Batozonellus lacerticida (original) (raw)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Species of wasp

Batozonellus lacerticida
Batozonellus lacerticida. Museum specimen
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Suborder: Apocrita
Superfamily: Pompiloidea
Family: Pompilidae
Subfamily: Pompilinae
Genus: Batozonellus
Species: B. lacerticida
Binomial name
Batozonellus lacerticida(Pallas, 1771)

Batozonellus lacerticida is a species of the spider-hunting wasp of the family Pompilidae.[1]

Batozonellus lacerticida can reach a length of about 14 millimetres (0.55 in).[2] These spider hunting wasps have a mainly black body, with yellow markings on the abdomen. Wings are orange, with a brownish band on the tips of the forewings.[3]

This species hunts large orb weaver spiders (family Araneidae), mainly Argiope bruennichii, Argiope lobata, Araneus angulatus and Araneus ventricosus. The wasps paralyze these spiders with their poisonous stings and drag them into their underground nests. Then they lay an egg into the abdomen of their prey.[3][4]

This species can be found in most of Europe.[5]

  1. ^ Biolib
  2. ^ Hymenoptera varia
  3. ^ a b Insects in France
  4. ^ Macroclub
  5. ^ Fauna europaea