley 2 9 1 & and half months in that country owing ly keep up with the number of new ba­ to a cultural exchange agreement with bies. The standard of living just cannot Poland. It was a tremendous experi­ be raised as long as most women Chloroform Gun Again ence which influenced the rest of my continue to became pregnant every 10 by life. All these years I remembered the months. Colin Vardy proverb •em ishrab maya el Nil, yerga One question that I was frequently Dept of Entomology, The Natural History tani•. For those who are not fluent in asked before the trip concerned the Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 Arabic, this means -Whoever drank wa­ muslim fundamentalists, following their 5BDUK ter of the Nile, will come back again.• attacks on tourists back in 1992. The Indeed, I came back in April 1993, as a danger was grossly exaggerated, in­ Servio Amarante's account (Spha• leader of a tour group sponsored by the deed blown out of proportion by the cos 25:16-20) of his collecting trips is California Academy of Sciences, my press and television. Although our group interesting, but he's apparently never mother institution now. When the tour was escorted by police in Cairo, I never heard of the "Chloroform Gun• technique! (7-20 April) was over, I stayed an addi­ encountered an unfriendly gesture, ei­ I think Arnold Menke just had bad luck tional six weeks wasping, leaving 2 ther while being part of the tour, or trav­ with trying it (on Ampulsx, see Sphe­ June. eling on my own. People depend so cos 18:17-19). I also failed once (or al­ Egypt has changed dramatically dur­ much on tourism that any decline in vis­ most so) with Sphscius in Argentina. ing these years. The population .has dou­ itor numbers badly affects merchants, These two genera must have some kind bled, Cairo has become a 15 million guides, producers of souvenirs, feluca of armour-plated resistance; it doesn't monster (up from some 4 million peo­ and camel owners, hotel and restau­ work on tarantulas, either. But I can as­ ple in the old days); roads have been rants owners, taxi drivers, rrterally mil­ sure you it worked very well with all the upgraded and new ones built; the old lions of people. Besides, Egyptians are other wasps (and bees) I tried it on - oxen or camel driven sakiahs (irrigation just naturally friendly. True, one is con­ even giant in flight •crashed" in wheels) have almost disappeared and stantly exposed to commercial harass­ only 2-3 seconds; I got them as they been replaced by modern pumps; new ment in all touristy places: •Come and rose from a muddy pool. Great sport! houses and particularly new, pretty look­ see my shop: •Do you want a camel?• ing mosques can be seen everywhere. •A feluca, Messiew, a feluca,• •Do you Yet, many things remain the same: the need a guide?•, "Where are you go­ canals, the fellahin, the crops, the ruins, ing?•, "What country are you from?•, the sun, and the unique sense of etemi­ "What's your namer, "Taxi, taxn•. "Give ty. me a bakshisht•, to give just a few ex­ The demographic explosion and over­ amples. Since I learned some rudimen­ all progress have greatly affected nature. tary Arabic, I was able to demonstrate The classic collecting sites near Cairo, that I was not a novice and did not the type localities for hundreds of spe­ need all these services. After landing cies, are nearly all gone. In the old days, on the west bank in Aswan, I was im­ I collected insects on the desert out­ mediately approached by a group of skirts near the Ghiza pyramids, at Abu camel drivers vehemently offering their Roash, and Maadi. All these places are services. I just explained that I was not now under construction, or are covered a tourist, showed my net and killing with industrial and house rubbish. Sad jars, and I how I catch insects. All the indeed. The road from Cairo to Alexan­ boys were greatly interested. When I dria that I remembered as running asked if I could go into the gardens, the through the desert is now boordered by answer was: -You can go everywhere.• plantations and even new cities (such I was never molested again there that as Medina el Sadat). The most dramat­ day or any of the subsequent days. I ic changes can perhaps be seen along used this strategy everywhere, espe­ the Mediterranean coast between Alex­ cially when collecting near someone's andria and Marsa Matruh. Some 200 field or garden. After all, they were enti­ Haplogonotopus americanus female kilometers are almost entirely covered tled to know what I was doing there, (Dryinidae). by new resorts, on a massive scale. An and ignoring them would only create December93 11

justified animosity. Many places in Egypt . Amazingly, there were no people ered that I could go to the place directly are incredibly cheap these days. Our there, and I was completely alone, just by bus from Luxor. group stayed in a Hilton hotel in Luxor, facing Kitchener Island, one of the fa­ Kom Ombo is only about 50km north but I moved out as soon as I was on mous tourist attractions. of Aswan, with its spectacular Ptolema­ my own (because of its limited resourc­ I would like to mention three other ic temple facing the Nile. The old gar­ es, California Academy of Sciences is places in Upper Egypt. One is Abydos, dens that were full of insects between not renowned for paying high salaries the birthplace of Osiris and a famous the temple and the shore have been all or being overly generous in financing archaeological site. I went to El Balya­ replaced by pavement. Yet, abandoned fieldwork). I found a hotel with air con­ na by the 6 AM train from Luxor, and rice fields east of the temple turned into ditioning and a separate bathroom took a communal taxi from there for a nesting sites for aculeates and the trip with shower that charged 15 Egyptian ridiculous price of US $0.30 or so (the was not a waste of time. pounds per day, or US $5. It was sim­ distance is about 10km). We ended near Finally I flew to Cairo and met Signor ply a little deeper inside the local sec­ the temple, and then I walked through Alessandro Mochi of , with whom tion of the town, just a 15 minutes walk flat sands toward the steep limestone I previously traveled to the away from the temple and the Nile. cliff and the canyon that I remembered and . He was born in Cairo and One can stay in Cairo for the same from the old days. I reached the can­ speaks Arabic in addition to English, price, although these places are rather yon's mouth in about an hour and in­ French, German, and his native Italian. drab. Hotels in Sinai or along the Medi­ deed, here it was again. Another half He knows the country very well and was terranean coast, however, are marked­ an hour up the canyon, perhaps, and I an invaluable guide. I should remind ly more expensive. found a blossoming bush full of sphec­ the Sphecos readership that Mr. Machi Collecting in Egypt is notoriously diffi­ ids and pompilids. I had a badly upset owns an excellent collection of Spheci­ cult. On one hand, most of its territory stomach that day (the only time during dae (see Sphecos 14:42-44 for details). is desert, a large part of which is abso­ the trip), and had just enough strength Most of the original collection, which lutely sterile, with no trace of life. The to sit down under a vertical canyon was built by his father in the 1930s, Nile valley, on the other hand, has been wall, in the shade, to watch the insects ended elsewhere as a consequence of turned into fields and gardens since fly and to hear a pair of ravens crowing the war (in the A. Alfieri collection in pharaonic times. In addition, the valley over me. The silence was absolute, the Cairo, from where many types and some was annually inundated until the first air pure, the sand and rocks unpolluted. other specimens were transferred to Aswan dam was constructed early this I regenerated soon and did my work. the USNM, Washington). Nevertheless, century. The best chance for an insect And what a pleasure it was to find, high­ Sandro has been able to increase its collector is the narrow contact belt be­ er up, the old sand dune that crossed size significantly through extensive col­ tween the desert and the cultivated zone. the canyon and functioned as a natural lecting in various parts of Africa during Another good possibility for insect life is dam! It was about my own height back his employment with the World Health offered by numerous wadis, or arroyos in 1958, but now up to perhaps 60 me­ Organization, and particularly in Egypt as they are known in North America. ters. I went over it and found, on the since his retirement several years ago. Several of them became accessible re­ other side, hundreds of small black, dead One difference between us is that he cently owing to new roads. bushes, but two or three large ones has never been stung by Well, when the group left, I stayed in were still alive. What a catch that day! mochii, but I was during our expedition. Luxor for another week and went back Another trip from Luxor took me to In any case, I greatly enjoyed Sandro's immediately to my old collecting site on Oena-Safaga road. This is a recently company and I only hope that my feel­ the west bank, no more than a hundred constructed road that goes from the Nile ings were reciprocated. We chatted over meters away from the spectacular Med­ valley to the Red Sea. I had observed it various subjects and I would like to inet Habu temple. Yes, it was there, an from the air-conditioned bus, in which record one conversation that we had in unspoiled garden, even better than be­ our group traveled from the Red Sea to Marsa Matruh: fore. Wasps and bees were swarming, Luxor. We stopped at a small restau­ Him: •How many specimens did you both on the ground and on parsley flow­ rant in the middle of a lush wadi and I collect today?• ers. Many found their way to San Fran­ knew I would return there again for col­ Me: •t do not know•. cisco. lecting. When on my own, indeed, I took Him: -What would Arnold Menke A week in Aswan was another suc­ a taxi to Oena, walked to the Safaga say?• cess. Although most areas are either road, and asked the policemen at the Me: •tgnorance is no excuse. ■ fields or human settlements or just a road checkpoint, how to go to "kilo ham­ Sandro and I rented a car in Cairo sterile, stony desert, the west bank of­ sa oo tamaneen• (kilometer 85). We ex­ (there are no car rental agencies in fers possibilities for wasping. There are pressed all possible greetings first (Sal­ Luxor or Aswan, hence I had to rely on some small gardens, several of which am Aleikuml Aleikum salam u rahman public transportation there). We went to were unused and thus full of insects, Ullahi wabara katuhl and so on), then Sinai, from Suez to the southern tip of and further south you find steep cliffs one of the men stopped a huge truck the peninsula and then north again. We and sand dunes. Good habitats could and put me on. The driver knew per­ explored the area east of Mitla Pass, be found just along the water. And the haps 1O words of English, my Arabic went to the famous St. Catherine mon­ water is still clean: I swam in it, a re­ was only marginally better, but we had astery, and almost made it to El Arish freshing experience during the oppres­ a great time conversing all the way to on the north coast. We were stopped at sive heat. I could see , plenty of al­ my destination. Collecting was slow but a military post (the road was closed to gae, many herons and all kinds of other quite valuable. I subsequently discov- the civilian traffic, a fact not indicated 12 SPHECOS26

