Cerceris rybyensis (Ornate tailed diggerwasp)♂︎

Last update: 30 November 2024


Common

Species Ornate tailed diggerwasp (Cerceris rybyensis)
Genus CERCERIS
Family PHILANTIDAE



Ecological role Predator + pollinator

Voltinism Univoltine
Activity
janfebmaraprmayjunjulaugsepoctnovdec

Observations
2021-IX-052020-VIII-232020-VIII-202020-VI-20
Months
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Years
20202021

Nesting strategy Endogeic
Nestarchitecture Broodcells



Official name:

Synonyms:

Cerceris rybyensis [Soortenregister]

Sphex rybyensis (Linnaeus 1771)


see more on: www.gbif.org

Etymology:

rybyensis

Latin: from Ryby (the Swedish estate where Linnaeus described this wasp [von Linné & Söderberg 1771])

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis)

CONTENTS

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

1. DISTRIBUTION

The Ornate tailed diggerwasp (Cerceris rybyensis) [Soortenregister] is a common species throughout the Netherlands [Waarneming.nl], with an exception of the Wadden islands [Peeters et al. 2004].

2. BEHAVIOUR

2.1. ACTIVITY

The species is active from half May until half October [Waarneming.nl],[Peeters et al. 2004].

2.2. DEVELOPMENT

The female digs a nest in the ground, sand and loam or loess [Klein 1999], that consist of a burrow 10 to 15 cm in length perpendicular to the ground [Klein 1999]. The cells are dug from the main burrow and willed with prey of one bee species as food for the larvae [Peeters et al. 2004].

2.3. Bee hotel

The males are known to use artificial nest help like bee hotels as a sleeping place [Breugel 2014].

3. PLANT RELATIONS

The adult wasps feed with nectar and/or pollen. Relations with the following plant species and groups are cited in literature:

Asteraceae– Dandelion (Taraxacum) [Honek et al. 2016], incidental visit
– Giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) [own observation]
Table 3.2-1: Food plants in the Netherlands

4. PREY RELATIONS

This species uses bees as foor for her offspring [Peeters et al. 2004]. The size of the prey is proportional to the size of the female, which give larger females a broader choice in prey [Dollfuss 1991].

The following species present in the Netherlands are cited in literature:

Bees
(Apoidae)
Blood bees (Sphecodes) [Ruchin & Antropov 2019]
Halictus [Peeters et al. 2004],[Klein 1999]
Panurgus, sometimes [Peeters et al. 2004],[Klein 1999]
Mining bees (Andrena) [Peeters et al. 2004],[Klein 1999]
Table 4-1: Prey species in the Netherlands

Preyspecies outside the Netherlands:



Table 4-2: Prey species outside the Netherlands

5. PARASITIC RELATIONS

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

DIPTERA, SarcophagidaeMetopia [Peeters et al. 2004]
Metopia argyrocephala [Povolny 1987]

Miltogramma [Peeters et al. 2004]

Pterella [Peeters et al. 2004]
Pterella grisea [Ruchin & Antropov 2019]
HYMENOPTERA, Chrysididae
Chrysis
Chrysis ignita [Ruchin & Antropov 2019]

Hedychrum
Hedychrum gerstaeckeri [Ruchin & Antropov 2019],[Paukkunen et al. 2015]
Hedychrum niemelai [Ruchin & Antropov 2019],[Paukkunen et al. 2015]
Hedychrum nobile [Ruchin & Antropov 2019],[Paukkunen et al. 2015]
Table 5-1: Parasitic species in the Netherlands

Parasitic species outside the Netherlands:



Table 5-2: Parasitic species outside the Netherlands

6. IDENTIFICATION

Length males: 7 – 10 mm
Length females: 8 – 14 mm

Genus

Specimen of the genus Cerceris are recognisable by the following characters:

1. Forewing: three submarginal cells [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), Cerceris: front wing with three submarginal cells

2. Forewing: second submarginal cell petiolate, does not reach radial cell [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), Cerceris: second submarginal cel petiolate

3. Forewing: tip radial cell rounded [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), Cerceris: tip radial cel rounded

4. Abdomen: first abdominal segment looking from above strongly narrowed compared with the second segment [Klein 1999], the other segments separated from each other by constrictions [Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), Cerceris: first tergite knot shaped, tergites separated by contriction between them



1. Antenna with twelve segments [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]

2. Abdomen with six segments [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]



Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis)
Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis)
Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis)
Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis)
Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), tergum 7

1. Antenna with 13 segments [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), antenne met 13 segmenten

2. Abdomen with 7 segments [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), abdomen with 7 segments

3. Tergite 2 with yellow base [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), base tergite 2 yellow

4. Tergum 4: in most specimen black [Klein 1999]. If present, the yellow markings on tergite 4 less extensive than on tergite 5 [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991].

