Burrowing wasps: should I be afraid, what types are there?

One day, after being away from home for a long time, I opened my kitchen cabinet and was horrified. On the top shelf, the headset discovered a very unusual nest of some kind of creature. The buildings were so non-standard that I was at a loss as to who lived in my apartment? “Investigation” on the Internet made it possible to find out that the structure belongs to an insect - the pelopei wasp, a truly amazing creature. I will tell you how to identify a burrowing wasp and its main features in my article.

Is the pelopei wasp dangerous or beneficial?

Distribution of common pelopeia

Pelopia vulgaris is a common species of hymenopteran insects. The range includes Central Asia, Mongolia and adjacent territories. It lives in the Caucasus, North Africa, central and southern Europe. In Russia, common pelopia spreads in Southern Siberia, inhabits the south and selectively the center of the European part, and penetrates north to Kazan. The northern border of the range runs through the Nizhny Novgorod region, where this species is found only in the vicinity of the village of Staraya Pustyn, Arzamas region.

Links[edit]

1. ↑
   Cirrus Digital: Potter Wasp and Mud Nest
2. [von Frisch, 1974].
3. McKenna, D.D.; Zangerl, A.R.; Berenbaum, M. R. (2001). "Native predator of the hymenoptera Agonopterix alstroemeriana (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) in east-central Illinois." Great Lakes entomologist
   .
   Michigan Entomological Society. 34
   : 71–75 - via CAB Direct.
4. PK Piekarski, JM Carpenter, AR Lemmon, E Moriarty-Lemmon, BJ Sharanowski (2018) Phylogenomic evidence challenges current concepts of social evolution in wasps (Vespidae). Molecular biology and evolution. DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy124

• James M. Carpenter (1986). "Synonymous general checklist of Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)" (PDF). Psyche
  .
  93
  (1–2): 61–90. DOI: 10.1155/1986/12489.
• Carpenter, J. M. and B. R. Garset-Barrett. 2003. Key to the Neotropical genera Eumeninae (Hymenoptera: Vespidae). Boletín del Museo Nacional de Historia Natural del Paraguay 14: 52–73.
• Giordani Jay, 1989. Terzo contributo alla conoscenza degli eumenidi afrotropicali (Hymenoptera). Societa Veneziana di Scienze Naturali Lavori 14 (1) 1989: 19–68.
• Giordani Sojka, A. 1992. Di alcuni eumenidi nuovi o poco noti (Hymenoptera Vespoidea). Societá Veneziana di Scienze Naturali Lavori 17, 1992: 41–68.
• Giordani Sojka, A. 1993. Di alcuni nuovi eumenidi della regione orientale (Hym. Vespoidea). Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Venezia 42, 30 June 1991 (1993): 151–163.
• Gusenleitner. 1992. Zwei neue Eumeniden-Gattungen und -Arten aus Madagaskar (Vespoidea, Hymenoptera). Linzer Biologische Beiträge 24 (1) 1992: 91–96.
• CSIRO Entomology Division. 1991. Insects of Australia: a textbook for students and research. 2nd edition. Melbourne University Press and Cornell University Press. 1137 p.
• Saussure, Henri de. 1852. Monographie des guêpes solitaires ou de la tribu des Euméniens. Geneva, J. Cherboulier, Paris, V. Masson.

Habitats of common pelopea

Common pelopei lives in the temperate zone and is found only in rural areas. It can be found in open places next to wet puddles with clay soil, and less often it appears on flowers. For nests it chooses well-heated attics of brick buildings. Prefers attics with iron roofs that are well lit.

Pelopei is a lover of heat

Does not settle in unheated buildings (sheds, warehouses). In nature, it nests only in southern territories. This species has not been recorded in urban areas.

