Ancistrocerus bustamente

(de Saussure, 1857)

Ancistrocerus bustamente is a solitary mason wasp in the Eumeninae. Like other members of its , it constructs nests using mud and provisions them with paralyzed caterpillars for its larvae. The was described by de Saussure in 1857.

Ancistrocerus bustamente by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Ancistrocerus (10.3897-zookeys.718.21096) Figure 3 by Piekarski PK, Carpenter JM, Sharanowski BJ (2017) New species of Ancistrocerus (Vespidae, Eumeninae) from the Neotropics with a checklist and key to all species south of the Rio Grande. ZooKeys 718: 139-154. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.718.21096. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ancistrocerus bustamente: //ænˌsɪstroʊˈsɪərəs ˌbuːstəˈmænteɪ//

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Identification

Members of the Ancistrocerus can be identified by a prominent transverse carina (ridge) on the base of the first abdominal segment (T1), creating an abrupt angle that the rear of the . This distinguishes Ancistrocerus from related genera where the slopes more gently toward the thorax.

Images

Diet

feed on nectar, honeydew, and other -rich liquids. Larvae are , feeding on paralyzed caterpillars provided by the female parent.

Life Cycle

Females construct solitary nests in pre-existing cavities such as hollow stems, borings in wood, or abandoned mud dauber nests. They partition cavities with mud to create individual , lay a single suspended from the cell roof by a silken thread, then provision the cell with multiple paralyzed caterpillars before sealing it with mud. The larva hatches, consumes the cached prey, spins a silken cocoon, and pupates within the cell.

Behavior

Females hunt caterpillars on foliage, sting them to induce paralysis, and transport them beneath the body to the nest. Some Ancistrocerus have been observed exploiting prey escape : running to one end of a leaf roll and vibrating the to entice the caterpillar to eject itself from its shelter.

Ecological Role

As a of caterpillars, this contributes to natural pest control in its . It also serves as a potential for including bee flies (Bombyliidae) and chalcidoid wasps.

Similar Taxa

Ancistrocerus unifasciatusSimilar size range and general appearance; distinguished by having yellow markings primarily limited to one band on the (unifasciatus = 'one-banded') versus different patterning in A. bustamente
Ancistrocerus campestrisOverlapping geographic range and use; A. campestris has yellow hind margins on the first three abdominal segments and may use different caterpillar as prey
Ancistrocerus waldeniiSimilar nest construction using mud; A. waldenii constructs free-form mud nests attached to hard surfaces rather than using pre-existing cavities

More Details

Nesting biology

Based on documented of , A. bustamente likely exhibits the typical Ancistrocerus nesting strategy of using mud to partition pre-existing cavities into multiple , with each cell receiving one and several paralyzed caterpillars.

Taxonomic note

The specific epithet 'bustamente' is sometimes encountered as 'bustamante' in older literature, but 'bustamente' is the accepted spelling per the original description by de Saussure (1857).