Agenioideus sericeus♀︎

Last update: 15 November 2024


Uncommon

Species Agenioideus sericeus
Genus AGENIOIDEUS
Family POMPILIDAE (Spider wasps)



Ecological role Idiobiont ectoparasitoid + pollinator

Voltinism Univoltine
Activity
janfebmaraprmayjunjulaugsepoctnovdec

Observations
2023-VI-102022-VIII-092022-VIII-022021-VIII-222021-VII-222019-VIII-30
Months
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Years
2019202120222023

Nesting strategy Endogeic
Nestarchitecture Broodcell



Officil name:

Synonyms:

Agenioideus sericeus [Soortenregister]

Pompilus sericeus


see more on: www.gbif.org

Agenioideus sericeus ♀

CONTENTS

1. Distribution
2. Behaviour
3. Plant relations
4. Prey relations
5. Parasitic relations
6. Identification

 

1. DISTRIBUTION

Agenioideus sericeus is a very rare wasp in the Netherlands and occurs especially in the southern parts [Waarneming.nl],[Peeters et al. 2004],[Nieuwenhuijsen 2008].

Garden species

Since the first observation in 2019 the species is a permanent resident in our garden.

2. BEHAVIOUR

2.1. ACTIVITY

The species is active from end May to September [Peeters et al. 2004]. Possibly bivoltine [Peeters et al. 2004].

2.2. DEVELOPMENT

Nest

The species nests in sandy slopes and in mortar joints in old walls [Peeters et al. 2004],7]. The nest consists of one or a few brood cells [7]. Observations indicate the wasp can start nest building both before and after prey capture [7].

2.3. HUNTING

A captured prey is moved across the ground to the nest either sideways or backwards by the middle legs [7]. The spider is pulled by the spinner into the nest [7].

3. PLANT RELATIONS

3.1. FOOD PLANTS

The following plant species are mentioned in literature as food sources:

Apiaceae
(Umbellifers)

Garden species

The garden provides some of these food plants but I have not observed the species on it yet.

Apiaceae
(Umbellifers)

Foeniculum
Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)

Pastinaca
Pastinaca sativa (Parsnip)

4. PREY RELATIONS

The species uses spiders for her brood [Peeters et al. 2004],[Nieuwenhuijsen 2008],6,7].

The following species and groups occurring in the Netherlands [Soortenregister] are mentioned in literature:


Araneidae [7]
(Orbweavers)

Araneus
Araneus diadematus (Garden spider) [6,7]

Zygiella
Zygiella x-notata [6]

Thomisidae [7]
(Crab spiders)


Linyphiidae [7]
(Money spiders)


Linyphia
Linyphia triangularis [7]

Salticidae [7]
(Jumping spiders)


Tetragnathidae

Meta [7]

Garden species

In an own observation a wasp transported a captured spider Zygiella x-notata, see here.

Araneidae
(Orbweavers)

Zygiella
Zygiella x-notata

5. PARASITIC RELATIONS

I have not been able to find literature references on parasites of the species.

6. IDENTIFICATION

Length males: 4,5 – 6 mm
Length females: 6 – 7,5 mm

Genus

The genus Agenioideus can be identified using the following characters:

1. Head: inner eye edge parallel or lightly converging [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus sericeus: lower part inner edge eye parallel or lightly converging

2. Head: first antennal segment (scapus) implant higher lower eye edge [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: antennae higher than lower edge eye

3. Head: forehead not spherical [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: forehead not spherical

4. Head: mandibles normal (short and wide) [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: jaws normal (short and wide)

5. Head: antennae long and slender [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: antennae long and slender

6. Forewing: proximal edge second discoidal cell with sag [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: proximal edge second discoidal cell forewing with sag

7. Forewing: pterostigma slender [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: pterostigma slender

8. Forewing: length vein 2r-rs <= width pterostigma [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: length vein 2r-rs equal or smaller than width pterostigma

9. Thorax: propodeum rounded, does not end in spines [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: propodeum rounded, does not end in spines

10. Thorax: caudal part propodeum gradually transfers into horizontal part and is rounded [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: caudal part propodeum gradually transfers into horizontal part and is rounded

11. Hind leg: arolium lies between the spread claws [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus sericeus: arolium leg 3 lies between claws, not under
Agenioideus: arolium hind leg lies between spread claws

12. Hind leg: distal edge bears thorns of unequal length that are spaced unequally [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus sericeus: thorns on distal edge tibia 3 unequal in length and unequally spaced

