Tricrania stansburyi
(Haldeman, 1852)
Stansbury's Blister Beetle
Tricrania stansburyi is a in the . It is a of solitary , specifically known to parasitize the Osmia lignaria propinqua. The exhibits , with attaching to bees to gain entry to nest . It is found in North America and is one of at least two species in the Tricrania.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Tricrania stansburyi: /trɪˈkreɪniə stænsˈbʌri/
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Identification
Belongs to the Tricrania, which can be distinguished from related by specific morphological features. The genus Tricrania contains with reduced and flightless . T. stansburyi may be distinguished from the congeneric T. sanguinipennis by differences in distribution and associations; T. sanguinipennis is associated with Colletes in eastern North America, while T. stansburyi is associated with Osmia bees in western regions.
Images
Habitat
Nests of the solitary Osmia lignaria propinqua, which typically occur in pre-existing cavities or hollow stems.
Distribution
North America. Records from the Research Museum indicate western North distribution, with the being the western counterpart to the eastern T. sanguinipennis.
Diet
Pollen provisions and developing of the Osmia lignaria propinqua. diet not documented.
Host Associations
- Osmia lignaria propinqua - consume pollen provisions and developing larvae within nest
Life Cycle
Hypermetamorphic with six larval . First instar is a that attaches to to be transported to nest . Once inside a cell, the consumes the host or larva, then molts into a sedentary, boat-shaped second instar that feeds on remaining pollen provisions. Instars 4-5 retain shed (accumulating as nested layers). The adult overwinters within the final larval inside the host nest cell.
Behavior
Female are flightless and crawl rapidly over soil surfaces, digging where presence is detected. actively seek host , attaching to males and transferring to females during mating, or attaching directly to females on the ground. Multiple beetle larvae may invade a single host , with resolving competition.
Ecological Role
and of solitary . Despite significant rates, bee populations persist, suggesting the relationship is not severely destabilizing to host populations under normal conditions.
Similar Taxa
- Tricrania sanguinipennisCongeneric with similar hypermetamorphic cleptoparasitic biology, but associated with Colletes in eastern North America rather than Osmia bees in the west; have red and
More Details
Taxonomic authority
Originally described by Haldeman in 1852.
Specimen holdings
The Research Museum at the University of California, Riverside holds 20 specimens of this as of 2010.