Official name:
Synonyms:
Etymology:
rybyensis
Latin: from Ryby (the Swedish estate where Linnaeus described this wasp [von Linné & Söderberg 1771])
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] |
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] |
Preyspecies outside the Netherlands:
– | – |
5. PARASITIC RELATIONS
The fThe following species and groups occurring in the Netherlands [Soortenregister] are mentioned in literature:
DIPTERA, Sarcophagidae | Metopia [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] |
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]
2. Forewing: second submarginal cell petiolate, does not reach radial cell [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]
3. Forewing: tip radial cell rounded [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]
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]


–
1. Antenna with twelve segments [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]
2. Abdomen with six segments [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]





1. Antenna with 13 segments [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]
2. Abdomen with 7 segments [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]
3. Tergite 2 with yellow base [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]
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].

5. Sternum 2: with elevated area at it’s base [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]
For comparison: sternum 2 of C. arenaria without elevated area at it’s base.
6. Clypeus: narrow and protruding, lower edge straight [Dollfuss 1991]
7. Frons: keel between antenna base stops far in front of ocelli [Dollfuss 1991]

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]

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

10. Antenna: mostly dark coloured [Klein 1999],[Dollfuss 1991]
11. Hindwing: length basal lobe (L) at most 1/4 length analcell (A) [Dollfuss 1991]

12. Legs: middle and front tibia completely yellow [Dollfuss 1991]
13. Propodeum: dorsalfield smooth [Dollfuss 1991]
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].