Confession[edit]

Partial dorsal view of the thorax of Cephalastor estela,
showing the position of the tegulae and parategulae relative to the mesoscutum and pronotum

Most eumenine species are black or brown in color and are usually marked with sharply contrasting patterns of yellow, white, orange, or red (or combinations thereof), but some species, mostly from tropical regions, exhibit weak to strong blue or green metallic highlights in their background colors . Like most vespidae, their wings are folded longitudinally when at rest. They are particularly recognizable by the following combination of characteristics: 1) a posterolateral projection, known as the parategula, on either side of the mesoscutum; 2) claw cleft of the tarsus; 3) hind coxae with a longitudinal dorsal carina or fold, often turning into a lobe or tooth; 4) fore wings with three submarginal cells.

Reproduction of common pelopeia

Pelopia is a common thermophilic species. It builds nests in the most unexpected places, as long as it is warm and dry. For nesting, it chooses corners of greenhouses, beams of a warm attic, kitchen ceilings, and bedrooms of a village house. One day, a nest of pelopei was found in a room where the steam boiler of a silk spinning machine was working, and the temperature in the room reached forty-nine degrees and only dropped slightly at night. Pelopei nests were found on a stack of papers left on the table or on window curtains. Clay structures of insects are often found in old quarries among heaps of small stones, in industrial waste, under slabs loosely pressed to the ground.

Pelopei

Pelopei nests are found in rooms with a wide stove; they are located at the mouth of the stove, the vestibule or on the side walls. Despite the abundance of smoke and soot, larvae develop in such places. The main building material is clay, which pelopei extracts from non-drying puddles and wet banks. A nest is a multi-cell structure in the form of a shapeless piece of clay. To feed the larvae, spiders are placed in each cell, the size of which must correspond to the size of the cells. They are paralyzed and transported to the nest. The number of spiders packed into a cell ranges from 3 to 15 individuals. The egg is laid next to the first (lower) spider, then the hole is covered with clay. After construction is completed, the entire surface of the structure is coated with another layer of clay. The larva first eats the lower spider and before pupation there is not a single insect left in the cell to feed on. Pelopeis can lay several clutches during the year. In summer, development lasts 25-40 days. Overwintering takes place at the larval stage, hidden in a cocoon. Adults emerge at the end of June.

Pelopei burrowing wasp

Features of the behavior of earthen wasps

In the summer, in the garden you can see striped workers hiding in a hole. The sight is unusual, so the question arises: do wasps live in the ground? With all the diversity of wasp species, there are families that dig holes to raise their offspring. These are loners, laying eggs in separate cells. Females do not care for their offspring regularly; they leave food and seal the burrow. Newborn larvae eat living but paralyzed insects until they become stronger. Adults dig up a passage and get out. Now their diet will consist of nectar and sweet juice. Predatory wasps prefer to raise larvae on caterpillars and bunches, destroying a large number of pests. Social wasps live in colonies of hundreds of individuals. They are the ones who pose a threat to the owners of the land where they have settled. A huge number of aggressive predators are a constant threat of bite during agricultural work. Winged insects living in the ground lead a familiar lifestyle. The queen lays eggs and manages the colony. In the spring, she builds a nest herself and flies to collect food for the first larvae. With the advent of working individuals, she stops flying, focusing exclusively on laying eggs.

Nest of common pelopea

The basis of the pelopeia nest is clay collected in damp places on the slopes along rivulets and streams, and silt from these banks. Insects can be seen near livestock watering holes, where during the hottest period the clay remains wet from spilled water. Pelopeis collect lumps of dirt in midair, fluttering their wings and raising their abdomen high on thin legs. A small lump of clay the size of a pea is picked up in the jaws and carried to the nest. Places clay on the cell and flies for a new portion, building up new layers. Pelopei's nests are fragile and get wet from water and are destroyed by rain. Therefore, burrowing wasps build a clay structure under the roof of human dwellings, where water does not seep.

Pelopei's nest

The nest is cellular and contains several earthen honeycombs, forming one row, but more often several rows. The largest structures have fifteen to twelve cells, but usually there are three or four and sometimes one cell in a nest. The first cell always contains a full clutch of pelopeia eggs, and the last structures remain empty. The same insect builds several nests in different shelters. Clay cells are cylindrical in shape, narrowed at the top in front of the hole. The length of the chamber is three centimeters, the width is 0.1 - 0.15 cm. The surface of the mud is leveled, but there are still traces from the application of the next layer - scars, so you can count how many times the pelopei flew to the reservoir for material. Usually fifteen to twenty scars are visible on the surface; this is how many trips the insect has made to fashion one cell.

