Ancistrocerus gazella

(Panzer, 1798)

European potter wasp, European tube wasp

Ancistrocerus gazella is a solitary to Europe, known for constructing mud nests in pre-existing cavities. Females provision single-celled nests with paralyzed as food for their , sealing nests with mud. feed on nectar and . The has been to New Zealand, where it is now established. Males cannot , and female stings are not painful to humans.

Ancistrocerus gazella by (c) eebee, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by eebee. Used under a CC-BY license.Ancistrocerus gazella by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.Ancistrocerus gazella by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Ancistrocerus gazella: /ænˌsɪstroʊˈsɪrʌs ɡəˈzɛlə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Ancistrocerus gazella can be distinguished from other Ancistrocerus by the presence of a prominent transverse (ridge) on the base of the first abdominal (T1), creating an abrupt angle facing the rear of the . The does not slope gently toward the thorax as in related . Specific color patterns for A. gazella are not documented in available sources, though the genus typically shows black with , , or orange markings. Males have hooked tips, a characteristic of male eumenine .

Images

Habitat

Found in diverse with suitable sandy and clay soil for nest construction, including river banks, coastal areas, parkland, open woodland, and urban areas. Nests in pre-existing cavities such as hollow stems, pith cavities of dead twigs, or abandoned tunnels of wood-boring .

Distribution

to Europe, with records from Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Poland, Austria, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, and Morocco. In the British Isles, occurs in England (north to Stockton-on-Tees), Wales, and scattered locations in Ireland. to New Zealand, where established since 1987 in Auckland and now found as far south as Otago.

Seasonality

emerge from sites in late spring. Activity continues through summer, with nesting and foraging observed during warmer months.

Diet

feed on nectar and . are , feeding exclusively on paralyzed provisioned by the female parent.

Life Cycle

Females construct single-celled nests in pre-existing cavities, laying one per . The egg is laid before provisioning, suspended from the cell roof by a silken thread. The female then collects and paralyzes (up to 20 per cell reported), which remain alive but immobile to serve as fresh food. The cell is sealed with a mud plug. hatch in a few days and consume the caterpillars over 10-12 days. After feeding, the larva may enter or pupate directly, spinning a and emerging as an about two weeks later. Adults soften the mud plug with moisture to exit the nest.

Behavior

Females hunt on vegetation, paralyzing them with that preserves freshness for larval consumption. They exhibit mud- , gathering soil and water to form boluses carried in the for nest construction. are observed on windows, flowers, and searching for nest sites in small cracks or holes. Males cannot .

Ecological Role

As a of , likely contributes to regulation of . Nesting in pre-existing cavities may facilitate competition with other cavity-nesting .

Human Relevance

is not painful, posing minimal threat to humans. Occasionally observed on windows and in urban areas. in New Zealand represents a non- establishment with unknown ecological impacts.

Similar Taxa

  • Ancistrocerus unifasciatusSimilar size and nesting in pre-existing cavities, but A. unifasciatus has distinct markings on hind margins of first three abdominal and is to North America
  • Ancistrocerus campestrisShares transverse on T1 and mud-partitioned nests in cavities, but A. campestris has more extensive markings and different geographic range (North America)
  • Ancistrocerus waldeniiSame with similar structure, but A. waldenii constructs free-form mud nests attached to hard surfaces rather than using pre-existing cavities

Tags

Sources and further reading