More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Wasps of Zihuatanejo
ORDER HYMENOPTERA
-Arthropods (Phylum Arthropoda)
-Hexapods (Subphylum Hexapoda)
-Winged and Once-winged Insects (Subclass Pterygota)
-Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies (Order Hymenoptera)
-Narrow-waisted Wasps, Ants, and Bees (Suborder Apocrita)
-Ants, Bees, and Stinging Wasps (Infraorder Aculeata)
-Scoliid Wasps (Family Scoliidae)
-Subfamily Campsomerinae
-Genus Dielis
-Toltec Scoliid Wasp (Dielis tolteca)
Scoliid wasps are solitary parasitoids of scarab beetle larvae. Female scoliids burrow into the ground in search of these larvae and then use their sting to paralyze them and then lay an egg on it. The wasp larva feed son the host beetle larva, and once consumed spins a cocoon in the soil.
Toltec Scoliid Wasp
Dielis tolteca
Description
• Dielis tolteca is a species of scarab beetle in the family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Cetoniinae, commonly associated with flower chafers. Beetles in this group typically have a robust, oval body and may visit flowers or feed on plant material. Species-level details on its appearance and life history are limited, so precise colour patterns and distinguishing features should be confirmed from a clear photograph.
Range
• The species occurs in Mexico, the southwestern United States, parts of Central America, and Haiti. Its documented Mexican range includes Guerrero.
Habitat
• Dielis tolteca is found in sunny, open habitats, including dry scrub, grasslands, woodland edges, and areas with flowering plants. Adults are often observed visiting flowers in search of nectar.
Diet
• Adults feed primarily on nectar. Females seek out scarab beetle larvae in the soil and lay eggs on or near them; the developing wasp larvae are parasitoids that feed on and eventually kill their hosts.