on the map). We had to drive all the Collectlng Hymenoptera In forts. She re-appeared shortly, dragged way back to Ras Soudr on the west Southern Maine the katydid down out of sight, and for coast, but it was worth it. The following by about thirty seconds we could hear her two days we discovered new places Monica Russo buzzing exuberantly in her burrow, loud­ with flowering bushes that were loaded 1 North Skilling Road, RR4 Arundel, ly enough for those standing by to hear with wasps, especially in Wadi Gharan­ Biddeford, Maine 04005 her! dal. Remember this name if you ever I observed several suspected pompil­ goto Sinai. On August 13, I was invited to attend ids, crawling and searching the ground The last part of our trip was to the a summer field trip organized by the with their distinctive where-did-1-drop­ Mediterranean coast of Egypt. We University of Maine at Orono. Entomol­ my-keys behavior; however, these were passed the World Word II cemeteries ogists from the state Insect & Disease not collected or identified that I know at El Alamein and stopped at Marsa Lab, the Maine Department of Agricul­ of. Matrouh. What a contrast! The wind ture, and the Cooperative Extension Of­ One unidentified mutillid was collect­ from the sea was cold, and it was chilly fice Pest Survey Group participated. The ed early in the day by Don Ouellette at night. I saw many plants that I re­ collecting/survey site was the Kenne­ from the l&D Lab. This specimen was a membered from southern Europe, par­ bunk Plains, an extensive area of sandy, rich reddish brown, and the ~nd of the ticularly various composites. Here again open, low-bush blueberry fields along abdomen was black with at least two we were quite successful, prospecting Route 99. There are about one thou­ white lines. At the end of the day when the area west of the town. The best sand acres of blueberry, scrub oak, we decided to wrap things up, some­ sites were areas covered by a prostrate shrubby pitch pines and American ha­ one discovered a second mutillid and Polygonum in full blossom, teaming with zelnut bushes. The la.nd is managed gave a shout, since Dick Dearborn from species that we had not found in other and protected by the Nature Conser­ l&D was anxious to see a second spec­ parts of Egypt. vancy and is well known locally as a imen. The little wasp was in the dirt Our last day was spent at Karanis in birder's hot-spot. road, but scurrying rapidly. I helped to the Fayum Province, some 65km south The expedition was not actually fo­ corral her by hand, and at one point of the Ghiza pyramids and next to Gre­ cussed on Hymenoptera at all, but there she even crawled around on my hand, co-Roman ruins. Sandro knew of sev­ were a few highlights that Sphecos but without any deployment of weapon­ eral Tamarix bushes just on the sands readers might be interested in. At least ry. Dick got her into a contaiAer, and edge. They were excellent for wasps three Pe/ecinus po~uratorfemales were his day was made! and bees indeed. We came back to found. Two of these were easily ap­ Field collecting and observing in a Cairo that afternoon, returned the car proachable, user-friendly specimens unique habitat area like the Kennebunk to the renting agency, and I was flying which I could hand-pick from the vege­ Plains is a pleasure, especially when one back to London the following morning. tation and inspect with an Agf a loupe. is used to Maine's red maple swamps, Shall I ever see the pyramids again? Magnification (BX) of the thoracic sur­ and mixed hardwood/softwood second­ Unfortunately, we were not able to face showed intricate sculpturing and growth forests. I was impressed by the meet Giles Roche, who has actively col­ textures -- a tough challenge to any il­ sharing, cooperative nature of all the lected around Cairo in the past eight lustrator looking for a great black-and­ participants, their enthusiasm and sense years, discovering excellent new collect­ white study subject! of humor, and was grateful to Don for ing sites (such as Karanis or Wadi Ha­ Sandy roads twine across the plains, the invitation to attend such a wonder­ gul). He had just left Egypt by the time so we caravanned from one site to an­ ful field trip! we were there, but his experience was other, getting out to scout along the dry not lost: he had shared his knowledge dusty lanes. I had the fortune to be Literature Cited with Sandro in previous years, and San­ standing puzzled by a group of small dro passed it on to me. holes at the edge of the road, when a Dearborn, Bradbury & Russell, 1983. As a whole, the trip was quite a suc­ hefty great golden digger wasp ( Forest Insect Survey of Maine: Order cess in spite of the initial disappointment ichneumoneus) flew up, and I netted Hymenoptera. Augusta. near Cairo. Studies on the Egyptian her. These diggers are recorded (see Sphecidae started more than a century reference) from three other sites in ago (Spinola, 1839), and yet species pre­ Maine, and also at the Maine Audubon Back to the Virgin Islands viously unknown from the country are sanctuary, but nevertheless it's a real by constantly being added. This trip brought treat to observe one of these colorful, Roy Snelllng several such additions. I was able to industrious wasps. Dept of Entomology, Natural History solve some taxonomic problems in About thirty feet farther down the road, Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Tachysphex, although new ones came another digger was struggling on a bush Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007 to light. The most interesting discovery and then glided down to a hole right in was an unusual prey of a Gastrosericus, the center of the road. She'd had some I have, of course, been back to the about which I will give details in my trouble flying because she was bringing British Virgin Islands. Twice. Mid-April monograph of the genus to be pub- in a katydid about as long as her own to mid-May, then mid-June to mid-July. body. She left the katydid carcass at The earlier trip began at the end of the lished soon.~ the entrance, and immediately crawled dry season and it was dry, indeed. Also down the hole. By this time everyone damned little in the way of flying Hyme­ had gathered around to watch her ef- noptera; the creepies (ants) were there December93 13 as usual. Between the two trips I man­ back to verify, I happened to pick up a WHEN WIU SOMEBODY WORK ON aged to collect a few more specimens specimen of the opposite sex from the CARIBBEAN SPHECIDS AND CLEAR of the new species of ; I've one I'd first examined. Male and female UP SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS? decided to describe the thing myself and Myzinum have very different venation. Got a whole bunch of Bethylidae down I have an illustrator doing a color rendi­ Weird. I knew there was a good reason there on Guana on these last two trips, tion of the female, a truly gorgeous thing. I didn't trust tiphiids. mostly from flight traps. A quick glance Also picked up more specimens of the Also to add to the wasp fauna of Gua­ through this material suggests a mini­ little Pseudomethoca (Mutillidae), includ­ na Island: sp. (). mum of 17 species; my list of Guana ing a female. I'm now pretty sure that Cute, but I don't know what species. And aculeates in Sphecos 24 included 8 spe­ this is undescribed, but mutillids are I got a single male of a Priochi/us (Pom­ cies. I will report further on these cute someone else's worry, at least those of pilidae). There is a species of Priochi/us little kids in a later issue, after I've had the Caribbean. Mike Ivie sent me some known from Jamaica, but apparently a chance to look at them in some de­ really nifty ones from Hispaniola, most none known from the Puerto Rico Bank. tail. of which seem to be undescribed spe­ stratus (Fabricius) I have made some progress on a puz­ cies. Oddly, there seem to be no records (Vespidae) was accidentally left off my zling little wasp that superficially looked from Puerto Rico. That is surely an arti­ list (Sphecos 24:18); it is common there like a bethylid, but wasn't. It turned out fact of collecting and I'm willing to bet and was recorded from Guana and var­ to be a species belonging to the sub­ they're there; somebody needs to look ious other islands in the area in Menke's family Amiseginae of the Chrysididae, a in the dry forest areas around Guanica. paper (1986, Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 88: group that I've never collected before. Females of the Guana Island species 650-665). So, one more aculeate for Guana Is­ are hard to spot. They run about in the Staying on the subject of Guana (and land: Adelphe sp. -1- female specimen leaf litter and at the slightest hint of dan­ the V. I. generally), some addenda et from a Malaise trap in open forest. This ger duck into the leaves, never to be corrigenda to my list re the Sphecidae. may be the first record for the family seen again. I managed to collect only The wasps that I recorded as Sphex Chrysididae in this area; I have not yet one; so far, none have turned up in pit­ ichneumoneus should have been S. seen a copy of Kimsey and Bohart falls. dorsa/is (Fabricius). I goofed. (1990. The chrysidid wasps of the world. Incidentally, I must thank Francois tricinctus (Fabricius). A fe­ Oxford Univ. Press. 652 p.). One spe­ Schwartz of Paris. He wrote to advise male collected by Mike Ivie on Saba I. cies of Adelphs has been reported from me that I erred in stating in an earlier (nr. St. Thomas) was determined by Dick Cuba. These curious little wasps are Sphecos [24:17] that no mutillids had Bohart as T. distinctus; looks to be the parasites of phasmatids. I'll know more been previously recorded from the Vir­ same as my species and I don't know about this one after I send it to Bohart. gin Islands. There are two, both in how they differ or if they do. Fabricius' Pseudomethoca: P. olgae Schuster (St. species was described from the West Croix; 9 only); P. unicincta Ashmead Indies; T. distinctus is a mainland form. The Csllfornla Deserts (St. Vincent; both sexes, but the associ­ Hop/isoides ater (Gmelin). Bohart de­ by ation may or may not be correct - why termined a specimen from St. Thomas Roy Snelllng else would there be an Ashmead Club?). as H. tricinctus (Fabricius); I think that Schuster (1945, Bull. Brook. Ent. Soc. its the same as my Guana Island spe­ Spring in the California deserts was 40:7-8) gives a key to the few then­ cies, probably the correct name, too. mostly disappointing. Because of the known •west Indian• (actually Greater 8icyrtes spinosa (Fabricius). Bohart heavy rains last winter, everybody as­ Antillean) species. identified species from St. Thomas for sumed that there would be a great dis­ To the wasp fauna of Guana Island Mike Ivie as 8. discisa (Taschenberg). play of flowers and a great collecting we can now add T,phia sp. Since the J.B. Parker (1929, A generic revision of season. Well, the great display of flow­ Greater Antillean species of this genus the fossorial wasps of the tribes Stizini ers generally didn't happen (except in are yet to be worked out, there is little and Bembicini with notes and descrip­ the usual places like Anza-Borrego and that can be done with it at this time. It tions of new species; Proc. USNM 75: Joshua Tree), and the collecting was doesn't seem to match up with any of 1-203) notes that male discisa have fla­ definitely hard work. My son Gordon and the Cuban or Hispaniolan T,phia record­ gellar segment 5 