Dolichovespula adulterina
The Wrong cuckoo wasp ( Dolichovespula adult erina ) is a cuckoo wasp of the order Hymenoptera ( Hymenoptera). She lives as a social parasite of the Saxon wasp ( Dolichovespula saxonica ). Your sting is painful when people only slightly.
Features
The wasps reach a body length of 14-17 millimeters (females ) or 12 to 15 millimeters (male). The spot on the clypeus and the yellow abdomen drawing are variable. The males can be distinguished from the other species of the genus Dolichovespula only by a genital examination.
Occurrence
The species occurs from the Pyrenees across northern and central Europe east to Japan before. But they are also found in eastern North America. They settled as their host species, various open habitats and is also found in the vicinity of man. It occurs in Central Europe before spreading and flies from mid-June to late August. Young animals of the new generation fly from mid-July.
Way of life
The Wrong cuckoo wasp is a social parasite of the Saxon wasp. In North America, however Dolichovespula arenaria is parasitized. The females fly around looking for host nests in the characteristic wobble flight. Penetrates females in a host nest one, it behaves apathetic and lets the attacks protected by their thick exoskeleton endure. Presumably this also pheromones are released. The host animals have stabilized, the intruder kills the queen with a stitch and removes eggs and larvae. The cells are filled with many of their own eggs, which are produced relatively quickly. The workers of the host nest provide for the rearing of the new breed. Since the females of the wrong cuckoo wasp have a short life and no other workers are trained, the nests remain quite small, usually with two combs.