Gelis spurius♀︎

Last update: 30 November 2024


Common

Species Gelis spurius
Genus GELIS
Family ICHNEUMONIDAE (Ichneumon wasps)



Ecological role Idiobiont ectoparasitoid
Voltinism Multivoltine
Activity
janfebmaraprmayjunjulaugsepoctnovdec

Observations
2021-VIII-242021-II-28
Months
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Years
2021


Official name

Synonyms

Gelis spurius [Soortenregister]

Pezomachus spurius [Schwarz 1995]

see more on: www.gbif.org

Gelis spurius ♀︎

CONTENTS

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

1. DISTRIBUTION

The ichneumon wasp Gelis spurius is a common wasp in the Netherlands [Waarneming.nl].

2. BEHAVIOUR

2.1. ACTIVITY

The female can be found the whole year through and overwinter as adults [Schwarz 1998].

The specimen used in this post was caught in februari, see here.

It is suspected the species is multivoltine [Schwarz 1998].

2.2. DEVELOPMENT

The species is an idiobiont ectoparasitoid that can occur as primary and as well as secundary pseudohyperparasitoid on ichneumonid and braconid wasps [Schwarz 1998],[Schwarz 2002].

3. FOOD PLANTS

The adults wasps feed on nectar and honeydew [Schwarz 1998]. Flower visits are limited to specific weather conditions, like during drizzle or muggy weather and is probably secondary to licking up honeydew and moist from leaves [Schwarz 1998]. Possibly pollen grains stuck on the sticky surfaces of hairy leaves are eaten as well [Schwarz 1998].

In literature the following plants and groups are cited in the context of licking up food and moisture:

Birch family
(Betulaceae)
Corylus avellana (Common hazel) [Schwarz 1998]
Alnus alnobetula (Green alder) [Schwarz 1998]
Netle family
(Urticaceae)
Urtica dioica (Stinging nettle) [Schwarz 1998]
Table 3-1: Food plants in the Netherlands

Feeding in captivity

In order to be able to photograph the wasp properly I had kept her for a longer duration (few weeks) and fed her twice per day a cotton soaked in water and a cotton soaked in sugar water.

After two weeks (March 9) the wasp escaped during a photoshoot and I could not find her anymore. But after some time I noticed her on a dry cotton lying somewhere on the desk and she was clearly trying to drink from it. Apparently she was conditioned on the cottons during her captivity.

4. PARASITIC RELATIONS

Gelis spurius is connected as pseudohyperparasitoid on Ichneumonidae and Braconidae, and can be found / is reared from a wide range of hosts.
The following prey groups and species occurring in the Netherlands [Soortenregister] are cited in literature, including the primary host (hyperparasitism):

Flies
(Diptera)
Lauxaniidae
Sapromyza [Schwarz 2002]

Tephritidae
Rhagoletis
Rhagoletis alternata [Schwarz 2002]
Moths
(Lepidoptera)
Adelidae
Adela
Adela reaumurella [Schwarz 2002]
of
Incurvariidae
Incurvaria
Incurvaria pectinea [Schwarz 2002]

Psychidae
Dahlica [Schwarz 2002]

Psyche
Psyche casta [Schwarz 2002]
Wasps
(Parasitica)
Braconidae
Apanteles [Schwarz 2002]

Coeloides
Coeloides scolyticida [Schwarz 2002],[Schwarz & Shaw 1999] parasite on:
Scolytus scolytus or
Scolytus multistriatus

Microplitis
Microplitis mandibularis [Schwarz 2002],[Schwarz & Shaw 1999] parasite on Noctuidae

Ichneumonidae
Hyposoter [Schwarz 2002] parasite on:
Melitaea cinxia
Table 5-1: Parasitic species in the Netherlands

Parasitic species outside the Netherlands:



Table 5-2: Parasitic species outside the Netherlands

5. IDENTIFICATION

Length: 1,8 – 4,4 mm

Female are apterous [Schwarz 2002].
Males are brachypterous or macropterous [Schwarz 2002].

