Arachnospila anceps is one of the more common spider wasps of western Europe.
| Arachnospila anceps | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Pompilidae |
| Genus: | Arachnospila |
| Species: | A. anceps
|
| Binomial name | |
| Arachnospila anceps (Wesmael, 1851)
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| Synonyms | |
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Description
editA. anceps is a medium-sized, black and red spider wasp.
Distribution
editThis species is found in northern and central Europe, including most of Britain and Ireland, and in Asia east to Mongolia.[2]
Biology
editThe flight period is May to September and the species is probably univoltine. A wide range of spiders are taken as prey; the families Lycosidae, Clubionidae and Thomisidae have been recorded and Gnaphosidae and Agelenidae are also possible prey.[2] The spider is paralysed before being dragged backwards[3] to the nest site where it is hidden on a plant while the burrow is rapidly excavated. It occurs in a variety of habitats and on most soils with the possible exception of heavy clay soils.[2] There are no records of which flowers are visited by A. anceps for nectar.[2]
References
edit- ^ "Fauna Europaea". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Edwards R. & Broad G. (eds), 2006, Provisional Atlas for the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland Part 6, NERC ISBN 1 870393 84 8
- ^ "Lowland Heathland - Spider-Hunting Wasps (Pompilinae: Arachnospila spp)", Nature Conservation Imaging: The Photographs of Jeremy Early, retrieved April 20, 2012
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