enlarged and metaso­ I went out a few times on day-trips; got ed by Allen & Krombein (1961, Trans. mal sternum 2 with a distinct process. some pretty good stuff, but had to work Amer. Ent. Soc. 87:57-66). Only one fe­ My stuff from Guana and the St. Thom­ hard for all of it. Our best collecting male. as wasps agree with spinosa rather than turned out to be on a species of pros­ That reminds me. Here's a PUZZLE­ with discisa trate euphorb ( Chamaesyce, species still MENTIA for all you brainy types out 8smbix americana (Fabricius). A fe­ undetermined): we'd sit down on the there. A •how come•. How come male male from Anegada I. was identified ~ ground and aspirate critters coming to and female tiphiids of the same species Bohart as 8. multipicta F. Smith; it is the these tiny blossoms. An amazing array often have very different wing venation? same as my specimens from Guana. of species! Karl Krombein (1961, Ent. Since I've never been much of a tiphiid Both sexes of the Guana population will News 72:80-83) wrote a •quickie• on fan, I never really looked at wing vena­ go straight to 8. americana in the key by the results of his casual collecting on tion in the group until I had to make up Evans & Matthews (1968, North Ameri­ C. a/bomarqinata near the Southwest­ a key to the families of aculeates found can 8embix, a revised key and suggest­ ern Research Station, Portal, Arizona; on Mona Island. I made note of a cer­ ed grouping, Annals ESA 61 :1284-1299). he recorded 31 species of aculeates, tain venational feature, then when I went mostly Sphecidae. Gordon and I have 14 SPHECOS26 collected about half a dozen times at duced feral cats, goats, pigs, mice and the bowl, for I would have wakened one spot, near Adelanto In San Bernar­ rats. Since Roy described our live rat en­ everyone at Playa Sardinera if that rat dino County, dates ranging from 22 May counter in some detail (and which makes had made a move! to 14 August. We have a minimum of 75 me sound like a wimp), I thought it ap­ After I calmed down, I returned to the species. I have only begun to sort the propriate to include: mess hall to find my colleagues enjoy­ stuff, so cannot now provide anything ing a nice breakfast. I was rather upset looking like a list, but can state that the •And Now for the Rest of the Tale ••. that, as a third party to the crime, I had diversity of sphecids is pretty impres­ El Grande Rata de Isla Monli' to •deal with• the rat. Their rationale -- I sive. Most of these species are in the (The Big Rat of Mona Island) had left a package of Gatorade8, which small to tiny range in all groups. In May the rat had ravaged and then con­ we picked up many specimens of both I awoke on the fourth morning of our sumed; the rat subsequently had fallen sexes of a very small Pseudomethoca. colleding trip to find Juan shaving in the into the toilet trying to quench its pow­ The females were very timid and tend­ bathroom of the casita that he, Roy, and erful thirst. Now, I'm a reasonable per­ ed to hide under the euphorb mats when I shared. There was a full day of col­ son, but this hypothesis requires a con­ disturbed. The species appears to be leding ahead, so I decided to make a siderable stretch of one's imagination. undescribed. One female of yet another brief excursion to the mess hall to start Juan later sent a letter outlining another species was collected at a different site. my coffee before cleaning up. Had I insightful hypothesis, again based on the I exped that Gordon and I will continue drank a cup or two of my delicious Loui­ Gatorade41'. He figures that since the rat to work this resource, probably picking siana coffee, my suspicions immediately lived on Mona Island, it couldn't read several sites in both the Mojave and Col­ would have been alerted as I reentered English and had interpreted the word­ orado deserts here in California and see our casita, since Roy and Juan hastily ing as •Gato• (cat, in Spanish). Hence, what we can come up with. Hey, Was­ exited without our usual prolonged con­ the vicious attack on the package. bauer: got some neat little pepsines, too. versation. The rest of the tale ... Feral rats and So much for 1993. A very interesting Imagine my horror when I walked into pigs have previously been reported on year! I can hardly wait for what 1994 will the just vacated bathroom and immedi­ Mona Island, but rve discovered that this bring. Stay tuned. ately discovered a •dead• rat (at least 8 island paradise is frequented by more inches long, excluding the tail) floating than one of either species. The reader in the toilet bowl. I ran outside and called will have to decide if the title of my sto­ Mona Island, Puerto Rico - 1992 to Roy and Juan that ■THERE'S A RAT ry pertains to a 2-legged or 4-legged by IN THE TOILET!• Please note that I had mammal! Susan C. Jones yet to be informed of the Gatorade8 hy­ Yes, Roy, I did see some humor in the USDA Forest Service, Carl Hayden Bee pothesis that was formulated (concod­ situation. For Christmas, Roy and Juan Laboratory, 2000 E. Allen Road, Tucson, AZ. ed) by my distinguished colleagues. With each received a plastic rat in the mail. 85719 his usual dry sense of humor, Roy in­ formed me that I was a biologist and My friend and colleague, Juan A. should •Deal with itl• Well, I needed to More About Biological Control Torres, just sent me a copy of Roy Snell­ use the bathroom, so I saw little use in of Rats ing's article in the February 1993 Sphe­ a prolonged argument with Roy. I had by cos 24:17-19, which describes several been taught that the first person to en­ Justin Schmidt of Roy's colleding trips to the Caribbean. counter a problem should try to deal with Southwestern Biological Institute, 1961 W. I appreciate the effort that Juan made it, rather than leaving it for someone Brichta, Tucson, AZ. 85745 to arrange an excellent colleding trip to else. Unfortunately for me, some peo­ Mona Island and I thank him for inviting ple apparently disagree with this philos­ We aculeatists who fancy wasps me to join his and Roy's expedition dur­ ophy. should broaden our interests and occa­ ing November 1992. I didn't understand I returned to the bathroom and pon­ sionally come to the aid of humanity as the extensive background preparations dered my dilemma Should I remove the a whole. After all, we owe society a debt that Juan had endured, until I tried to rat and place it in either Juan's bed or for allowing us to indulge in the wonder­ arrange another colleding trip to Mona Roy's bed? No. As a biologist, I rea­ ful adivity of studying the most interest­ Island in March 1993 (eventually very soned that a water burial of Roy's cou­ ing inseds on earth (we could be stud­ sucx:essful). But that's a story for the In­ sin would be the most expedient ... so I ying whiteflies). ternational lsoptera Society newsletter. flushed ... and the large ■dead• rat be­ This brings me to the subjed of bio­ I must agree with Roy that Mona Is· gan scrambling up the sides of the toi­ logical control of rats as described by land is a wonderful site, both for collect­ let bowllllll I rushed into the outer room Roy Snelling in Sphecos 24:18. He re­ ing Hymenoptera, as well as lsoptera, and grabbed Roy's walking stick to prod lates the story on Mona Island of shar­ although I find the latter much more in­ the rat, which eventually disappeared ing a cabana with Susan Jones (a ter­ teresting. Located 74 km off the west out of sight. I had to repeatedly flush mitologist), who fed a fine rat specimen coast of Puerto Rico, Mona Island is a the toilet in order to unplug the pipe. I her dried Gatorade41' (for those not fa­ 55 km2 limestone plateau whose vege­ then thought back to a few hours earli­ miliar with Gatorade41', it is a mixture of tation is categorized within the subtropi­ er, when I had trekked to the bathroom salts and glucose designed to provide cal dry forest life zone. Its occupants in­ in the dark while the generator for elec­ energy and replace the salts lost by clude the giant Mona rock iguana, the tricity was turned off. I'm thankful that sweating athletes). Gatorade8 is gener­ Mona boa, four bat species, and intro- the rat hadn't yet taken the plunge into ally consumed with copious quantities December93 15 of water, but in this case, Susan ne­ Susan's telling does twist the tale/ MUSEUM/COLLECTION glected to inform the rat of that. Thus, tail. lroprjmjs: When Susan prepared to NEWS after consuming most of the packet of enter the Place of the Rat, Juan and I Gatorade® the poor rat probably devel­ did not immediately exit the ~ (•- Types In the Manfredo Fritz oped a nasty tummy ache (as the Gato­ "casita• of her version), inasmuch as I Collectlon rade acted like a sponge in its stom­ was already without and Juan, in fact, by ach), and discovered that Susan had had earlier repaired to the ~ for a Manfredo Fritz also neglected to provide a water dish. first cup of coffee. I was on my way there Casilla Correo 539 So the poor animal sought the only wa­ when she yelled at me to come and get 4400 Salta, Argentina ter available --that in the privy. Unfortu­ rid of that "big rat in the toilet.• ~ nately, the toilet bowl was not shaped g: I certainly did not imply that she was The following is a list of the types in with rats in mind, so it had to jump (fall?) a "wimp•. Indeed, quite the opposite: I my collection, comprising 137 Holotypes in to get a drink. This was its fatal un­ informed her that as a biologist she and 30 Allotypes. I intend to donate all doing, as it now could not get out. After should be able to take care of the prob­ these types to the Museo Argentino de some fanfare which I will not repeat here, lem, thus making clear my full faith in Ciencias Naturales in Buenos Aires in Susan unceremoniously dispatched the her machjsma. As for the rat bii1m a the near future. As you know, two young, rat. problem: I encountered no difficulty what­ enthusiastic hymenopterists [Genise and I relate this story because I believe soever with respect to the small mam­ Roig] are working intensively in that in­ Roy was entirely out of order in picking mal (and it truly was not a very large stitution with wasps and bees, and I on poor Susan. Did he not realize the rat), nor did Juan (and she failed to com­ think this is the best heritage that I can brilliant discovery Susan had made? ment to the fact that it was Juan who leave for them. Did he not realize that she possibly had saw it first, not I). She is the one who just made one of the most monumen­ for some reason I comprehend found it tous leaps forward in our ongoing battle to be problematic. ~: what •walk• against rats? Rather than making life ing stick•? Neither Juan nor I (both old­ Lagideus ucratus D.R. Smith --Holotipo difficult for her, he should have praised er than she) uses a "walking stick•. What 1990. Revta bras. Ent. 34:123. her and proclaimed what a wonderful rotl Susan may think she's a reason­ discovery she had made - a nontoxic able person -- maybe she is. However, and effective means of biological con­ before casting unfounded and unsup­ - Holotipo trol of ratsl Just think what a service ported aspersions on the Gatorade9 hy­ Leucospis /eptomera Boucek - Susan has done for humanity to discov­ pothesis, I suggest she consume an 1976. Studia Ent. 17:430. er this biological control method and ounce or two, sans H20; she might well possible rid us of rats. Roy, shame on then be inclined to ingest a drop or two you. of that sublime liquid that led to the