Clay honeycombs are laid one after another and filled with spiders.

After the eggs are laid, the hole is closed with clay. And the entire building is once again covered with a layer of dirt for strength. Lumps of dirt form randomly, and the nest becomes covered with a rough, dirty crust. Pelopei carefully sculpted individual cells, but the final structure looks like a lump of dirt stuck to the wall.

Precautionary measures

Having decided how to get rid of earthen wasps, you need to take care of your own protection. You should be careful while working, because a disturbed swarm can severely bite a person. Recommended safety measures include:

• Wear protective suit. The best option is beekeeper's clothing, but casual clothing is also suitable. It should be sewn from thick fabric. Long sleeves, a cap on your head and a net on your face are required. Put gloves on your hands.
• While working, do not make noise or make sudden movements. These actions provoke an attack by insects.
• You should take care of shelter in advance in case of an attack. If a residential building is built close to the nest, it is worth closing all the windows.
• It is better to destroy earthen wasps in the evening. At this time of day they gather in the nest and prepare for sleep. You can catch the entire swarm in one place and with minimal activity.

In a situation where the insect nest is located in a remote corner and does not pose a serious danger, it is better not to disturb it. In the fall, its inhabitants will scatter and die.

Reasons for the decline in the number of common pelopea

The main reasons for the decline in the number of common pelopeia is the freezing of the larvae in winter. Rainy, cold years create unfavorable conditions for reproduction and are not suitable for breeding offspring. An important limiting factor is the presence of parasites. In some cells with paralyzed spiders, pelopei larvae are absent; they are destroyed by parasites.

Common Pelopias

Catching insects for collections and destroying nests lead to the disappearance of pelopeis in most of their range. Populations are very low throughout and continue to decline. Too few places suitable for breeding of burrowing wasps remain in the habitat.

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What do they eat?

Adult burrowing Hymenoptera feed on plant sap, sugary juices, or secretions of other insects (sweet honeydew from aphids).

Some representatives of this genus drink clean water. And certain burrowing insects squeeze the collected nectar from the crops (the extended part of the esophagus) of honey bees.

The nutritional diet of the larvae consists of various insects (butterfly larvae, spiders, moths, flies). Each species of burrowing hymenoptera selects certain insects as victims. They are skilled hunters.

Wasps are capable of delivering deadly blows with precision. When the victim is stung, it becomes paralyzed and remains paralyzed for a long time.

External links [edit]

• Eumenes spp., Florida pottery wasps at UF/IFAS Featured Creatures
• Vespidae: potter wasps; Vespid wasps; Social wasps; Hornets; Paper wasps; Yellow jackets
• Subfamily Eumeninae - Wasps of Potters and Masons

Reviews and comments

0 Zina 09.15.2015 19:55 I have been afraid of these individuals since childhood. It is especially dangerous when wasps make their nests in the ground, for example, under apple trees. If you accidentally stumble, you can get into trouble. And everyone’s reaction to bites is different, be careful!

Quote

0 Sergey 01/29/2016 12:51 There are wasps in my house under the roof (in the attic). Such healthy honeycombs with slowly crawling (after all, it’s winter) wasps. Tell me how to destroy them, because I am very afraid of bites and swell very much when stung by a bee (wasps have not bitten), but they say they are stronger than bees.