13. Legs: claws female with or without tooth (A. sericeus with tooth) [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: claws female with or without tooth (here with tooth)

14. Legs: arolium small and narrow, claw comb weakly developed [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: arolium small and narrow

15. Body: parts of pronotum, propodeum and the first abdominal segment not covered with bronze or silver coloured scaly hairs [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: part pronotum, propodeum and first abdominal segment not covered with bronze or silver coloured scaly hairs

16. Body: at most shortly haired, but no fur (A. sericeus with short hair) [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: body at most with short hair, no fur (here with short hair)

17. Abdomen: tergite 1 often dark, sometimes tergite 2 red (A. sericeus both black) [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: tergite 1 often dark (here black), tergite 2 sometimes red (here black)

18. Abdomen: sternite 2 without transverse furrow [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: second sternite without transverse groove

19. Abdomen: tergite 6 bold or haired, never with bristle hairskaal (A. sericeus haired) [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, Agenioideus: tergite 6 bold or haired, never with bristle hairs (A. sericeus haired)


specimen caught for photo identification on 21-viii-2021, length ±8mm

Agenioideus sericeus ♀︎
Agenioideus sericeus ♀︎
Agenioideus sericeus ♀︎
Agenioideus sericeus ♀︎
Agenioideus sericeus ♀︎

  1. Antenna with 12 segments [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]
Agenioideus sericeus ♀︎, antenna with 12 segments

2. Abdomen with 6 segments [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, tergite 1 often dark (here black), tergite 2 sometimes red (here black)

3. Tergite 6 with pygidium [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀︎, tergite 6 with pygidium

HEAD

1. Clypeus: ventral edge trapezoidal [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008],[Notton 2018]

2. Clypeus: black [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, clypeus edge trapezoidal

THORAX

1. Propodeum: surface smooth and covered in white down [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀︎, propodeum smooth and covered in white down

2. Legs: all legs black [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀︎, all legs black

ABDOMEN

1. Tergite 2 black [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

Agenioideus sericeus ♀, tergite 1 often dark (here black), tergite 2 sometimes red (here black)



1. Antenna with 13 segments [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

2. Abdomen with 7 segments [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

3. Tergite 6 without pygidium [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

HEAD

1. Clypeus: ventral edge trapezoidal [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

THORAX

1. Hind leg: shin is dark (a species variant exists with light spot proximally on the shins) [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

ABDOMEN

1. Tergite: rostral part tergite 2 dark [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

2. Sternite: subgenital plate seen sideways flat and with short wide keel [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]

3. Sternite: caudal edge subgenital plate somewhat incised or straight [Nieuwenhuijsen 2008]



Literature

Eberhard 1970 Eberhard, W., 1970. The predatory behavior of two wasps, Agenoideus humilis (Pompilidae) and Sceliphron caementarium (Sphecidae), on the orb weaving spider Araneus cornutus (Araneidae). Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, 77(2), 243-251.

Gros & Wahis 2002 Gros, E., & Wahis, R., 2002. Contribution à la connaissance des Agenioideus de la faune franco-belge (Hymenoptera, Pompilidae). Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, 107(3), 313-334.

Nieuwenhuijsen 2008 Nieuwenhuijsen, H., 2008. De spinnendoders van Nederland (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae). Jeugdbondsuitgeverij.

Notton 2018 Notton, D., 2018. The spider wasp, Agenioideus apicalis (Hymenoptera: Pompilidae) new to Britain, and a second British record of Agenioideus sericeus. British Journal of Entomology & Natural History. 31.

Peeters et al. 2004 Peeters, T.M.J., C. van Achterberg, W.R.B. Heitmans, W.F. Klein, V. Lefeber, A.J. van Loon, A.A. Mabelis, H. Nieuwen-huijsen, M. Reemer, J. de Rond, J. Smit, H.H.W. Velthuis, 2004. De wespen en mieren van Nederland (Hymenoptera: Aculeata). – Nederlandse Fauna 6. Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum Naturalis, Leiden, knnv Uitgeverij, Utrecht & European Invertebrate Survey – Nederland, Leiden.

Soortenregister Nederlands Soortenregister

Waarneming.nl Waarneming.nl

Citation

Krischan, O.R., 2025. Agenioideus sericeus. Kerfdier, www.kerfdier.nl. Accessed on 12 May 2025.