Myzinum quinquecinctum
(Fabricius, 1775)
five-banded thynnid wasp
Myzinum quinquecinctum is a of thynnid found primarily in eastern North America. Like other members of the Myzinum, it is a of , with females locating and paralyzing underground to lay . The species exhibits pronounced : males are slender with long, straight and a prominent pseudostinger, while females are larger and more with short, coiled antennae adapted for digging. Males are frequently observed visiting flowers such as goldenrod and thoroughwort, often in .
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Myzinum quinquecinctum: /ˈmaɪzɪnəm ˌkwɪŋ.kwɪˈsɪŋk.təm/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Distinguished from other Myzinum by the five-banded abdominal pattern implied by the specific epithet, though species-level identification in this is difficult even for . Males distinguished from females by slender body, long straight , and curved pseudostinger (versus body, short coiled antennae in females). Distinguished from similar flower-visiting by the unique combination of characters and banded . placement (Thynnidae) updated from former .
Images
Habitat
Open including fields, meadows, and prairies. Associated with areas supporting in soil. frequently found on flowers in autumn, particularly goldenrod (Solidago) and thoroughwort (Eupatorium).
Distribution
Eastern North America, primarily east of the Rocky Mountains. Records include northeastern United States (Vermont) and Midwest.
Seasonality
active in autumn, particularly associated with blooming of goldenrod and thoroughwort. Males observed in evening on vegetation during this period.
Host Associations
- Phyllophaga - , especially '' of ; female dig up grubs, into brief paralysis, and lay single
Life Cycle
Female locates underground, digs it up, it into brief paralysis, and lays single on . Grub recovers and reburies itself. bores into host and feeds slowly, allowing host to continue feeding and grow. Eventually larva kills host, pupates, and emerges as the following summer.
Behavior
Males spend more time on flowers than females and are more conspicuous. Males gather in evening ('slumber parties') on vegetation. Females spend time underground locating and parasitizing . Both sexes visit flowers for nectar.
Ecological Role
agent of , which can be agricultural and turf pests. As , they invariably kill their . contribute to while visiting flowers.
Human Relevance
contributing to natural suppression of , including such as . No negative impacts documented; males' pseudostinger is non-functional and not a true .
Similar Taxa
- Other Myzinum species contains ten recognized north of Mexico that are extremely difficult to distinguish; expert identification required
- Male vs. female Myzinum quinquecinctum is so extreme that were historically mistaken for different , , or even
- Other thynnid/tiphid waspsSimilar flower-visiting and lifestyle, but Myzinum distinguished by specific associations and extreme
Misconceptions
The male's pseudostinger is often mistaken for a functional , causing unnecessary fear; it is actually part of the external and harmless. The extreme has historically led to males and females being classified as different or even placed in different or .
More Details
Taxonomic history
This was formerly placed in , but the Myzinum has been transferred to family Thynnidae based on revised . Species-level in this genus remains challenging; Dr. Lynn Kimsey (2009) provided revised descriptions and a for Nearctic fauna.
Species epithet
The 'quinquecinctum' refers to five , presumably on the , though detailed description of this pattern was not found in available sources.