downfall of our not-much-lamented cous­ Stephanus alvarengai Orfila -- Holotipo in. On the other hand, that was a dark­ 1960. Actas ler. Congr. Sudam. Zool. "The Gatorade• Rat" some and cruel deed she did; the poor 3:125. Orfila - Holotipo -a- Response water-soaked rodent did her no harm, Stephanus brasiliensis - by yet she pitilessly put it to death by drown­ 1960. Actas ler. Congr. Sudam. Zool. Roy Snelllng ing, rather than solicitously lifting it from 3:132. Dept of Entomology, Natural History its dire peril by means of that handy •- orfilai nom.n. De Santis, 1980. Cat. Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 handle, the tail. This heartless person Hym. Bras. Parasitics p. 8 (1982) EXl)OSition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007 even took the trouble to determine that Stephanus camposseabrai Orfila

the inoffensive animal was female (rata); -- Holotipo Here's a comment on the tale of the probably she orphaned a whole litter of 1959. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 21 :39. "Gatorade® Rat• (not related to the Stain­ dependant youngsters, tool Other, rath­ Stephanus carioca Orfila - Holotipo less Steel Rat). Susan Jones clearly er minor, imperfections in her account 1960. Actas ler. Congr. Sudam. Zool. did not like my account of the incident of •Ef Grande Rata de Isla Monti' (Juan, 3:129. and put forth her own version. Sheer I'll bet you didn't believe that she knew Stephanus sanmartinianus Orfila calumny (how I've awaited an opportu­ -Holotipo Spanish) I shall let pass. But, what can - nity to use that wonderful word; nobody you expect from someone who thinks 1949. Acta Zool. Lilloana 7:350 ever gave me a chance before, inas­ Stephanus willineri Orfila - Holotipo that those pale, squishy are - much as everything people have said more interesting than ants and other 1949. Acta Zool. Lilloana 7:345 about me in the past has .ifwm been Neostephanus fritzi Orfila - Holotipo Hymenoptera? - plain, unvarnished truth [and if you be­ 1956. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 19:6. lieve 1bm maybe we could get together and talk about some real estate deals I CHRYSIDIDAE have in mind]). Arnold very kindly sent me an advance copy, thereby permit­ Cleptes (Neocleptes) fritzi Kimsey ting me to respond to this dastardly and - Holotipo - unwarrented attack upon both my char­ 1981. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 94:816. acter and veracity. lpsiura fritzi Bohart - Holotipo - 1985. J. Kansas Ent. Soc. 58:715. 16 SPHECOS26

TIPHIIDAE EUMENIDAE Losada penai Fritz --Holotipo 1974. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso Anthosila argentina Genise - Holotipo schajovskoyi Willink -- Alotipo 6:200.

1984. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 43:216. 1956. Neotr6pica 2:55. Metanysson carr:aval/oi Fritz -- Holotipo Tiphiodes chaco Genise - Holotipo fritzi Willink 1959. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 21 :134.

1984. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 43:209. -- Holotipo, Alotipo Metanysson cicheroi Fritz --Holotipo T,phiodes toba Genise - Holotipo 1982. Bol. Ac. Nae. Cienc. C6rdoba 1974. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso 1984. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 43:216. 55:164. 6:194.

Metanysson diezguitas Fritz --Holotipo

ORUSSIDAE SPHECOIDEA-- LARRINAE 1956. Neotr6pica 2:94.

Metanysson foersteri Fritz -- Holotipo

Guig/ia chilensis Benson - Alotipo Pisonopsis australis Fritz 1956. Neotr6pica 2:92.

1955. Proc. r. ent. Soc. Lond. B -- Holotipo, Alotipo Metanysson fratemus Fritz --Holotipo 24:112. 1968. Neotr6pica 11 :53. 1970. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso

Tachytes fritzi Bohart -- Holotipo 1:144.

BRADYNOBAENIDAE 1979. Tr.Am.Ent.Soc. 104:464. Mstanysson horacioi Fritz --Holotipo

Tachytes rufalaris Bohart -- Holotipo 1974. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso Bradynobaenus bidentatus Genise 1979. Tr. Am. Ent. Soc. 104:484. 6:191.

1986. Physis 44(C):50. - Holotipo Tachytes willinki Bohart -- Holotipo Mstanysson toba Fritz --Holotipo Bradynobaenus cordobsnsis Genise 1979. Tr. Am. Ent. Soc. 104:500. 1974. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso

1986. Physis 44(C):52. - Holotipo 6:195.

SPHECOIDEA-- PEMPHREDONIDAE Mstanysson tropics/is Fritz --Holotipo MUTILLIDAE 1970. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso

Pluto colonensis van Uth -- Holotipo 1:146. Eotilla typhoctoides Martinez & Fritz 1979. Tijd. Ent. 122:198. Nysson(Epinysson)casallFritz

1975. Rev. Chil. Ent. 8:23. - Holotipo fritzi Van Lith -- Holotipo -- Holotipo, Alotipo Euspinolia casali Martinez & Fritz 1979. Tijd. Ent. 122:199. 1970. An. Mus. Hist. Nat •Valparaiso

1976. Neotr6pica 19:113. - Holotipo Pluto obscurus Van Lith -- Holotipo 1:148.

Lophomutilla ca/va Fritz - Holotipo 1979. Tijd. Ent. 122:214. Hsliocausus /atitarsus Fritz & Toro

1990. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 48:130. (Pseneo) nigripes van Lith -- Holotipo, Alotipo

Lophomutilla ophomuti Fritz - Holotipo 1975. Ent. Ber. 35:171. -- Holotipo 19n. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 35:26.

1990. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 48:132. Psen (Pseneo) aurigerVan Lith Gorytss bruchi Schrottky --Holotipo

Lophomutilla suarezi Fritz & Pagliano -- Holotipo, Alotipo Fritz. 1964. Neotr6pica 10(33):108.

- Holotipo 1975. Tijd. Ent. 118:25. Gorytss cordobsnsis Fritz

1993. Boll. Soc. ent. ital. 124:214. -- Holotipo, Alotipo

Lophomutilla brau/ioi Fritz & Pagliano SPHECOIDEA-- SPHECINAE 1964. Neotr6pica 10:110.

- Holotipo Gorytss sch,ottkyiFritz -- Holotipo, Alotipo

1993. Boll. Soc. ent. ital. 124:213. /sodontia alvarengai Fritz -- Holotipo 1964. Neotr6pica 10:109. Lophomutilla inca Fritz & Pagliano 1983. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 42:28. Harpactostigma /lanoi Fritz

- Holotipo /sodontia guaranitica Willink -- Holotipo -- Holotipo, Alotipo 1993. Boll. Soc. ent. ital. 124:215. 1951. Acta zool. lilloana 11 :92. 1964. Neotr6pica 10:54.

Lophomutil/a vina Fritz & Pagliano /sodontia paranensis Berland -- Alotipo Harpactostigma patagonica Fritz

- Holotipo 1951. Willink. kt.azool Lilloana 11:85. -- Holotipo, Alotipo

1993. Boll. Soc. ent. ital. 124:213. [this is not a true allotype -- editor] 1959. Rev.Soc.Ent.Arg. 21 :135. Lophomutilla con'Bntina Fritz & Pagliano Bsmbscinus comschingon Willink

- Holotipo SPHECOIDEA-- NYSSONINAE -Holotipo- 1993. Boll. Soc. ent. ital. 124:212. 1949. Acta zool.lilloana 7:108.

Lophomutilla oscura Fritz & Pagliano Antomartinezius boharti Fritz -- Holotipo Bsmbecinus bridarollii Willink --Holotipo

- Holotipo 1974. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso 1949. Acta zool. lilloana 7:106.

1993. Boll. Soc. ent. ital. 124:213. 6:198. Bsmbix /atigsnata Willink --Holotipo

Pertyella aguaz Fritz - Holotipo Foxia deserticola Fritz -- Holotipo 1976. Acta zool. lilloana 4:590. 1990. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 48:134. 1959. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 21:133.

Pertyella cordoi Fritz - Holotipo Foxia garr:iai Fritz -- Holotipo SPHECOIDEA--CRABRONINAE 1990. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 48:135. 1972. Acta Scient. (Ent.) 6:9.

Pertyel/a diasi Fritz - Holotipo Foxia martinezi Fritz -- Holotipo Anacrabro fritzi Leclercq --Holotipo 1990. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 48:137. 1972. Acta Scient. (Ent.) 6:7. 1973. Acta zool. lilloana 30:46.

Pertyella uzai Fritz - Holotipo Foxia pirita Fritz -- Holotipo Ectsmnius ssrvitorius Leclercq --Holotipo 1990. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 48:137. 1972. Acta Scient.(Ent.) 6:6. 1972. Bull. Soc. R. Sc. Liege 41:

Pertyel/a guarani Fritz & Pagliano Foxia terr:era Fritz -- Holotipo 203-218.

- Holotipo 1972. Acta Scient.(Ent.) 6:4. Lscrsnisrus piraponensis Leclercq

1993. Boll. Soc. ent. ital. 124:218. ldionysson cordialis Fritz -- Holotipo -Holotipo-

Lynchiatilla tacana Casal - Alotipo 1970. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso 1979. Bull. Rech. Agron. Gembloux 1963. Acta Zool. Lilloana 19:365. 1:150. 9:67. December93 17

