Episyron gallicum

Episyron gallicum is a spider-eating wasp which, as its name suggests, has a distribution centred on France.

Episyron gallicum
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Pompilidae
Genus: Episyron
Species:
E. gallicum
Binomial name
Episyron gallicum
Synonyms
  • Episyron intermedius Haupt, 1930
  • Episyron tertius Bluthgen, 1944
  • Pompilus gallicum Tournier, 1889

Habits

It hunts terrestrial spiders which hunt their prey such as Wolf spiders as opposed to web weaving spiders. The spider is paralysed with a sting and then the helpless spider is sealed in a tunnel and the wasp lays an egg on it. The grub dines on the living spider when it hatches.[2]

Habitat

Open terrain with loose sandy soil.[3]

Distribution

Southern Europe but has recently expanded its range into Poland, Germany and the United Kingdom.[3]

References
  1. http://ecat-dev.gbif.org/usage/103055530%5B%5D
  2. Roger Highfield, Science Editor (11 May 2006). "French wasp flies in to eat our spiders". Telegraph.co.uk.
  3. http://www.bedslife.org.uk/documents/newsletters/BioNews%20Spring%2006.pdf,


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