Tachysphex
Tachysphex sp. in Dar es Salaam
Tachysphex is a species-rich genus of grave wasps ( Spheciformes ) from the family Crabronidae. Worldwide 446 species are known; the genus, making it the richest of the tribe Larrini. In the Palearctic about 138 are located, arrive in Europe of which 47 species.
Features
The species of the genus Tachysphex are 4-18 mm in length, the majority of the species reached 6-10 mm body length. The grave wasps are black, her abdomen is partially red in some species, as well as the legs. Unlike the similar genus Tachytes the Pygidialfeld of the females and the seventh abdominal segment is hairless. You can complete the black-colored species differ from each other only with difficulty especially.
Way of life
The usually multicellular nests are laid in sandy or cohesive soils, where flat surfaces are preferred populated. Larger parts and stones bear the females continue with the mandibles, fine material is dug with the tarsi of the front legs in unison and pushed the body back from the course. The course is mostly flat in the ground, the cells are built at a depth of only about three to six centimeters. The nest entrance is closed depending on the absence or remains open. The brood is supplied with locusts. Depending on a specific family of grasshoppers is preferred hunted. The booty is brought into the nest with the ventral side up, either in flight or going. Their sensors are packed with the mandibles, in flight, the prey is additionally stabilized with the legs. Eggs are laid on either the first or the last grasshopper, near the hips of the front legs. In the cell, the prey is stored with the ventral side up and directed the head down. The anesthetized animals move often still weak their legs and antennae.
Pupation takes place in a solid cocoon is spun from silk, which is overlaid with bonded sand. There are a number of parasitoids, such as gold wasps, spiders, ants, bee fly and fly Trabant known to infect the grave wasps. The adults are flower visitors. In the evening or in bad weather, the animals are looking for a cavity, males with Tarsenkamm dig a.
System
Tachysphex belongs to the tribe Larrini within the subfamily Crabroninae.
Species ( Europe)
- Tachysphex adjunctus carbon 1885
- Tachysphex albocinctus (Lucas 1849)
- Tachysphex blattivorus Gussakovskij 1952
- Tachysphex brevipennis Mercet 1909
- Tachysphex brullii F. Smith in 1833
- Tachysphex carli Beaumont 1947
- Tachysphex consocius carbon 1892
- Tachysphex coriaceus A. Costa 1867
- Tachysphex costae De Stefani 1882
- Tachysphex Ctenophorus Pulawski 1971
- Tachysphex denisi Beaumont 1936
- Tachysphex descendentis Mercet 1909
- Tachysphex erythropus ( Spinola 1839)
- Tachysphex Euxinus Pulawski 1958
- Tachysphex excelsus R. Turner 1917
- Tachysphex ferrugineus Pulawski 1971
- Tachysphex fugax Radoszkowski 1877
- Tachysphex fulvicornis R. Turner 1918
- Tachysphex fulvitarsis A. Costa 1867
- Tachysphex gracilitarsis Morice 1910
- Tachysphex graecus carbon 1883
- Tachysphex helveticus carbon 1885
- Tachysphex incertus Radoszkowski 1877
- Tachysphex julliani carbon 1883
- Tachysphex latifrons carbon 1884
- Tachysphex lindbergi Beaumont 1956
- Tachysphex mediterraneus carbon 1883
- Tachysphex minutus Nurse 1909
- Tachysphex moczaryi carbon 1884
- Tachysphex nitidior Beaumont 1940
- Tachysphex nitidissimus Beaumont 1952
- Tachysphex nitidus ( Spinola 1805)
- Tachysphex obscuripennis ( Schenck 1857)
- Tachysphex obscurus Pulawski 1971
- Tachysphex panzeri ( Vanderlinden 1829)
- Tachysphex persian Gussakovskij 1933
- Tachysphex plicosus (A. Costa 1867)
- Tachysphex pompiliformis ( Panzer 1805)
- Tachysphex psammobius (Kohl 1880)
- Tachysphex pseudopanzeri Beaumont 1955
- Tachysphex saundersi Mercet 1909
- Tachysphex schmiedeknechti carbon 1883
- Tachysphex sordidus ( Dahlbom 1845)
- Tachysphex subdentatus F. Morawitz 1893
- Tachysphex tarsinus ( Lepeletier 1845)
- Tachysphex tessellatus ( Dahlbom 1845)
- Tachysphex unicolor ( Panzer 1806)