Quote

0 Irina 08/03/2017 03:42 Every year in the spring, wasps and hornets appear on our balcony, although our balcony is glazed, but apparently they find loopholes.
No matter what chemicals we tried, nothing helped. One day, a bottle of hairspray was at hand, the stream from which was mercilessly directed at the next hornet and, lo and behold, he was killed on the spot. Of course, a decent amount of varnish is wasted, but what can you do... Quote

Kinds

• Eumenes achterbergi Giordani Soika, 1992
• Eumenes acuminatus de Saussure, 1856
• Eumenes acus Giordani Soika
• Eumenes aemilianus Guiglia, 1951
• Eumenes aethiopica de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes affinissimus de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes agillimus Dalla Torre, 1894
• Eumenes agillimus Smith
• Eumenes algirus (Schulz)
• Eumenes alluaudi Per.
• Eumenes americanus de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes andrei Dalla Torre, 1894
• Eumenes antennatus Bingham, 1898
• Eumenes apicalis Macleay, 1826
• Eumenes aquilonius Sk. Yamane,1977
• Eumenes arbustorum (Panzer, 1799)
• Eumenes architectus Smith, 1858
• Eumenes arcuatus Fabricius
• Eumenes arnoldi Bequaert, 1926
• Eumenes asiaticus Gusenleitner, 1970
• Eumenes asioboreus Kim & Yamane, 2001
• Eumenes assamensis Meade-Waldo, 1910
• Eumenes aterrimus Schulthess Rechberg
• Eumenes atrophicus (Fabricius, 1798)
• Eumenes aureoniger Giordani Soika
• Eumenes aureus Isely, 1917
• Eumenes autrani Brethes, 1903
• Eumenes belfragei Cresson, 1872
• Eumenes belli Giordani Soika, 1973
• Eumenes bequaerti Giordani Soika
• Eumenes bicinctus de Saussure
• Eumenes bisignatus Walker, 1871
• Eumenes blandus Smith, 1861
• Eumenes boettcheri Giordani Soika, 1941
• Eumenes bollii Cresson, 1872
• Eumenes bonariensis Brethes, 1905
• Eumenes brunneus Isely, 1917
• Eumenes buddha Cameron, 1898
• Eumenes campaniformis Fabricius
• Eumenes canaliculatus de Saussure
• Eumenes capensis Schulthess, 1910
• Eumenes caspica Bluthgen, 1952
• Eumenes celonitiformis Giordani Soika
• Eumenes coarctatus (Linnaeus 1758)
• Eumenes comberi Dover, 1925
• Eumenes consobrinus de Saussure, 1856
• Eumenes conspicuus Smith, 1858
• Eumenes coronatus (Panzer 1799)
• Eumenes coyotae Bohart, 1948
• Eumenes crassicornis Isely, 1917
• Eumenes crimensis Bluthgen, 1938
• Eumenes crucifera Prov., 1888
• Eumenes cruciferoides Giordani Soika, 1978
• Eumenes cubensis Cresson, 1865
• Eumenes cyrenaicus Bluthgen, 1938
• Eumenes dilectula Walker, 1871
• Eumenes diligens Smith, 1864
• Eumenes dimidativentris Giordani Soika
• Eumenes dimidiativentris (Giordani Soika)
• Eumenes dimidiatus Br.
• Eumenes distincta de Saussure
• Eumenes dorsomaculatus Zavattari, 1912
• Eumenes dorycus Maindron, 1882
• Eumenes dubius de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes eburneopictus Giordani Soika
• Eumenes enigmatus Viereck, 1908
• Eumenes erythraspis Cameron, 1910
• Eumenes erythropoda Cameron, 1898
• Eumenes excipiendus Spinosa, 1851
• Eumenes exiguus de Saussure, 1856
• Eumenes femoratus Schulthess
• Eumenes ferruginea Holland, 1917
• Eumenes festanus Zavattari 1912
• Eumenes filiformis (de Saussure, 1856)
• Eumenes flavigularis Bluthgen
• Eumenes floralis Smith, 1858
• Eumenes formosensis Giordani Soika, 1941
• Eumenes fraterculus Dalla Torre, 1894
• Eumenes fraternus Say, 1824
• Eumenes fuellebornianus Schulthess, 1910
• Eumenes fulvipennis Bequard, 1926
• Eumenes fulvoides Giordani Soika, 1949
• Eumenes fulvopilosellus Giordani Soika, 1965
• Eumenes gibbosus Nguyen, 2015 – Vietnam[2]
• Eumenes glacialis Giordani Soika, 1940
• Eumenes globulosus de Saussure, 1855
• Eumenes gracillimus Giordani Soika
• Eumenes gribodianus Guiglia, 1933
• Eumenes guillarmodi Giordani Soika, 1975
• Eumenes haemorrhoidalis Smith?
• Eumenes henricus Cameron, 1908
• Eumenes hessei Giordani Soika
• Eumenes histro (Vill., 1789)
• Eumenes humbertianus de Saussure, 1867
• Eumenes improvisus Giordani Soika, 1975
• Eumenes impunctatus Prov., 1888
• Eumenes incola Giordani Soika
