Family Pompilidae Rank Species | Superfamily Vespoidea Subfamily Ceropalinae Order Hymenopterans | |
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Similar Ceropales, Hymenopterans, Episyron rufipes, Evagetes, Arachnospila | ||
Ceropales maculata pahrabalka skvrnit
Biology
Ceropales maculata is a very uncommon spider wasp. C. maculata intercepts other spider wasps engaged in prey transport, laying its eggs in the book lung of the captured spider. C. Maculata then allows the spider wasp to return to its nest, where larvae hatch, eat the host egg, and consume the spider.
Spider wasps kelptoparasitised by C. maculata include species in the genera Priocnemis, Pompilus, Agenioideus, Arachnospila, Anoplius, Episyron and Auplopus in Britain and Europe. Other species of non-Pompilid solitary wasp which use spiders as prey, for example the Sphecid Miscophus may also be parasitised by C maculata.
It is univoltine; adults are seen from May to September.
Habitat
Sandy areas such as heathlands, coastal dunes and sand pits.
Distribution
Palearctic.