Ent. Arg. 13:234. Podagritus bordaiFritz--Holotipo, Alotipo 19n. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 35:99. 1947. Rev. Soc. Moure 1971. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 33:112. Csrceris mariusi Fritz --Holotipo Dichanthidium exile - Holotipo, Alotipo Podagritus carrascoi Fritz 1989. lnsecta Mundi 3(4):262. - 13:237. --Holotipo, Alotipo Csrceris menkei Fritz & Toro --Holotipo 1947. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 1971. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 33:110. 1969. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso Leptometria willinsri Moure Alotipo Podagritus va/9nciai Fritz 2:151. --Holotipo, --Holotipo, Alotipo Csrceris narcisoi Fritz --Holotipo 1947. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 13:239. 1971.Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 33:113. 1983. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 42:164. Podagritus ( Chilichuca) brisni Lectercq Cerceris nigrosa Fritz --Holotipo SPECIES IN PRESS OR WITHOUT -- Holotipo 1989. lnsecta Mundi 3(4):263. DATE OF PUBLICATION 1981. Ann. Soc. r. Zool. Belg. 111 :76. Csrceris paulista Fritz --Holotipo Podagritus (Parschuca) quiacas 1983. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 42:168. Apterodryinus fritzi Olmi --Holotipo Leclercq --Holotipo Cerceris penai Fritz & Toro --Holotipo 1982. Ann. Soc. r. Zool. Belg. 112:274. 1969. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso Lynchiatil/a tuzai Fritz --Holotipo 2:143. SPHECOIDEA-- Cerceris san/uis Fritz & Toro --Holotipo Horcomuti//a ypans Fritz --Holotipo 1969. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso - Holotipo Odontosphsx fritzi Menke -- Holotipo 2:147. Horcomutil/a wil/insri Fritz - 1967. Pan-Pac. Entom. 43:145. Csrceris serrana Fritz --Holotipo - Holotipo Csrcsris abac Fritz & Mariluis -- Holotipo 1989. lnsecta Mundi 3(4):265. Xystromutil/a tingoensis Fritz - 19n. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 35:100. Cerceris tingi Fritz & Marilu is -Holotipo Csrceris anda/ga/snsis Fritz & Toro 19n. Rev. Soc. Ent Arg. 35:104. Msgischus townssi Fritz & Scaramozzino -- Holotipo Cerceris vianai Fritz & Toro --Holotipo -Holotipo- 1969. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso 1969. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso Hsmistsphanus amazonicus Fritz &

2:153. . 2:153. Scaramozzino --Holotipo

Csrceris apix Fritz & Mariluis -Holotipo Csrcsris willineri Fritz -- Holotipo Hsmistephanus bolivianus Fritz &

1979. Acta Scient. (Ent.) 12:34. 1961. Act. Trab. ler. Congr. Sudam. Scaramozzino --Holotipo Csrcsris brsthssi Fritz & Marilu is Zool. 3:70. Hsmistsphanus ca.riocanus Fritz &

- Holotipo Csrceris wil/inki Fritz -- Holotipo Scaramozzino --Holotipo 1979. Acta Scient. (Ent.) 12:34. 1983. Rev. Soc. Ent Arg. 42:164. Hsmistephanus orfi/anus Fritz &

Csrceris caiman Fritz & Mariluis Csrceris zain Fritz -- Holotipo Scaramozzino --Holotipo

- Holotipo 1990. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 48:156. Coslioxys quschua Toro & Fritz

19n. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 35:100. Csrceris zslichiFritz & Mariluis -Holotipo-

Csrcsris carrascoiFritz & Toro - Holotipo, Alotipo Coslioxys balastos Toro & Fritz

- Holotipo, Alotipo 19n. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 35:106. -Holotipo- 1974. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso Coslioxys trancasToro & Fritz

6:182. - Holotipo, Alotipo

Csrcsris caura Fritz & Mariluis - Holotipo Coslioxys noa Toro & Fritz Alotipo 19n. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 35:111. Coslioxys gsniseiToro & Fritz -- Holotipo, Holotipo Cercsris cuica Fritz & Mariluis - Holotipo, Alotipo Coslioxys a/isa/Toro & Fritz --

- Holotipo, Alotipo 1991. Acta Ent. Chil. 16:74.

19n. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 35:109 Coslioxys ljuba Toro & Fritz - Holotipo Cos/ioxys saltsnsis Toro & Fritz -- Holotipo Csrceris curita Fritz & Mariluis 1991. Acta Ent Chil. 16:75. & Fritz - Holotipo - Holotipo, Alotipo Coslioxys pa/marls Fritz & Toro - Holotipo Coslioxys tasti/Toro - 1979. Acta Scient. (Ent.) 12:30. 1990. Gayana 54(1-2):18. Holotipo Csrceris dions Fritz - Holotipo Cos/ioxys pomona Toro & Fritz - Holotipo Trimsria bequaertiWillink - 1961. Actas Trab. ler. Congr. Sudam. 1991. Acta Ent. Chil. 16:78.

Zool. 3:67. Coslioxys roigi Fritz & Toro - Holotipo Paragapostsmon implsxus Moure -Holotipo Cercsris lamarquensis Fritz & Toro 1990. Gayana 54(1-2):16. -

- Holotipo Coslioxys ruziToro & Fritz Psasnythia capnistoptsra Moure -Holotipo 1969. An. Mus. Hist. Nat. Valparaiso - Holotipo, Alotipo - 2:142. 1991. Acta Ent. Chil. 16:78

Csrceris manca manca Fritz & Mariluis Dia/ictus flavipss Moure - Holotipo

- Holotipo 1950. Dusenia 1 :307. 1979. Acta Scient. (Ent.) 12:33. Csrata/ictus al/ostictus Moure

Cerceris manca cordil Fritz & Marilu is - Holotipo, Alotipo

-- Holotipo 1950. Dusenia 1:318. 1979. Acta Scient. (Ent.) 12:33. Oxasa stsnocoryphs Moure

Cerceris ljubae Fritz -- Holotipo - Holotipo, Alotipo 1990. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 48:154. 1947. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. 13:223. Cerceris manjoni Fritz & Mariluis Lsptometria ( Leptorachis) bridarollii

-- Holotipo, Alotipo Moure - Holotipo - Crossocerus annulipes (Lepelelier & Brull6), female (Sphecidae), Nor1h America 18 SPHECOS26

