Arachnospila anceps

Arachnospila anceps is one of the more common spider wasps of western Europe.

Arachnospila anceps
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Pompilidae
Genus: Arachnospila
Species:
A. anceps
Binomial name
Arachnospila anceps
(Wesmael, 1851)
Synonyms
  • Pompilus anceps
  • Pompilus krombachi
  • Pompilus cyrnus
  • Pompilus expletus
  • Pompilus navus
  • Pompilus peninsulanus
  • Pompilus radiosus
  • Pompilus saxaeus
  • Arachnospila serica
  • Pompilus unguicularis
  • Sphex vagus[1]

Description

A. anceps is a medium-sized, black and red spider wasp.

Distribution

This species is found in northern and central Europe, including most of Britain and Ireland, and in Asia east to Mongolia.[2]

Biology

The 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
  1. http://www.faunaeur.org/full_results.php?id=198282
  2. Edwards R. & Broad G. (eds), 2006, Provisional Atlas for the aculeate Hymenoptera of Britain and Ireland Part 6, NERC ISBN 1 870393 84 8
  3. "Lowland Heathland - Spider-Hunting Wasps (Pompilinae: Arachnospila spp)", Nature Conservation Imaging: The Photographs of Jeremy Early, retrieved April 20, 2012


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