Leptochilus republicanus

Identification Atlas of the Vespidae (Hymenoptera, Aculeata) of the northeastern Nearctic region
CJAI 05, February 19, 2008
doi: 10.3752/cjai.2008.05

Matthias Buck, Stephen A. Marshall, and David K.B. Cheung

Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1

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38. Leptochilus republicanus (Dalla Torre, 1889)
Figs B2.23, 41; B6.2, 5, 6; C38.1–7.

Species recognition. Besides characters given in the key L. republicanus differs from L. acolhuus as follows: Clypeus strongly convex, its free apical margin hardly produced (weakly convex, with strongly produced apical margin); tergum 1 not overlapping sternum 1 on petiolate base, i.e., lateral margins of tergum 1 separated from each other by 2x mid ocellar diameter (overlapping sternum 1 on petiolate base, lateral margins separated by one mid ocellar diameter).

Variation. Fore wing length 5.5–6.5 mm. The body of northeastern specimens is black with yellow markings. Southern specimens also have red markings, especially replacing black areas of tergum 1. The extent of yellow markings in northeastern specimens is relatively constant: In females, the yellow clypeal spot varies from very small to covering more than half of the clypeus; the apical fascia of tergum 3 is usually more or less developed but sometimes absent.

Distribution. Canada: newly recorded from southern Ontario. Eastern U.S.: MA and NY in Atlantic coast states south to FL, also NE, CO, KS, TX (Parker 1966). The new Ontario records represent a significant range extension with the closest previously known localities in extreme southeastern parts of NY and PA. The species has not been recorded from either OH or MI.

Biology. Nests in hollow twigs of Rhus and Sambucus. Nest partitions are made from an inner plug of macerated pith and an outer plug of sand; closing plugs are made of sand (Parker 1966). Prey are leaf-mining larvae of Chrysomelidae, Buprestidae and Curculionidae (Krombein 1979).

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