NEW BOOKS World, does not adhere strictly to this the various family treatments include pa­ goal. For example, the system for nam­ pers published as recently as 1993, but Hymenoptera of the World. An Iden­ ing wing cells in aculeates does not fol• we noted significant omissions. Missing tification guide to famllles. Edited by low the Comstock/Needham system em­ from the tiphiid references was the 1992 Henry Goulet and John T. Huber. Agri­ ployed in the Glossary. Instead cell R9Classif,cation of T,phiidae with descrip­ culture Canada Publication 1894/E. Ot­ names follow those in The Hymenopte­ tion of a new subfamily from Turkey by tawa, Canada, 1993. 668 pages, many ra by Gauld and Bolton, 1988 (which is Argaman and Ozbek, and Genise's 1992 illustrations. $63.35 in US dollars (for similar to the names used in Sphecid Las espscies conocidas de de orders outside of Canada), or $48. 75 in Wasps of the World by Bohart and la Argentina y paises vecinos. Under Canadian dollars (for Canadian orders) Menke, 1976, and other aculeate litera­ no mention is made (see Sphecos 25:22 for ordering infor­ ture). As usual, aculeate workers lead of Argaman's 1991 paper Generic syn­ mation). the way. We were glad to see that stan­ opsis of Sisro/omorphidae in which he dardization resulted in universal usage recognized two genera. California spi­ This impressive tome with its impres• of pedicel, scape and flagellomeres in der wasps of the subfamily , sive title has finally appeared. Hymenop­ this book. No more anelli, ring segments, 1985, by Wasbauer and Kimsey was not tera of the World is printed in large for­ and so on in Chalcidoidea. Neverthe­ cited under Pompilidae, nor were any mat, 8 1/2 by 11 inches. 99 families of less the Glossary contains two different of Heinrich Wolf's significant papers on Hymenoptera are recognized by the 11 terms for one mesopleural area: prepec­ this family. authors, not all of whom are Canadian, tus and epicnemium. The epicnemial ca­ Recognition of one superfamily, Apoid­ but all of whom are experts in their re• rina of the mesopleuron was called the ea, for sphecid wasps and bees follows spective sections. The book is aimed at omaulus in Sphecid Wasps of the World. contemporary thinking and is nice to the novice user (non-taxonomists and We wonder why omaulus was not used see here. Following the lead of Broth­ students), and therefore, the identifica­ in the Glossary when sternaulus was ac­ ers' now classic 1975 aculeate phylog­ tion keys are illustrated lavishly with fig­ cepted there (probably because it is also eny paper, the Apoidea is divided into ures. The keys go to the level of sub­ used in some lchneumonoidea). Use of two informal groups, Spheciformes for family for aculeates and ichneumonoids. the word torulus for the antenna! socket sphecid wasps, and Apiformes for bees. Family by family treatments follow the seems unnecessary and less descriptive But if only two families are recognized, keys and these include habitus figures, to us, and in fact the authors them­ Sphecidae and , these suprafa­ diagnoses, statistics on included taxa, selves use socket instead of torulus in milial names would be unnecessary. Al­ distribution, biological notes and imper• explaining the term radicle. Not surpris­ bert Finnamore, author of the Spheci­ tant references (mostly taxonomic). The ingly the Glossary espouses mesosoma formes section, elevates the subfamilies numerous habitus figures are printed and metasoma instead of thorax and ab­ recognized in Sphecid Wasps of the one per page resulting in a lot of wast­ domen. The more descriptive term plan­ World to family (with minor exceptions), ed page space; the figures are so large tar lobe is used in place of plantula Fol­ stating that the rationale for doing so is that Hymsnoptera of the World is already lowing the fairly recent work of Wootton to •make the classification comparable being referred to by some hymenopter­ (1978) on wings, the anal lobe of the to that widely accepted in the Api­ ists as the •coloring book•. These draw­ hindwing is called the claval lobe in the formes•. We wonder why this argument ings could have been reduced in size Glossary. This reflects the fact that, in is never reversed: why not make bees and grouped several to a page without general, the morphology section is quite comparable to sphecids and recognize loss of clarity. This would have reduced up-to-date. only Apidae (as is done by Gauld and the number of pages of the book and The keys are certainly user-friendly. Bolton in The Hymenoptera, and by oth­ reduced production costs. Couplet characters are listed line by line, er European workers). Finnamore says Introductory chapters present a good each preceded by a letter. Figures illus­ that none of the current higher category overview of the order Hymenoptera trating these characters and indexed by systems for Sphecidae s.l. are likely to (which includes a list of newsletters and the couplet number and character let­ be correct; thus his elevation of sphec­ their editors, etc., a nice touch), and a ter, are inserted above their respective id subfamilies to families seems prema­ survey of morphology. The latter is very couplet. Thus the user can quickly and ture and particularly inappropriate in an well illustrated so that anyone should be easily see a particular character. This identification manual. able to grasp terminology. In fact the has resulted in a novel type of key con­ In the sphecid section, the group with chapter ends with a 25 page illustrated struction, and it works very well. The fig­ which we are most familiar, we noted a Glossary in which nearly every term is ures are mislabeled on page 302. The number of shortcomings. The key pre­ defined and shown by an accompany­ scutum should be •b• and •tJb•, and the sented on page 279 that separates ing figure. Excellent! lateral views of the head and thorax Spheciformes from Apiformes uses tra­ In Hymenoptera there are often a should be •c• and •cc•. ditional characters and omits one of the number of different terms for the same The organization of superfamilies de­ best, namely the presence in sphecids structure, as the authors of the morphol­ parts from tradition. The •" groups (and absence in bees) of a cleaning pee­ ogy chapter point out. An attempt has come first, followed by the Aculeata and ten or brush on hindtarsomere I and its been made here to standardize morpho­ then the In the discussion of apposing pectinate tibial spur. Finna­ logical terms using ihe simplest accept­ the monotypic living fossil more has made a number of unilateral able terms•, a highly !audible goal. But no mention is made of the other name higher level changes in Spheciformes the aculeate section of the book, a sig­ sometimes improperly used for this fam­ without discussing why. It seems to us nificant hunk of Hymenoptera of the ily, Syntexidae. Literature references in that such changes are inappropriate in December93 19 a book whose main purpose is identifi­ the North American Passaloecus, among Amer. Ent. Soc. 102:229-287. cation rather than phylogeny. The La­ other papers that could be mentioned Bohart, R. M., 1979. Tachytes of South phyragoginae has been included in his for the Pemphredoninae. Matthews' America Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 104: Astatidae, and the Xenosphecinae was (1968, etc.) significant papers on social­ 435-505. put in Mellinidae without explanation. ity of are not cited either. Bohart, R. M., 1984. A revision of the Furthermore, there is no discussion of Something about the biology of Laphy­ genus Austrogorytes Bohart. Aust. J. recognizing Mellinidae as an entity sep­ ragoginae is known contrary to what is Zool. 32:391-412. arate from Nyssonidae. On the other said on page 296. Kazenas (1985) dis­ Bohart, R. M. and A. S. Menke, 1976. hand, Finnamore places Entomoserici­ covered that one species preyed upon Sphecid wasps of the world, a gener­ nae in Nyssonidae and his rationale for moths of the genus Crambus. The im­ ic revision. Univ. of California Press, doing so is explained. Larrinae and Cra­ proper spelling Trypoxylonini is used on Berkeley. 695 p. broninae were combined as one family, pages 296-297 instead of the correct Brothers, D., 1975. Phylogeny and clas­ , and although unification of Trypoxylini. References for Crabronidae sification of the aculeate Hymenopte­ these two groups has been proposed omits significant revisions and identifica­ ra, with special reference to Mutillidae. by others (Evans, 1964, Lomholdt, 1985 tion keys such as, for example, Bohart Univ. Kansas Sci. Bull. 50:483-648. and Menke, 1988), no mention is made (1976), Crabro, (1979), Tachytes, Co­ Coville, R., 1982. Wasps of the genus of these recent papers. Furthermore, ville (1982), Trypoxy/on, Krombein and Trypoxylon subgenus Trypargi/um in usage of the family group name Crab­ Gingras (1984), Liris, Pulawski (1988), North America. Univ. Calif. Pub. Ent. ronidae for this assemblage, instead of Tachysphex, Menke (1988), Pison, 97:1-147. Larridae, was not explained. As it turns (1992), Laffa, etc., etc. To the referenc­ Dollfuss, H., 1991. Bestimmungs­ out, Crabronidae is the older of the two es for Nyssonidae should be added pa­ schlOssel der Grabwespen Nord- und names. Why was this not discussed? pers by Bohart (1984), Austrogorytes Zentraleuropas (Hymenoptera: Sphe­ Apparently species totals for families and Stubblefield (1984), Stizus. Lastly, cidae ). Stapfia, no. 24,247 p. of Spheciformes were taken from Sphec­ Rubie's (1976) revision of Eighme, L., 1989. Revision of Diodontus id Wasps of the World without adding was omitted from the pertinant litera­ in America north of . Ann. Ent. taxa described since that book was ture for Philanthidae, as were papers Soc. Amer. 82:14-28. published nearly 18 years ago. Thus the on Cerceris by Evans, Fritz, Tsuneki and Evans, Howard E., 1964. The classifi­ totals in most cases are out-of-date. others. Eremiaspheciini was misspelled cation and evolution of digger wasps For example, 195 species are currently in the key and in the sketch. as suggested by larval charaders (Hy­ known in the Ampulicinae, 1435 in the Hymenoptera of the World is a sub­ menoptera: Sphecoidea). Ent. News Crabroninae and 2572 in the Larrinae stantial work, and should be very useful 65:225-237 (rather than 167, 1300 and 2000, re­ to the audience for which it was de­ Finnamore, A. T., 1983. Revision of the spedively.) Pulawski (1978) was the au­ signed. However, it will also be a handy American species of Lyman thor of the European USSR paper cited reference for hymenopterists every­ Ent. Mus. Res. Lab. Mem. 12, 171 p. on page 280, not Tobias. Generally the where. Nowhere else will you find well Gauld, I. and B. Bolton, editors, 1985. literature for Spheciformes is up-to-date illustrated, modern identification keys to The Hymenoptera. Oxford Univ. but the following should have been in­ all of the families of Hymenoptera If Press, Oxford. 332 p. cluded: Oollfuss' 1991 Bestimmungs­ you are a hymenopterist, it should be Genise, J. F., 1992. Las especies co­ sch/usse/ der Grabwespen Nord- un on your bookshelf. nocidas de Tiphiidae de la Argentina Zentraleuropas. Under Heterogynaidae y paises vecinos. Rev. Soc. Ent. Arg. Argaman's 1986 paper of A. S. Menke & W. J. Pulawski 50:2n-329. Heterogynaidae was not cited and it in­ Hensen, R., 1987. Revision of the sub­ cluded one new genus and a key to gen­ Literature cited genus Prosceliphron van der Vecht. era. Also the group is known from Turk­ Tijdschrift v. Ent. 129:217-261. menistan as indicated by Antropov and Antropov, A. V. and V. V. Gorbatovsky, Hensen, R., 1988. Revision of the nom­ Gorbatovsky (1992). Finnamore states 1992. polita sp. n. (Hy­ inate subgenus Cha/ybion Dahlbom. that •no major works have appeared for menoptera, Sphecidae)-- First repre­ Tldschrift v. Ent. 131 :13-64. Sphecidae [i.e., Sphecinae] since Bo­ sentative of the subfamily Heterogy­ Kazenas, V., 1985. The prey of hart and Menke (1976t but this is sim­ nainae in the fauna of the USSR. Laphyragogus turanicus Gussakovs­ ply not true. For example Vardy revised Bull. Moscov. obshch. ispyt. prirody kij. Sphecos 10:17. Trigonopsis in 1978, and Hensen revised Otd. Biol. 97:53-59. Krombein, K. V. and S. Gingras, 1984. the subgenus Proscellphron in 1987, and Argaman, a., 1986. Taxonomy of Het­ Revision of North American Liris the genus Chalyblon in 1988. Literature erogynaidae. Israel J. Ent. 14:7-12. Fabricius. Smithsonian Contrib. Zool. for Pemphredonidae is very incomplete; Argaman, a., 1991. Generic synopsis of 404, 96p. only one paper by Finnamore is cited. Sierolomorphidae. Israel J. Ent. 24: Lomholdt, 0., 1985. A reclassification Menke (1989) established a new subtri­ 29-33. of the larrine tribes with a revision of bal classification for part of the Pem­ Argaman, a. and H. Ozbek, 1992. Re­ the Miscophini of southern Africa and phredoninae, and van Lith (1979) and classification of Tiphiidae with descrip­ Madagascar. Ent. Scand., Suppl. 24, Finnamore (1983) both published keys tion of a new subfamily from Turkey. 183p. to species of some genera of Pseninae. T0rk. Ent. Oerg. 16:3-12. Matthews, R. W., 1968. Nesting biology Eighme (1989) revised the North Amer­ Bohart, R. M., 1976. A review of the of the social wasp Microstigmus ican Diodontus, Vincent (1979) revised nearctic species of Crabro. Trans. comes. Psyche 75:23-45. 20 SPHECOS26

Menke, A. S., 1988. Pison in the New The introductory section includes a The systematics section occupies World: a revison (Hymenoptera: Sphe­ fine presentation on morphology and most of the book, and it begins with a cidae: Trypoxylini). Contrib. Amer. Ent. terms, augmented with illustrations. Ter­ key to the sphecid genera known in Eu­ Inst. 24:1-171. minology follows that of Sphecid Wasps rope. This key is illustated and it looks Menke, A. S., 1989. Arpactophilus re­ of the World with minor exceptions. It is like it should work well. Genera not re­ assessed, with three bizarre new spe­ nice to see such continuity. There are corded from France are surrounded by cies from New Guinea. Invert. Tax­ tables comparing terms used by differ­ brackets. The key is followed by ac­ on. 2:737-747. ent authors for wing and genitalic struc­ counts of the tribes Crabronini and Ox­ Menke, A. S., 1992. Mole cricket hunt­ tures. No mention is made of the chang­ ybelini and their genera and species. ers of the genus Larra in the New es in wing terminology proposed by The genera are treated in alphabetical World. J. Hym. Res. 1 :175-234. Wootton (1978), or the new theory con­ order. For each genus there is a list of Pulawski, W. J., 1988. Revision of North cerning the nature of the propodeal synonyms (if any) and important litera­ American Tachysphex wasps includ­ dorsum (metapostnotum) by Brothers ture. These are followed by a descrip­ ing Central American and Caribbean (1976). The morphology of larvae is de­ tion of morphology, and a summary of Species. Mem. Calif. Acad. Sci. no. scribed and illustrated. known biology with citations of papers. 10,211 p. There is a key to aculeate families The number of species known for Eu­ Rubio, E., 1976. Revisi6n del genero found in Europe, and then a section on rope, France and other areas of the Trachypus Klug. Rev. Fae. Agron. classification of Sphecidae. The last in­ world is given, and taxonomic problems Univ. Zulia. 3(1 ):7-87. cludes a historic overview and a chart are discussed (recognition of subgene­ Stubblefield, J. W., 1984. Genus Stizus showing the subfamilies and tribes rec­ ra, etc.). A key to subgenera is provid­ Latreille in North America. Bull. Mus. ognized by the authors. This follows the ed if they are recognized, and, of course, Comp. Zool. 150:397-428. same arrangement found is Sphecid there is a key to species for each ge­ van Lith, J. P ., 1979. The New World ge­ Wasps of the World except that Dinetini nus. The species keys are well illustrat­ nus Pluto. Tijdschrift v. Ent. 122: 127- is placed under Larrinae. It is not clear ed and they should prove very useful 239. if that was intentional or a copy editor's throughout western Europe, and possi­ Vardy, C., 1978. A revision of the neo­ lapsus. The tribe Mellinini is misspelled bly elsewhere. tropical wasp genus Trigonopsis Perty. "Mellini". No mention is made of the con­ Individual species treatments follow Bull. British Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Ent. Ser. temporary views of Lomholdt (1985) and the same format used for genera. Oc­ 37:117-152. Menke (1988), both of whom espoused casionally subspecies are recognized Vincent, D, 1979. A revision of the ge­ combining Larrinae and Crabroninae as and they are keyed as well. In view of nus Passa/oecus in American north one subfamily, a change that Evans the morphological differences mentioned of Mexico. Wasmann J. Biol. 36:127- (1964) proposed 30 years ago. Evans' for some subspecies, I wonder if they 198. subfamily and tribal arrangement is giv­ aren't really species? Wasbauer, M. and L. Kimsey, 1985. en by Bitsch and Leclercq, but not dis­ After the literature cited section there California spider wasps of the sub­ cussed. Since Crabroninae comprises is a page giving new synonymy pro­ family Pompilinae. Bull. Calif. Insect the entire taxonomic treatment of this posed in this book, as well as a several Surv. 26:1-130. book, it would have been nice to see page floral record list by wasp species. Wootton, R. J., 1978. Function, homol­ some discussion of the merits of com­ In summary, this is a very fine, up-to­ ogy and terminology in insect wings. bining Larrinae and Crabroninae. date treatment of the Crabroninae of Syst. Ent. 4:81-93. A section on phylogeny follows, and Europe, and a nice introduction to the Bitsch and Leclercq have given an up­ Sphecidae. The well illustrated identifi­ to-date historic overview here. Included cation keys should find a wide appeal Hym6nopterH Sphecldae d'Europe is a simplified cladogram from Alexan­ in the user community. The authors are

