Life history and nesting ecology of a Japanese tube-nesting spider wasp Dipogon sperconsus (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae)

Abstract

To clarify the life history of the Japanese spider wasp Dipogon sperconsus, bionomical studies using bamboo-cane trap nests were carried out in Japan. Based on weekly and consecutive daily surveys of trap nests and rearing of broods from collected nests, we evaluated the production of cells and eggs per day, prey spiders, and seasonal patterns of nesting activities. We found a relatively short critical period of switching from the summer generation into the overwintering generation. We also found that the voltinism is affected by the timing of egg production of the second generation in relation to this critical period. The developmental period for each generation and sex, voltinism and cell production per day were determined based on data for a large number of individuals for the first time.

Brood reduction caused by sibling cannibalism in Isodontia harmandi (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae), a solitary wasp species building communal brood cells

“…Traps were installed at Minami-yashiro, in 2010 and 2011, Furuichi in 2012, Kusano in 2013 (all in Tamba-Sasayama City), and Minami-yashiro and Kirihata (Takarazuka City) in 2015. As the Kirihata bamboo-cane trap study [ 31 ] was conducted to investigate other wasp species before this study, we shifted our study site to about 100 m north from the previous study area. Nesting activities were observed from late July to early September, with the peak activity in early and mid-August yearly.…”

“…Each trap was composed of 12 bamboo canes (inner diameter: M-size, about 10 mm and L-size, about 14 mm) [ 31 ], which were knitted with vinyl-coated wire in 2010. Since 2011, we have used a slightly different trap in which eight bamboo canes (inner diameter: M- and L-sizes) were fixed to perforated veneer boards (30 cm × 15 cm) with a vinyl-coated wire.…”