Official name
Synonyms
Spilomena beata [Soortenregister]
Spilomena expectata
Spilomena exspectata
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CONTENTS
1. Distribution
2. Behaviour
3. Plant relations
4. Prey relations
5. Parasitic relations
6. Identification
1. DISTRIBUTION
Spilomena beata is a rare wasp in the Netherlands [Waarneming.nl].
2. BEHAVIOUR
2.1. ACTIVITY
The species is active from May to half September [Peeters et al. 2004].
2.2. DEVELOPMENT
Nest
The females built their nests in abandoned corridors in dead wood gnawed by beetles Anobium sp. (Anobiidae) [Peeters et al. 2004],[Woydak 1996], but gnaw their own nests in the pith of plant stems too [Peeters et al. 2004],[Bohart & Menke 1976],[Blösch 2000],[Woydak 1996],[Danks 1974],[Lomholdt 1984].
The nesting corridors have a diameter of 1,0-1,4mm and a length of 3,5-6 mm [Danks 1974].
The nest corridors can be constructed linear with the brood cells in a row, or branched with the brood cells located at the end of the corridor [Lomholdt 1984]. The cells are separated with by walls constructed of wood pulp [Blösch 2000] or a 0,2-7mm wedge-shaped pith plug [Danks 1974]. Cells are provisioned with about 20 prey specimen [Peeters et al. 2004],[Blösch 2000].
Male and female cells are equal in size [Danks 1974].
The nest is sealed with a plug of wood shreds that are tamped tight with the abdomen and glued with saliva [Blösch 2000],[Dorow 1990],[Woydak 1996].
Females find their nest using smell and as a result normally take a lot of time to find it after returning from the hunt, which is typical in the genus Spilomena [Blösch 2000],[Lomholdt 1984]. They will scout around a large surface around the assumed nest position until they smelled it out using the antennae [Blösch 2000]
Nest locations may be shared with S. troglodytes [Woydak 1996].
2.3. BEE HOTEL
Females may use artificial nesting material and accept borehole of 1,5-2mm [Peeters et al. 2004],[Woydak 1996].
2.4. MATING
Spilomena beata develops two generation per year [Peeters et al. 2004],[Blösch 2000],[Dorow 1990].
2.5. HUNT
Prey specimen are carried to the nest using their mandibles [Bohart & Menke 1976],[Woydak 1996],[Lomholdt 1984].
3. PLANT RELATIONS
3.1. WOOD
The following wood types are mentioned in literature as medium for the wasp to built her nests in:
Adoxaceae | Sambucus (Elder) [Lomholdt 1984] |
Fagaceae | Fagus – Fagus sylvatica (Beech) [Woydak 1996] |
Rosaceae | Rubus (Blackberry) [Blösch 2000],[Dorow 1990] |
Scrophulariaceae | Buddleja [Danks 1974] |
Twigs [Bohart & Menke 1976],[Dorow 1990] and timber [Dorow 1990] may be used as well.
3.2. FOOD PLANTS
Males feed with honeydew liked from leaves.
The following plant species are mentioned in literature as food sources:
Apicaceae | Falcaria [Blösch 2000],[Dorow 1990] Pastinaca [Blösch 2000],[Dorow 1990] Peucedanum – Peucedanum cervaria [Bitsch & Leclercq 1993] |
Garden species
Our garden provides a number of these food plant. I have observer a Spilomena species foraging on Fennel (Foeniculum) but did not establish which one.
4. PREY RELATIONS
The species uses primarily the larvae of thrips (Thysanoptera) for her brood [Peeters et al. 2004],[Bohart & Menke 1976],[Blösch 2000],[Dorow 1990],[Klein 1999],[Lomholdt 1984].
The following species and group occurring in the Netherlands [Soortenregister] are mentioned in literature:
Thysanoptera (Thrips) [Bohart & Menke 1976] | Taeniothrips [Blösch 2000],[Woydak 1996] Thrips [Blösch 2000],[Woydak 1996] |
Garden species
None of the mentioned prey species have yet been observed in our garden.
5. PARASITIC RELATIONS
The following species and groups occurring in the Netherlands [Soortenregister] are mentioned in literature:
– | – |
Parasitic species outside the Netherlands:
Hymenoptera (Wespen) | Chalcidoidea (Bronswespen) Pteromalidae Lonchetron – Lonchetron fennicum [Bohart & Menke 1976] |
6. IDENTIFICATION
Length males: 2,5 – 3 mm
Length females: 2,5 – 3,5 mm
Genus
The genus Spilomena can be identified using the following characters:
1. Forewing: with two submarginal cells [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
2. Forewing: submarginal cell 2 not petiolate [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
3. Forewing: pterostigma large and almost semicircular [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
4. Forewing: radial cell(lr) longer than pterostigma (ls) [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
5. Forewing: radial cell tip sharp [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
6. Forewing: with one discoidal cell [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
7. Abdomen: first abdominal segment not petiolate [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
8. Abdomen: entirely black [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]