• Eumenes inconspicuus Smith, 1857
• Eumenes indetonsus Morawitz
• Eumenes inombratus Giordani Soika, 1934
• Eumenes insolens Smith, 1865
• Eumenes insularis Smith
• Eumenes interpositus Gusenleitner, 1972
• Eumenes invertitus Giordani Soika
• Eumenes janseii Cameron, 1910
• Eumenes jarkandensis Blüthgen, 1938
• Eumenes kangrae Dover, 1925
• Eumenes karafutonis Sk. Yamane, 1977
• Eumenes kashmirensis Giordani Soika
• Eumenes kiangsuensis Giordani Soika, 1941
• Eumenes koriensis Giordani Soika, 1992
• Eumenes labiatus Giordani Soika, 1941
• Eumenes leptogaster Walker
• Eumenes libycus Giordani Soika
• Eumenes longirostris Gerstäcker, 1857
• Eumenes lucasius de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes lunulatus Fabricius
• Eumenes luristanensis Giordani Soika, 1949
• Eumenes lybicus Giordani Soika
• Eumenes macedonicus Bluthgen, 1952
• Eumenes macrops de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes mainpuriensis Smith, 1870
• Eumenes makilingi Willink, 1928
• Eumenes marginellus (Herrich-Schäffer, 1841)
• Eumenes maxillosus (De Geer, 1773)
• Eumenes mediterraneus Kriechbaumer, 1879
• Eumenes megalospilus Cameron, 1911
• Eumenes melanosoma de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes melanosomus de Saussure
• Eumenes micado Cameron 1904
• Eumenes micropunctatus Giordani Soika, 1975
• Eumenes microscopicus de Saussure
• Eumenes minuta de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes modestus Gusenleitner 2006
• Eumenes mongolicus (Moravitz, 1889)
• Eumenes moseri (Schulz, 1906)
• Eumenes multipictus de Saussure, 1855
• Eumenes niger Brulle
• Eumenes pachygaster Isely, 1917
• Eumenes papillarius (Christ 1791)
• Eumenes parisii Giordani Soika, 1939
• Eumenes pedunculatus (Panzer, 1799)
• Eumenes peringeyanus Schulthess, 1913
• Eumenes persimilis Giordani Soika, 1960
• Eumenes philanthes de Saussure
• Eumenes pictus Smith, 1857
• Eumenes piriformis de Saussure, 1862
• Eumenes pius Giordani Soika, 1986
• Eumenes placens Nurse, 1903
• Eumenes pomiformis (Fabricius 1781)
• Eumenes pomiformis (Rossi)
• Eumenes priesneri Giordani Soika
• Eumenes pseudubius Gusenleitner, 1972
• Eumenes punctaticlypeus Giordani Soika 1943
• Eumenes punctatus de Saussure 1852
• Eumenes pyriformis de Saussure, 1862
• Eumenes quadratus Smith, 1852
• Eumenes quadrispinosus de Saussure, 1855
• Eumenes quettaensis (Cameron)
• Eumenes rauensis Giordani Soika
• Eumenes relata Dover, 1925
• Eumenes rethoides (Spinosa, 1854)
• Eumenes robusta Kostylev, 1940
• Eumenes robustus Isely, 1917
• Eumenes roemeri Handlirsch
• Eumenes rotundicollis Cameron
• Eumenes rubrofemoratus Giordani Soika, 1941
• Eumenes rubroniger (Giordani Soika)
• Eumenes rubronotatus Perkins, 1905
• Eumenes rufomaculatus (Fox, 1899)
• Eumenes sakalavus (de Saussure, 1900)
• Eumenes samurayi Schulthess, 1908
• Eumenes sardous Guiglia, 1951
• Eumenes sareptanus André, 1884
• Eumenes saundersi Westwood, 1855
• Eumenes sculleni Bohart, 1950
• Eumenes separatus Gusenleitner, 1972
• Eumenes septentrionalis Giordani Soika, 1940
• Eumenes sericeus de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes sichelii Giordani Soika
• Eumenes signicornis Walker, 1871
• Eumenes sikkimensis Giordani Soika, 1986
• Eumenes simplicilamellatus Giordani Soika, 1934
• Eumenes singularis Smith
• Eumenes smithii de Saussure, 1852
• Eumenes solidus Gusenleitner, 1972
• Eumenes stenogaster Isely, 1917
• Eumenes subpomiformis Bluthgen, 1938
• Eumenes sulcigastra Gribodo, 1884
• Eumenes tosawae Giordani Soika, 1941
• Eumenes totonacus de Saussure
• Eumenes transbaicalicus Kurzenko, 1984
• Eumenes tripolitanus Giordani Soika, 1939
• Eumenes tripunctatus (Christ, 1791)
• Eumenes unguiculatus Villers
• Eumenes variepunctatus Giordani Soika, 1958
• Eumenes velutinus Ducke, 1911
• Eumenes verticalis Say, 1824
• Eumenes viatrix Nurse
• Eumenes violaceus Giordani Soika
• Eumenes vishnu Cameron, 1898
• Eumenes wagae Rad., 1876
• Eumenes xanthaspis Cameron, 1910
• Eumenes xanthurus de Saussure
• Eumenes zimmermanni Giordani Soika, 1934

