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HYMENOPTERA, Tiphiidae (Leach 1815) - (Vespoidea) -- <Images> & <Juveniles>

Please refer to the following link for details on this group:

Tiphiidae = Link 1

Description & Statistics

Commonly known as Tiphiid wasps or flower wasps this is a family of large solitary wasps whose larvae are almost parasitoids of beetle larvae, particularly those in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea.

Most species are small, but some range to 32 mm in length. Females of some subfamilies (e.g., Brachycistidinae, Diamminae, Methochinae, and Thynninae) are apterous They seek out beetle larvae on or in the ground, or (in one species) mole crickets. The prey are paralysed and an egg is deposited upon it so the wasp larva has ample food. In winged species, males are similar in size to the females, but are more slender. The males of species with wingless females, are usually much larger than the females and have wings. Adults feed on nectar and thus serve a small function in pollinators. When attacking pest scarab species on the ground some of these wasps are thus beneficial in biological control.

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References: Please refer to <biology.ref.htm>, [Additional references may be found at: MELVYL Library ]

Allen, H. W. 1961. Trans. Amer. Ent. Soc. 87: 1-20.

Clausen, C. P. 1940. Entomophagous Insects. McGraw-Hill Book Co., NY. 688 p.

Engel, M.. S., J. Ortega-Blanco & D. J. Bennett. 2009. A remarkable tiphiiform wasp in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae). Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci. 112: 1-6.

Evans, H. E. & M. J. W. Eberhard. 1970. The Wasps. Univ. Mich. Press. 265 p.

Goulet H & J. Hüber. 1993. Hymenoptera of the World: An Identification Guide to Families. Agriculture Canada Publication. 668 pp.

Pate, L. 1947. J. NY. Ent. Soc. 55: 115-43.

Rogers M. E. & D. A. Potter. 2004. Biology and conservation of Tiphia wasps, parasitoids of turf-infesting white grubs. Acta Hort. (ISHS) 661: 505-510.

Stange, L. 1994. The Tiphiid wasps of Florida (Hymenoptera: Tiphiidae). Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry. Entomology Circular No. 364. 2 pp.

Tooker J. & L. Hanks. 2000. Flowering plant hosts of adult Hymenopteran parasitoids of Central Illinois. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 93: 580-588.