Sycophila biguttata - Chalcid Wasp Parasitoids
Posted: Tue May 01, 2018 4:39 pm
Sycophila biguttata - Chalcid Wasp Parasitoids on Aphelonyx cerricola:
I collected some Aphelonyx cerricola galls from Turkey Oaks (Quercus cerris) in Sefton Park, Merseyside on the 5th April 2018 with the intention of breeding out some of the Aphelonyx wasps to send off to the NHM. I did wonder if I had missed them as a good number of the galls already had emergence holes, however, I persisted and put the galls into plastic boxes. On the 16th April wasps began to emerge and on the 25th April I placed a number of them into alcohol (IMS).
On checking the wasps under the microscope they were mainly black with black clouding across their forewings, creamy markings on their frons and legs, and bright orange eyes. Looking for images on the Net for Aphelonyx produced nothing but I did find a description which indicated that they had 'black' eyes. Clearly my emergences were not the Aphelonyx wasps I had been expecting.
Talking to the NHM I obtained a key and the wasps have keyed out as Sycophila biguttata a parasitoid of Aphelonyx larvae amongst other Oak Gall causers. Currently there are no records of this species on either the BioBank or RECORD databases and only two records on the NBN Atlas (neither of which are close to Cheshire or Merseyside). Looks like rearing galls out could provide new species records for anyone who wishes to give it a try. Good luck !!!!
Now all I have to do is key out the other 3 or 4 species which emerged from the Turkey Oak galls (I think one may be a Torymus).
Steve
I collected some Aphelonyx cerricola galls from Turkey Oaks (Quercus cerris) in Sefton Park, Merseyside on the 5th April 2018 with the intention of breeding out some of the Aphelonyx wasps to send off to the NHM. I did wonder if I had missed them as a good number of the galls already had emergence holes, however, I persisted and put the galls into plastic boxes. On the 16th April wasps began to emerge and on the 25th April I placed a number of them into alcohol (IMS).
On checking the wasps under the microscope they were mainly black with black clouding across their forewings, creamy markings on their frons and legs, and bright orange eyes. Looking for images on the Net for Aphelonyx produced nothing but I did find a description which indicated that they had 'black' eyes. Clearly my emergences were not the Aphelonyx wasps I had been expecting.
Talking to the NHM I obtained a key and the wasps have keyed out as Sycophila biguttata a parasitoid of Aphelonyx larvae amongst other Oak Gall causers. Currently there are no records of this species on either the BioBank or RECORD databases and only two records on the NBN Atlas (neither of which are close to Cheshire or Merseyside). Looks like rearing galls out could provide new species records for anyone who wishes to give it a try. Good luck !!!!
Now all I have to do is key out the other 3 or 4 species which emerged from the Turkey Oak galls (I think one may be a Torymus).
Steve