Genus

The genus Gelis can be recognized by the following characters:

1.  Achterlijf: terga 2 and 3 fully separated, or only partially or unclearly merged [Schwarz 1995] (here clearly separated)

Gelis spurius ♀︎, 2nd and 3rd tergite clearly separated

2. Achterlijf: tergum 1 with or without dorsal lateral carina [Schwarz 1995] (here with carina)

Gelis spurius ♀︎, dorsal lateral carinae clear

3. Achterlijf: tergum 1 not or rarely apically striped [Schwarz 1995] (here not striped)

Gelis spurius ♀︎, tergite 1 apically not striped

4. Achterlijf: if tergum 1 apically striped than laterotergite of the 2nd abdominal segment separated and wide [Schwarz 1995] (Here not the case)

Gelis spurius ♀︎, Gelis: laterotergite abdominalsegment 2 not separated from tergite


Gelis spurius ♀︎
Gelis spurius ♀︎
Gelis spurius ♀︎
Gelis spurius ♀︎
Gelis spurius ♀︎, propodeum
Gelis spurius ♀︎, ovipositor

HEAD

1. Head black [Schwarz 2002]
2. Antenne: flagellum segments basally or entirely orange- to yellowbrown [Schwarz 2002]
3. Scapus (antennal segment 1): seldom partly dark [Schwarz 2002]
3. Antenna: with 16-19 segments [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, antennae with 16-19 segments (here 19)

4. Antenna: antennal segment 3 is 2,2-2,5x longer than wide (here 2,4x) (lateral view) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, antennal segment 3 length (l) = 2,2-2,5x width (w) (here ±2,4x)

5. Antenna: antennal segment 7 is 1,1-1,6x longer than wide (here 1,6x) (lateral view) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, antennal segment 7 length (l) = 1,1-1,6x width (w) (here ±1,6x)

6. Head structure granulated [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, head granulate

7. Ocelli: distance between rear ocelli ( OOL ) is about 0,7-1,2x the distance between the rear ocellus and the inner eye edge ( POL ) [Schwarz 2002] (here ±1,2x)

Gelis spurius ♀︎, ratio length between rear ocelli (ool) : length between rear ocellus and inneredge eye = 0,7-1,2

8. Head: behind eyes somewhat strongly to weakly narrowed [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, head behind eyes somewhat strongly to weakly narrowed

9. Frons: densely haired, finely to very finely puntured [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, frons densely haired, finely to very finely punctated

10. Cheek: is 1,0-1,2x longer than mandible base width, 1,5x in small specimen (here ±1,0x) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, cheeks 1,0-1,2x width mandible base, 1,5x in smaller specimen (here ±1x)

11. Malar space without a furrow or weakly developed [Schwarz 2002] (here weakly developed)

Gelis spurius ♀︎, malar space furrow weakly developed
Gelis spurius ♀︎, malar space furrow weakly developed

12. Clypeus: black, seldom brown (here black) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎

13. Clypeus: convex [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, clypeus convex

14. Clypeus: with clear punctation [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, clypeus with clear punctation

15. Clypeus: lower edge weakly convex or sometimes straight, without tooth [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, clypeus loweredge weakly convex, sometimes straight, without tooth

16. Mandible: upper tooth somewhat longer than lower tooth [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, upper mandible tooth somewhat longer than lower

17. Mandible: except for teeth, yellow-brown to reddish (here reddish) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, mandibles, except teeth, yellow-brown to reddish

18. Palps: brown to orange-brown [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, palps brown to orange-brown

19. Eye: width is 1,8-2,1x length temple [Schwarz 1995]

BORSTSTUK

1. Thorax black [Schwarz 2002]
2. Mesonotum and pronotum not separated [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, mesonotum and pronotum not separated

3. Mesonotum: length = 0,5-0,7x width (here ±0,7x) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, mesontum length (l) = 0,5-0,7x width (w) (here ±0,7)

4. Mesonotum: almost flat or moderately convex [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, mesanotum almost flat, or moderately convex

5. Mesonotum: front with weak indentation in middle [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, front mesonotum in middle with weak indentation