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), yellow markings on tergum 4, when present, a lot less elaborate then on tergum 5

5. Sternum 2: with elevated area at it’s base [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), Sternum II with basal elevation

For comparison: sternum 2 of C. arenaria without elevated area at it’s base.

Cerceris arenaria ♀︎, sternum II without elevated area at base

6. Clypeus: narrow and protruding, lower edge straight [Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), clypeus narrow and potruding, lower edge straight

7. Frons: keel between antenna base stops far in front of ocelli [Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), keel between antennae base stops far in front of ocelli

8. Clypeus: width of the matted hairs on the apical edge of the clypeal sidelobes is somewhat narrower than the space between them [Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), width matted hairs apical edge clypeus sidelobes, somewhat narrower than space in between

9. Ocelli: space between ocellus and inner edge eye is wider than the space between the hind ocelli [Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), space between ocelle and edge eye wider than space between hind ocelli

10. Antenna: mostly dark coloured [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), antennae dark

11. Hindwing: length basal lobe (L) at most 1/4 length analcell (A) [Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), basal lobe (L) hindwing about 1/4 length analcell (A)

12. Legs: middle and front tibia completely yellow [Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), middle and front tibia completely yellow

13. Propodeum: dorsalfield smooth [Dollfuss 1991]

Ornate tailed diggerwasp ♂︎ (Cerceris rybyensis), dorsal field propodeum smooth

Literature

Breugel 2014 Breugel, P. van., 2014. Gasten van bijenhotels. – EIS Kenniscentrum Insecten en andere ongewervelden & Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden.

Dollfuss 1991 Dollfuss, H., 1991. Bestimmungsschlüssel der Grabwespen Nord-und Zentraleuropas. Stapfia, 24, 1-247.

Honek et al. 2016 HONĚK, A., Martinkova, Z., SKUHROVEC, J., Bartak, M., BEZDĚK, J., Bogusch, P., ... & ŠUMPICH, J., 2016. Arthropod fauna recorded in flowers of apomictic Taraxacum section Ruderalia. European Journal of Entomology, 113.

Klein 1999 Klein, W., 1999 De graafwespen van de Benelux: supplement. Jeugdbondsuitgeverij, 1-37. + Klein, W., 1996. De graafwespen van de Benelux. Jeugdbondsuitgeverij, 1-130.

Paukkunen et al. 2015 Paukkunen, J., Berg, A., Soon, V., Ødegaard, F., & Rosa, P., 2015. An illustrated key to the cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae) of the Nordic and Baltic countries, with description of a new species. ZooKeys, (548), 1.

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.

Povolny 1997 Povolny, D., 1997. The flesh-flies of Central Europe (Insecta, Diptera, Sarcophagidae). Spixiana Suppl., 24, 1-260.

Ruchin & Antropov 2019 Ruchin, A. & Antropov, A., 2019. Wasp fauna (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae, Chrysididae, Dryinidae, Tiphiidae, Mutillidae, Scoliidae, Pompilidae, Vespidae, Sphecidae, Crabronidae & Trigonalyidae) of Mordovia State Nature Reserve and its surroundings in Russia. Journal of Threatened Taxa. 11. 13195-13250. 10.11609/jott.4216.11.2.13195-13250.

Soortenregister Nederlands Soortenregister

von Linné & Söderberg 1771 von Linné, C. & Söderberg, D. H., 1771). Pandora et Flora Rybiensis. Edman.

Waarneming.nl Waarneming.nl

Citation

Krischan, O.R., 2025. Cerceris rybyensis. Kerfdier, www.kerfdier.nl. Accessed on [date month year].



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