First record in Africa of the parasitoid Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) from tomato fields in Algeria

The Neotropical parasitoid wasp Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris (Marsh, 1975) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), one of the most important biocontrol agents of the South American tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is reported for the first time from Africa, from tomato grown in open fields and greenhouses in several regions of Algeria. Color photos of specimens from Algeria, Spain and South America, as well as the holotype and one paratype are provided. Morphological and molecular details to better characterize and recognize the species are also provided. We speculate that D. gelechiidivoris arrived accidentally to Algeria from Spain, where it has recently been reported. The consequences for future biocontrol projects against T. absoluta in Africa are discussed.

Two new species of Cymodusa Holmgren (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae) with a key to species known from China and Oriental region

Two new species of genus Cymodusa Holmgren, 1859, C. culaiica Sheng, Li & Sun, sp.nov. collected from Culaishan Natural Reserve, Shandong province and C. melana Sheng, Li & Sun, sp.nov. collected from Guiyang and Fanjingshan National Natural Reserve, Guizhou province, are described and illustrated. A taxonomic key to the species of Cymodusa from China and the Oriental region is provided.

The genus Orionis Shaw (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae) in the Old World

The euphorine braconid genus Orionis Shaw, 1987 is found to be more diverse in the Old World than had previously been recognised. Orionis was regarded previously as largely Neotropical, with one Oriental species (Orionis orientalis Shimbori & Shaw, 2016) known from Thailand, but we recognise an additional three species from the Oriental and Palaearctic regions. Three species of Euphorinae are transferred to Orionis Shaw, 1987 and are new combinations: Orionis coxator (Belokobylskij, 1995), comb. nov., Orionis erratus (Chen & van Achterberg, 1997), comb. nov., and Orionis flavifacies (Belokobylskij, 2000), comb. nov. Previously known from the Far Eastern Palaearctic, O. coxator has surprisingly been found in Europe, in Belgium, England and the Netherlands. The inclusion of these species in Orionis, whereas most previous species have been described from the Neotropics, is justified by Bayesian analysis of the D2 region of 28S, Cytochrome Oxidase I barcode sequences, and morphology.

First record of the bee genus Bathanthidium (Bathanthidium s. str.) Mavromoustakis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) from Vietnam: Description of a new species and a key to species

The little-known bee genus Bathanthidium Mavromoustakis, 1953 of the family Megachilidae is reported for the first time from Vietnam. A new species, Bathanthidium (Bathanthidium s. str.) paco Tran & Nguyen, sp. nov. from Hoa Binh province is described and illustrated. A nest of the new species is reported from a wooden house. An updated identification key to all known species of the subgenus Bathanthidium s. str. is also provided.

First record of the Sulia glaesaria Simutnik, 2015 (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae) from Rovno amber

Sulia glaesaria Simutnik, 2015 (Chalcidoidea, Encyrtidae), originally described from late Eocene Danish amber, is reported in coeval Rovno amber. A revised diagnosis of this genus is provided based on the new specimen and high-resolution photomicrographs of the holotype. Some character states, such as a short radicle, clypeus with long lateral margins, the presence of a strigil and basitarsal comb, spur vein of the hind wing, costal cell of hind wing along entire marginal vein with single line of long setae, and almost vertical syntergum with abruptly reflexed extension apically are reported in this species for the first time.

Azteca ants repair damage to their Cecropia host plants

Some Azteca ants are well-known symbionts that defend their Cecropia host plants against herbivory, although there is considerable variability in behavior among colonies, conditions, and species. In exchange, ants receive food, and also shelter within the plants’ internodes. Here we demonstrate that ants repair damage to the host plant when their brood is directly threatened. Using comminuted plant fibers and an unidentified binding liquid (probably plant sap) ants generally began patching holes in the tree trunk immediately, and significantly reduced the size of the hole 2.5 hours after it was created, and they generally completed the repairs within 24 hours.