Literature

• Kazenas V. L. Burrowing wasps of Central Asia and Kazakhstan.
  Determinant . // Science, 1978, 170 pp.
• Kazenas V.L. Burrowing wasps (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae) of Southeast Kazakhstan
  // Tr. VEO, 1972, pp. 93-533.
• Template:book
• Template:book
• Nemkov P. G., Kazenas V. L., Budris E. R., Antropov A. V. 1995. Sem.
  Sphecidae - Burrowing wasps // Template:book
• Pulavsky V.V. 1978. Sem.
  Sphecidae - Burrowing wasps // Template:book
• Bitsch J., Y. Barbier, S. F. Gayubo, K. Schmidt & M. Ohl (1997) Hyménoptères Sphecidae d´Europe occidentale
  . Vol. 2. 1-429, Paris.
• Blösch, M. (2000) Die Grabwespen Deutschlands
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  University of California Press, Berkeley, California.
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  . Zoologica Scripta 28: 233–250.
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Folk remedies

During flowering of plants, when the use of chemicals is prohibited, infusions of herbs: garlic, tansy or yarrow, and tobacco will help get rid of leafhoppers.

Garlic. Garlic cloves crushed into a pulp are poured with hot water (a glass of cloves for 9 - 10 liters) and left for 2 hours. The affected plants are generously sprayed with the strained solution.

Tansy, wormwood or yarrow. 500 g of roots or herbs are brewed with a bucket of boiling water. The cooled infusion is poured over the plants. There is no need to be afraid of an overdose of the medicine; the infusions are completely safe.

Tobacco. Powdered shag (1 tablespoon) is poured with hot water (1 liter) and left for an hour to an hour and a half. Strawberries, vegetables or berry bushes are sprayed with the strained solution. Tobacco dust or wood ash can simply be sprinkled directly onto the foamy clots; this is fatal to the larvae.

It may help to wash away the pest by generously watering it with soapy water. Laundry, tar or green soap (can be bought at a garden store) is dissolved in warm water, using 180 - 200 g per bucket of liquid.