6. Scutellum: not, or weakly limited, very short (here weakly limited) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, scutellum not or weakly limited, very short

7. Furrow between mesonotum and propodeum level and narrow [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, furrow between mesonotum and propodeum flat and narrow
Gelis spurius ♀︎, furrow between mesonotum and propodeum flat and narrow

8. Mesonotum: length = 0,5-0,7x length area anterior [Schwarz & Shaw 1999]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, length mesonotum (m) = 0,5-0,7x area anterior (aa)

9. Mesosternum: clearly shorter than width basal flagellum segment (segment 3) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, Mesosternum clearly shorter than width of basal flagellum segment (segment 3)

10. Propodeum: dorsally densely haired, not clearly less than mesonotum [Schwarz 2002]
11. Propodeum: dorsally convex, as a rule not higher than mesonotum [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, propodeum dorsally densely haired, not clearly less than mesonotum

12. Propodeum: with transverse carina, in middle widely interrupted or only indicated [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, propodeum with carina, in middle widely interrupted or only indicated

13. Legs: orange to orangebrown [Schwarz 2002]
14. Hindleg: femora 3,2-3,6x longer than high (here ±3,3x) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, length thigh III 3,2-3,6x width

15. Hindleg: tibia thickend, 5,3-6,0x longer than high (here ±5,3x) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, length tibia III 5,3-6,0x width

16. Hindleg: shin dorsally densely haired [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, tibia III dorsally densely haired

ABDOMEN

1. Abdomen black [Schwarz 2002]
2. Terga: from tergum 2 laterally orange- to yellowbrown [Schwarz 2002]
3. Terga: from tergum 6 or 7 entirely orange- to yellowbrown [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, tergites from tergite 2 lateral, and from tergite 6 or 7 entirely, orange- to yellowbrown

4. Terga: narrow apical edges orange- to yellow-brown [Schwarz 2002]
5. Tergum 2: edges orange- to yellow-brown [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, narrow apical edges tergites orange- to yellowbrown

6. Abdomen: densely haired [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, abdomen densely haired

7. Tergum 1: length is 1,3-1,6x width [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, length 1st tergite 1,3-1,6x width

8. Tergum 2: length laterotergite is 3,1-4,8x width (here ±3,1x) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, laterotergite tergite 2 length (l) = 3,1-4,8x width (w)

9. Ovipositor: shafts are 0,6-0,7x longer than shin III (hindleg) (here ±0,7x) [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, ovipositorshafts 0,6-0,7x longer than tibia hindleg

10. Ovipositor: with clear teeth ventrally [Schwarz 2002]

Gelis spurius ♀︎, ovipositor with clear teeth ventrally



Literature

Schwarz 1995 Schwarz M., 1995. Revision der westpaläarktischen Arten der Gattung Gelis THUNBERG mit apteren Weibchen und Thaumatogelis SCHIEDEKNECHT (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae). Teil 1. – Linzer biologische Beiträge – 0027_1: 5 - 105.

Schwarz 1998 Schwarz M., 1998. Revision der westpaläarktischen Arten der Gattungen Gelis THUNBERG mit apteren Weibchen und Thaumatogelis SCHMIEDEKNECHT (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae). Teil 2. – Linzer biologische Beiträge – 0030_2: 629 - 704.

Schwarz 2002 Schwarz M., 2002. Revision der westpaläarktischen Arten der Gattungen Gelis THUNBERG mit apteren Weibchen und Thaumatogelis SCHWARZ (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae). Teil 3 – Linzer biologische Beiträge – 0034_2: 1293 - 1392.

Schwarz & Shaw 1999 Schwarz M. & Shaw M., 1999. Western Palaearctic Cryptinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) in the National Museums of Scotland, with nomenclatural changes, taxonomic notes, rearing records and special reference to the British check list. Part 2. Genus Gelis THUNBERG (Phygadeuontini: Gelina). – Entomologist's Gazette – 50(2): 117 - 142.

Soortenregister Nederlands Soortenregister

Waarneming.nl Waarneming.nl

Citation

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



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