Corrigendum: Description of Kavayva, gen. nov., (Chalcidoidea, Eurytomidae) and two new species associated with Guarea (Meliaceae), and a review of New World eurytomids associated with seeds. Journal of Hymenoptera Research 86: 101–121. https://doi.org/10.3897/jhr.86.71309

In a paper about the description of Kavayva, a new genus of Eurytomidae (Zhang et al. 2021) The indication of repository for the type specimens were missing. We regret this omission, and provide the missing information below. MUSM – Natural History Museum of the San Marcos University, Lima, Peru UFGD – Museum of Biodiversity of the Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados-MS, Brazil USNM – United States National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA. Kavayva bodoquenensis Zhang, Silvestre, & Gates, sp. nov. Holotype female deposited at USNM. Paratypes deposited at USNM [12F, 13M] and UFGD [8F, 3M]. Kavayva davidsmithi Zhang & Gates, sp. nov. Holotype female deposited at MUSM. Paratypes deposited at USNM [1F, 1M].

The species of Eucera Scopoli, subgenus Tetralonia Spinola from Sardinia (Italy) with new records and E. gennargentui sp. nov. (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

In this paper, an update of the species of the genus Eucera Scopoli, 1770, subgenus Tetralonia Spinola, 1838 from Sardinia is reported, based on data collection as well as on recent survey carried out at Gennargentu Massif. Seven species are recorded, four of which are newly added: Eucera fulvescens (Giraud, 1863), E. gennargentuisp. nov. Nobile, Catania & Bella, E. julliani (Pérez, 1879), and E. nana (Morawitz, 1873). The new species, Eucera (Tetralonia) gennargentui Nobile, Catania & Bella is described from the high altitude of Gennargentu Massif. Details on distributions, host plants, and other biological aspects are given for each species treated. The taxonomic comparison of the taxa belonging to the subgenus Tetralonia from Sardinia, including E. gennargentuisp. nov., are discussed taking into account both morphological and COI barcode sequences. An identification key to Eucera (Tetralonia) species from Sardinia is also provided.

Phenological and social characterization of three Lasioglossum (Dialictus) species inferred from long-term trapping collections

Detailed social and phenological data collected from nesting aggregations exist for relatively few sweat bee species because nesting aggregations are rarely found in large numbers, even when local populations are highly abundant. This limits researchers’ abilities to assess the social status of many species, which in turn, limits our ability to trace the sequence of evolutionary steps between alternative social states. To address this problem, we demonstrate the utility of rehydrated, pinned specimens from pan trap and netting collections for generating inferences about the phenology and social status of a well-studied sweat bee species, Lasioglossum (Dialictus) laevissimum. A detailed comparison of phenology and reproductive traits, between pinned specimens and those in a previous nesting study, produced similar results for bivoltine foraging activity and eusocial colony organization typical in this species. We then used pinned specimens from monitoring studies to describe, for the first time, the foraging phenology and social behaviour of two additional Dialictus species, L. hitchensi and L. ellisiae. Both L. hitchensi and L. ellisiae each exhibited two peaks in abundance during their breeding seasons, indicating two periods of foraging activity, which correspond to provisioning of spring and summer broods. Differences in body size, wear, and ovarian development of spring and summer females indicated that L. hitchensi is most likely eusocial, while L. ellisiae is either solitary or communal. This study demonstrates that analyses of specimens obtained from flower and pan trap collections can be used for assessing the phenology and social organization of temperate sweat bees in the absence of nesting data. The phenological and social lability of many sweat bee species make them ideal for studying geographic and temporal variability in sociality, and analyses of pan trap collections can make these studies possible when direct observations are impossible.

Description of a new species of Foenatopus Smith (Hymenoptera, Stephanidae), with a key to the species from Vietnam

Foenatopus meridionalis Ge & Tan, sp. nov., as the first species of the genus Foenatopus Smith, 1861 discovered from southern Vietnam, is reported and illustrated in detail. The key to the species of Foenatopus from Vietnam is compiled. A distribution map of the Vietnamese species is provided.