Occldentale, Volume 1, Generalltes -- der's (1990) preliminary cladistic analy­ to be congratulated on producing such Crabronlnae by Jacques Bitsch and sis of Sphecidae and bees in Sphecos a useful book. I hope that the remain­ Jean Leclercq. Fauna de France, vol. 20. Alexander's (1992) more thorough ing sphecid groups will get the same 79, 325 p. (Available from Faune de analysis is cited by Bitsch and Leclercq, treatment soon. France, B.P. N° 392, F-75232 Paris but the paper probably appeared too Arnold S. Menke Cedex 05, France. Price: France: FF late to incorporate a cladogram from it. 441 TIC (TVA au taux actuel de 5,5%) Nesting behavior of Sphecidae is sum­ Literature cited: + emballage et port; foreign countries: marized. Distribution of the family in FF 418 + wrapping and expedition.) France and the procedure for mapping Alexander, B. A., 1990. A preliminary species is discussed. Records for each phylogenetic analysis of sphecid Although this book is part of the Fau­ species treated are shown on a map of wasps and bees. Sphecos 20:7-16. na de France series, its scope includes France that depicts all the departments. Alexander, B. A., 1992. An exploratory western Europe. Thus it is useful to a It is at that level that species distribu­ analysis of cladistic relationships with far larger audience. The book is only tion is plotted. The section on distribu­ the superfamily Apoidea, with special the first part of several (?) anticipated to tion also includes a list of French mu­ reference to sphecid wasps. J. Hym. complete a survey of Sphecidae. Part seums and private collections, and a Res. 1:25-61. one includes an introduction to the fam­ comprehensive list of literature dealing Brothers, D. J., 1976. Modifications of ily and a taxonomic treatment of the with sphecid distribution in other parts the metapostnotum and origin of the subfamily Crabroninae. of Europe. 'propodeal triangle' in Hymenoptera Aculeata. Syst. Ent. 1:1n-1S2. December93 21

are photomi­ Evans, H. E., 1964. The classification MORE ON THE SHOCKING that accompany the work bee wings: and evolution of digger wasps as sug­ ANSWERS TO THE crog raphs of wasp and gested by larval characters. Ent. News PROBLEM OF STINGS , Hylaeus, Chrysis, Elampus, Apis 75:225-237. AND BITES mellifica, , and Sirex. The im­ were Lomholdt, 0., 1985. A reclassification ages are circular and apparently on a mi­ of the larrine tribes with a revision of Electric shock therapy (treatment ?) for taken by a camera mounted may the Miscophini of southern Africa and stings and bites of venomous , croscope. The wings themselves Does any­ Madagascar. Ent. Scand., Suppl. 24, especially insects, , scorpions have been slide mounted. 183 p. and snakes, is becoming more widely one know of an earlier use of actual on Hyme­ Menke, A. S., 1988. Pison in the New appreciated and used (see SPHECOS photographs in a publication ap­ World: a revision. Contrib. Amer. Ent. 25:20). The method of action seemed noptera? More wing photographs Adolph titled Inst. 24:1-171. puzzling to the physicians consulted, pear in an 1883 paper by Wootton, R. J., 1978. Function, homol­ however. A Dec. 1986 article in Lancet Zur Morphologie der Hymenopteren­ den Frag­ ogy and terminology in insect wings. provides the best approach to under­ flugel. Augleich ein Beitrag zu und des Atavis­ Syst. Ent. 4:81-93. standing the mechanism of action of en der Species bildung same journal. this novel treatment: Venoms are com­ mus published in the plex, fragile mixtures of enzymes and These are mostly of wings. PURSUING their cofactors, along with many other S. Menke LEFT-HANDED substances. Electrical currents passing Arnold ENTOMOLOGISTS through such mixtures could alter the structure and properties of components When I finished reading the comments of the mixture, rendering them incapa­ PUZZELMENTIA on left-handed entomologists (Sphecos ble of producing their usual deleterious 23:15) I thought that this idea could effects. These alterations could result Response to a PUZZLEMENTIA from (·INOUIER­ very well be pursued. However, this from the destruction of hydrogen bonds an earlier issue of Sphecos wasps turned out not to be the case. between molecules or atoms of en­ ENDA: Why do many stinging have red abdomens?• - 22:18): prob­ In talking with fellow entomologists I zymes; reduction of some of the metal - they found that most are right-handed and ions that normally function as cofactors ably not for the same reason that do place labels correctly (i.e. they can of the enzymes within the venoms; and/ have black abdomens (or metasomata be read without rotating the pin with the or the current could affect the concerned or gasters). Actually, the question should to the fingers). One of them always places the cellular membranes in the victim, de­ have been more or less limited labels in the inverted position; this per­ creasing permeability or transport of the Sphecidae, inasmuch as red metasom­ son is right-handed, but his dominant venom within the body. When one con­ ata are far less common among the eye is that of a left-handed person. I siders the difficulties in getting material Vespidae, Pompilidae, , etc. to was surprised by the chaos while check­ to study "scientifically• (a bite victim will­ Even within the Sphecidae it seems ing the collection of one of Cuba's best ing to wait for study of individual effects be a common feature largely within the entomologists, Dr. Pastor Alayo. He is on separate systems before treatment), Larrinae, less conspicuous to rare in left-handed and in his collection labels plus the ethical questions involved in the remaining subfamilies. are oriented in different ways. He told having controls, the tendency to •accept me that his main concern is not the or­ because it works and keep going• is Roy Snelllng ientation of the text, but rather that the very understandable. pin does not puncture (and consequent­ Copies of the Dec. 1986 Lancet arti­ ly does not deface) the written informa­ cle can be obtained from Terry Nuhn, PLACE­ tion. c/o Sphecos. NAMES REVISITED Not one of the labelers has been guided by an entomological text book. Margaret S. Colllns Dear Arnold: From the orientation of the handwrit­ Dept. of Entomology You will be delighted to know that I ing on entomological labels it can not be Museum of Natural History have just described a lovely, indeed determined with certainty if the person Smithsonian Institution magnificent, new with an who prepared the material is right or Washington, D.C. 20560 incredibly long, flutelike •abdomen• (I left-handed. It's well known that many do so, and I know you will forgive me people are strictly one handed in every­ rather than have its description wait on day life but show many instances of us­ EARLIEST PUBLISHED your long anticipated monograph). It ab­ ing the opposite extremity. USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS solutely requires a hippopotomonitroses­ OF HYMENOPTERA? quipedalian specific name. And so it Julio Antonio Genaro now has. I have blessed it as AmmophDa 25 no. 466, Vedado 12300 I recently bought several papers by phi/otetaumatawhakatangihangakoaua­ Cuidad de La Habana, Cuba G. Ernst Adolph on the wings of insects. uotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoro­ The earliest one, Ueber lnsectenflugel, nukupokaiwhenuakitanata-huensis Mihi. was published in 1879 in Nova Acta Quite unique, nesting among Sphenodon Ksl. Leop.-Carol.-Deutschen Akad. Na­ on North Island, NZ. The name, I am turforscher, vol. 41. Four of the six plates told via an old Maori, is used both geo- 22 SPHECOS26 graphically, and colloquially when spec­ telephone in the house, and I yelled to took flight with cicada in tow, disap­ ifying that wasp in subtle allusion to its her to come out and see something in­ pearing over our neighbor's hedge row. "abdomen•; I put abdomen in quotes teresting. The phone cord is a long one We both had a good laugh over this in­ for I am sure he means only the truly and she came outside, still talking to teresting experience. Our Spook, how­ spectacular petiole. her real estate agent. I pointed to the ever, seemed completely oblivious to But a question for you before sub­ Cicada Killer, and she mentioned to her the whole episode. mission of the MS: is that name preoc­ agent that this huge wasp was in the cupied? grass with a cicada Apparently the wasp • Spook ii IO named becaule I obtaillld him from All the best to you, was looking for a vertical substrate to 1he animal lheltar an Halloween. He ii all black and when I 18W him in hil cage. all I could ... gain altitude in order to fly away with wwe hil two gold eye, peering out at me •- that Ken Cooper her prey. Well, as it turned out, Nancy was it. he was a Spook. Ha name ii also a filling University of California, was a suitable vertical substrate be­ becauH he ii euily apookad by sudden ITIC)ff­ menll or IOUndl. Well. Spook is no ordinary cat. Riverside cause the Cicada Killer headed right for He weighs 20 pounda and he ii so huge that we her left legl It climbed on to her shoe. call him our pet leopard. Some people claim that PS: It seems to belong in your procsra Seeing the path it was taking, Nancy he 11 attack-trained. group. grabbed her pant leg tightly, preventing the wasp from taking the inside pas­ sage (or scenic route). The wasp pro­ BIG BLUE BOOK ERRATA NANCY AND THE ceeded up the outside of her left pant Part 21 CICADA KILLER leg. Nancy preceded to describe this adivity to her real estate agent who p. 69, LC, L 9: dahlbomii is correct, not Last July your editor was in his back­ was amazed at Nancy's lack of fear. dahlbomi. yard talking to his cat, Spook*, who was "You mean you are letting that creature p. n, LC, L 32: asnsola is correct, not sitting on the grass. I noted something crawl up your body I?• The Cicada Killer aBf901a moving in the grass behind Spook, and continued at a fairly fast pace upward p. 164, LC, L 17 from bottom: precede was rather surprised that he had not past Nancy's midsection. It was obvi­ entry with a dagger symbol (t) and heard the commotion. Upon closer ex­ ous that the wasp would continue until add following to end of entry: nee amination, the moving object turned out it reached her neck and hair, so Nancy Psen reticulata Cameron, 1902. to be Sphscius speciosus (Drury), the put her left arm across her chest, the p. 184, RC, L 7: dahlbomi Kohl, 1805 is common Cicada Killer. It had a cicada Cicada Killer climbed on, and Nancy correct entry. and was struggling to walk with it through calmly and slowly outstretched her arm. p. 347, LC, L 27 from bottom: correct the grass. My wife, Nancy, was on the The wasp walked out to her hand and distribution is .