1. Antenna with 12 segments [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
2. Abdomen with 6 segments [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
HEAD
1. Clypeus: evenly rounded [Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991] , without longitudinal groove [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],11]
2. Mandible: usually black-brown [Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
3. Ratio distance between hind ocelli (POL) : distance hind ocellus to eye edge (OOL) = 1,4 – 2,0 (here ±1,4) [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
4. Occiput: developed less strongly [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
THORAX
1. Scutellum: frontal furrow narrow and without transverse carinae [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
2. Mesonotum: apical edge without longitudinal grooves [Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
3. Mesopleuron: with clear fine longitudinal wrinkles [Klein 1999]
3. Wings: veins brown [Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
4. Dorsal field propodeum limited by carina, without fine net-shaped wrinkles between the main sculpture [Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]

ABDOMEN
- Tergite 6 with double bristle row [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]

1. Antenna with 13 segments [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
2. Abdomen with 7 segments [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
3. Face and clypeus yellow, at least the front edge yellow [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
HEAD
1. Clypeus: apical edge with or without slight curve [Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
2. Clypeus: entirely or almost entirely yellow [Klein 1999]
3. Mandible: distally with narrow red-brown edge [Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
4. Ratio distance between hind ocelli (POL) : distance hind ocellus to eye edge (OOL) = 1,4 – 2,0 [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
5. Antenna: flag segments almost cylindrical [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
6. Antenna: flag dark coloured, at most on inside more or less red-brown [Klein 1999]
THORAX
1. Scutellum: frontal furrow narrow and without transverse carinae [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],[Dollfuss 1991]
2. Dorsal field propodeum limited by carina, without fine net-shaped wrinkles between the main sculpture [Klein 1999],[Jacobs 2007],11]
ABDOMEN
1. Aedoeagus apically pointed [Jacobs 2007]
Literature
Bitsch & Leclercq 1993 Bitsch, J. & Leclercq, J., 1993. Hyménoptères Sphecidae d'Europe occidentale. Fédération française des sociétés de sciences naturelles.Blösch 2000 Blösch, M. (2000). Die Grabwespen Deutschlands – Lebens‐weise, Verhalten, Verbreitung. 71. Teil. In Dahl, F.: Die Tierwelt Deutschlands. Begr.: 1925. – Keltern (Goecke & Evers). – 480 S. 341 Farbfotos. ISBN 3‐931374‐26‐2 (hardcover). DM 98,–. Zool. Reihe, 78: 353-353. https://doi.org/10.1002/mmnz.20020780208
Bohart & Menke 1976 Bohart, R.M. & Menke A.S., 1976. Sphecid wasps of the world: a generic revision. - University of California Press, 695 p.
Danks 1971 Danks, H.V., 1971. Biology of some stem‐nesting aculeate Hymenoptera. Transactions of the Royal Entomological Society of London, 122.11: 323-395.
Dollfuss 1991 Dollfuss, H., 1991. Bestimmungsschlüssel der Grabwespen Nord-und Zentraleuropas. Stapfia, 24, 1-247.
Dorow 1990 Dorow, W., 1990. 3.7 Hymenoptera: Aculeata (Stechimmen). Schönbuche. Zoologische Unter suchungen, 1992, 127-264.
Jacobs 2007 Jacobs, H.J., 2007. Die Grabwespen Deutschlands Ampulicidae. Sphecidae, Crabronidae–Bestimmungsschlüssel in Blank, SM & Taeger, A (Hrsg): Die Tierwelt Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Meeresteile nach ihren Merkmalen und nach ihrer Lebensweise, Hymenoptera III–Keltern, Goecke & Evers, 79: 1-207.
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.
Lomholdt 1984 Lomholdt, O., 1984. The Sphecidae (Hymenoptera) of Fennoscandia and Denmark. Fauna Entomologica Scandinavica, 4.1: 2.
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
Woydak 1996 Woydak, H., 1996. Hymenoptera Aculeata Westfalica Familia: Sphecidae (Grabwespen), 3-135.
Citation
Krischan, O.R., 2025. Spilomena beata. Kerfdier, www.kerfdier.nl. Accessed on [date month year].