Sphecius speciosus Drury, the common Cicada Killer (Sphecidae), North America. December93 23

1993. A new species of Charlergellus (Hym., Vespidae, , Polybiini) RECENT LITERATURE from Bolivia. Ent. Mon. Mag. 129:185-166. Dani, F.R., R. Cerw, and S. Turlllazzi (Worth a look: Billen, 1992, Bitsch & Leclerc:q, 1993, 1992. Preliminary observations on abdominal stroking behaviour in Polistes dominulus (Christ) (Hyrnenoptera: Veapidae), p. 281-285 in: Biology and Brothers & Carpenter, 1993, Goulet & Huber, 1992, evolution of social insects, J. Billen, (ed.). Leuven Univ. Presa, Leuven, LaSalle & Gauld, 1993, Sorg, 1988.) Belgium. 390 p. Elae,G.R. Archer, M.E. 1993. Recent records of Philanthus triangu/fm (F.) (Hym., Sphecidae) from 1993. Notable wasps and bees (Hym., AaJleata) taken on Jersey and Sark. southem England. Ent. Mon. Mag. 129:163-164. Ent. Mon. Mag. 128:45-47. Evans, Howard E. Alexander, Byron A., Robert L. Minckley and Douglas Yanega 1993. Observations of aggregations of males of two species of 1993. Nesting biology of Glenosticlia piclifrons (F. Smith) (Hymenoptera: (Hyrnenoptera: Sphecidae: Philanthus). Psyche 100:25-33. Sphecidae: Bembicinij. J. Kansas Ent. Soc. 66(1 ):108-120. Field, Jeremy Antropov, A.V. 1992. lntraapeeific parasitism as an altemalive reproductive tactic in nest­ 1993. Alinia carinata gen. et ap. n. -a- new representative of the tribe Crab­ building wasps and bees. Biol. Rev. 67:79-126. ronini (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae) from South America. Ent. aiozr. 73 1992. Behavioural differences between English and Japanese populations of (1):190-193. (in Ruaaian with English summary) (l.) (Hym., Sphecidae). Ent. Mon. Mag. 128:193-195. 1993. A new species of Belomiaus A. Costa (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae) 1992. lntraapecific parasitism and nest defence in the solitary pornpilid wasp from the Far East. Byullet. Moscov. obshch. ispyt. prirody Otd. Biol. 98 lliaticus (Hymenoptera: Pornpilidae). J. Zool., Lond. 228:341-350. (2):27-28. (In Ruaaian with English summary) Francescato, E., S. Turillazzi and M.H. Hansell - - Azevedo, Celso Oliveira 1993. Glandular apparatus aasociated with the gastral tergal tegument in 1993. o, Rhabdepyris Kieffer (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) In the area of Slo males of Slfmogaster c:oncima and Anischnogaster /aticeps (Hyrnenopte­ Carlos, State of Slo Paulo, : II. Subgenus Trichotepyris. Revta bras. ra: ). Ina. Soc. 40:313-317. Ent. 37(2):305-308. Garcia, Marcos V.B. and Joachim Adis Archer, Michael E. 1993. On the biology of Penepodium goryanum (Lepeletier) in wooden trap- 1993. Notable wasps and bees (Hym., AaJleata) taken on Jersey and Sark. • -- nests (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae). Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 95(4):547-553. Ent. Mon. Mag. 129:45-47. Gaston, K.J. 1993. The life history and colonial characteristics of the homet, Vespa cratxo 1993. Spatial patterns in the description and richness of the Hymenoptera, L. (Hym., Vespinae). Ent. Mon. Mag. 129:151-163. Ch. 12, p. 277-293 in: Hymenoptera and biodiversity, J. LaSalle and 1.0. 1993. The aaJleate wasps and bees (Hymenoptera: Aculeata) of Duncombe Gauld (eda.). CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK. 348 p. Park in Wataonian Yorkshire. Naturalist 118:37-44. Genaro, Julio Antonio anci Coralia S. Sanchez Berglind, Sven-Ake 1992. Observations on the nesting behavior of Tachysphex anlillarum (Hy­ 1993. Biotopval och atatua tor vlgstekeln Anoplius cavlwntris (Hyrnenopte­ menoptera: Sphecidae). Caribbean J. Sci. 28:218-220. ra, Pornpilidae) II Sverige. Ent. Tidskr. 114(3):101-1-5. 1992. Conducta de nidificacion de Astata unico/or en Cuba (Hyrnenoptera: Billen.Johan Sphecidae). Caribbean J. Sci. 28:220-222. - 1992. Biology and Evolution of Social Insects. Leuven Univ. Preas, Leuven, 1993. Conducta de nidificacion de CercerJs ce,wae, C. cubensis y C. testiva Belgium. 390 p. en Cuba (Hyrnenoptera: Sphecidae). Caribbean J. Sci. 29(1-2):39-43. Bitsch, Jacques and Jean Leclercq Geniae, Jorge F. and Lynn S. Kimsey 1993. Hyrn6nopt6res Sphecidae d'Europe Occidental&. Vol. 1. Generalitea -- 1993. Revision of the South American thynnine genus E/aphmptera Gu6rin­ Crabroninae. Faune de France 79. 324 p. M6neville (Hyrnenoptera: Tiphiidae). J. Hym. Res. 2(1 ):195-220. Bohart, Richard M. Gess, F.W. and S.K. Gess 1993. Two new North American species of the tribe Pemphredonini (Hyme­ 1993. Effecta of Increasing land utilization on apecles representation and di­ noptera: Sphecidae: Pemphredoninae). Pan-Pac. Ent. 69(3):218-220. veraity of aculeate wasps and bees in the semi-arid areas of aoulhem Af­ 1993. South American Oxybe/us II. The ema,ginatus group (Hymenoptera, rica, Ch. 4, p. 63-113 in: Hyrnenoptera and biodiversity, J. LaSalle and Sphecidae. lnaectaMundl 7(1-2):19-26. ID. Gauld (eda.). CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK. 348 p. 1993. South American Oxybelua Ill. The unig/umis and scurelatus groups Giannotti, Edilberto and Cynthia B. Mansur (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae. lnaecta Mundi 7(1·2):65-78. 1993. Dispersion and foundation of new colonies in Polistes versloalor (Hy­ 1993. A synopsis of Central American and Caribbean Oxybelus (Hyrnenopte­ menoptera, Vespidae). An. Soc. Ent. BraaH 22(2):307-316. ra, Sphecidae. lnaecta Mundi 7(3):159-168. Giannotti, Edilberto and Cliudia Vieira da Silva Brothers, Denis J. and James M. Carpenter 1993. Mschocyttarus cassununga (Hyrnenoptera, Veapidee): external mor­ 1993. Phylogeny of AaJleata: Chryaidoidea and Vespoldea J. Hym. Rea. 2 phology of the brood during the post-embryonic development. Revta bras. (1):227-302. Ent. 37(2):309-312. Budrya, E.R. and Vladimir L Kazenaa Gordh, Gordon, Wu Quang Con and E.S. Sugonyaev 1993. New species of digger wasps of the genus Diodontus (Hymenoptera, 1993. Gonlozus hanoiensis Gordh, ap.n. (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae) •- a para­ Specidae). Ent. Rev. 72(1):114-121. site of the rice leaf roller Gnaphalocrosis medinalis Guenee In North Viet­ Carpenter, James M. nam. Ent. Obozr. 12:1n-1as. 1993. Biogeographic pattema in the Vespidae (Hymenoptera): Two views of Goulet, Henri and John T. Huber, editors Africa and South America, Ch. 7, p. 139-155 in: Biological relalionlhipa 1993. Hyrnenoptera of the World. An identification guide to families. Centre between Africa and South America, Peter Goldbratt (ed.). Vale Univ. for Land and Biological Resources Research, Reaean:h Branch, Agricul­ Press, New Haven and London. b.lre Canada. Publication 1894/E. Ottawa. 668 p. Clemons, Laurence Hamon.Jacques 1993. Polistes dominulus (Christ, 1791) (Hymenoptera: Veapidae) In greater 1992. Une nouveUe sous•spece de Scoliidae d'Europe occidental&, Scolla i..ondon. Ent. Record &J. Variation 1os:1n. (Scalia) honorum nouvel/n.aubap. Sciences Nat, Bull. no. 74:16. C0lln, Klaus 1992. Une espllce meconnue de Scoliidae europ'8nne: Colpa ldugii (Vander

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