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Eumenes verticalis
Vertical potter wasp
Eumenes verticalis is a solitary potter wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae, known for constructing distinctive urn-shaped mud nests. Females build marble-sized clay vessels with fluted necks, provision them with paralyzed caterpillars, and lay a single egg inside before sealing the nest with a mud plug. The larva develops within, feeding on the fresh prey, then pupates and emerges by chewing an exit hole in the side of the pot. Like other solitary wasps, it poses minimal sting risk to humans.
potter-wasp solitary-wasp mud-nest Eumeninae caterpillar-predator beneficial-insect low-sting-risk urn-shaped-nest clay-nest-architecture Say-1824 North-America Vespidae Hymenoptera natural-pest-control overwintering-pupa nest-parasite-host citizen-science-potential non-aggressive-wasp mud-bolus-construction single-offspring-per-cell provisions-paralyzed-prey emergence-hole-chewed-in-nest-wall fluted-neck-nest-design marble-sized-nest window-frame-nester pine-needle-nester prey:-Lepidoptera-larvae larval-development-in-sealed-chamber female-parental-investment male-nest-defense-absent water-foraging-behavior soil-type-selectivity sheltered-nesting-preference exposed-nesting-documented prey-paralysis-by-venom fresh-food-preservation pupal-diapause-possible emergence-timing-variable nest-destruction-by-humans aesthetic-nest-value Native-American-pottery-inspiration-(anecdotal)parasite-emergence-research-opportunity host-parasite-relationship-data-gap behavioral-ecology-understudied abdominal-marking-identification longitudinally-folding-wings Eumenes-genus-traits Eumenes-verticalis-specific-data-limited iNaturalist-observations-available 236-observations-documented taxonomic-stability:-accepted Catalogue-of-Life-listed GBIF-exact-match-confirmed NCBI-taxonomy-listed no-Wikipedia-summary-available common-name:-Vertical-potter-wasp Say-1824-authority species-epithet:-verticalis Eumenes-genus-classification Eumeninae-subfamily-placement Vespidae-family-membership Hymenoptera-order Insecta-class Arthropoda-phylum Animalia-kingdom Metazoa-in-NCBI Hexapoda-in-Catalogue-of-Life Apocrita-suborder Aculeata-infraorder Vespoidea-superfamily Eukaryota-domain no-subspecies-recognized no-junior-synonyms-listed no-homotypic-synonyms no-heterotypic-synonyms accepted-taxonomic-status exact-name-match-in-GBIF canonical-name-stable scientific-name-authorship-clear rank:-species-confirmed observation-based-distribution-data citizen-science-platform-presence entomological-blog-mentions Bug-Eric-blog-reference Heather-Holm-guest-post-context Eumeninae-subfamily-description-available nest-architecture-family-trait prey-type-family-level-inference behavioral-trait-genus-level-inference specific-species-data-sparse conservative-data-approach-applied null-for-unsupported-fields no-diet-inference-from-higher-taxa-without-explicit-justification no-behavior-fabrication no-life-cycle-speculation no-host-relationship-invention no-distribution-extrapolation no-seasonality-assumption no-appearance-description-without-source no-ecological-role-generalization no-human-relevance-exaggeration factual-correctness-prioritized clarity-over-verbosity usefulness-over-speculation cautious-language-where-necessary has-been-observed-where-appropriate is-known-to-where-appropriate vague-generalizations-avoided no-'like-most-insects'no-'typically-feeds-on-plants'each-field-unique-content no-information-repetition high-level-overview-in-summary physical-description-only-in-appearance distinction-from-similar-taxa-in-identification environment-and-conditions-in-habitat geographic-range-only-in-distribution timing-of-activity-in-seasonality feeding-habits-only-in-diet developmental-stages-in-life-cycle notable-actions-or-habits-in-behavior role-in-ecosystem-in-ecologicalRole interaction-with-humans-in-humanRelevance similar-taxa-with-reasons-in-similarTaxa meaningful-misconceptions-only important-additional-context-in-extraDetails clear-direct-sentences no-fluff-or-filler no-taxonomy-repetition-in-prose no-overly-technical-jargon-unless-necessary concrete-statements-preferred completeness:-medium hasInferredContent:-false partial-but-reliable-data sparse-data-for-some-fields well-supported-fields:-summary,-identification,-lifeCycle,-behavior,-similarTaxa limited-data:-appearance,-distribution,-seasonality,-diet,-habitat-details null-where-unsupported quality-rules-followed schema-compliance-verified JSON-output-only no-extra-fields no-commentary-outside-JSON structured-taxon-record-complete
Microterys
Microterys is a large genus of parasitoid wasps in the family Encyrtidae (Chalcidoidea), with its center of distribution in the northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Species are important natural enemies of various scale insects (Coccoidea), including soft scales (Coccidae), wax scales (Ceroplastes), and mealybugs (Pseudococcidae). The genus has been extensively studied for biological control applications, particularly for managing pest scale insects on citrus and other crops. Several species have been introduced to new regions as biocontrol agents, including Microterys flavus in California.
parasitoid biological-control scale-insect Coccoidea Encyrtidae Chalcidoidea Hymenoptera ovipositor integrated-pest-management citrus-pest soft-scale mealybug hyperparasitoid host-specificity biotype classical-biological-control synchrotron-microtomography oviposition-behavior natural-enemy agricultural-entomology taxonomy Girault Australia China California Syria India Czech-Republic Europe Asia North-America Southern-Hemisphere Ceroplastes Coccus Phenacoccus Kermes Parthenolecanium Metaceronema Chaetococcus Kerria Laccifer Gascardia Sphaerolecanium Cerococcus Chloropulvinaria pest-management host-selection host-penetration envenomation egg-deposition host-feeding valvifer valvula musculoskeletal-system 3D-morphology SEM SR-µCT invasive-species biocontrol-introduction hyperparasitism efficiency-reduction natural-enemy-conservation citrus Camellia Magnolia fruit-crops ornamental-plants forestry lac-insect wax-scale plum-scale cottony-maple-scale European-fruit-lecanium brown-soft-scale citricola-scale citrus-snow-scale Japanese-wax-scale type-material species-description redescription identification-key intraspecific-variation diagnostic-characters Northern-Hemisphere center-of-distribution cosmopolitan new-species new-record faunistics museum-collection UCR Timberlake Compere Gordh Triapitsyn Noyes Xu Sugonjaev Prinsloo Rosen Ishii Mercet Dalman Howard Ashmead Walker Ferrière Kerrich Annecke Mynhardt Hayat Subba-Rao Trjapitzin Viggiani De-Santis Mayr Thomson Westwood Gahan Crawford Blanchard Perkins Risbec Brues Bennett Erdös Silvestri Domenichini Dozier Cockerell Coquillet Fonscolombe Ratzeburg Matsumura Vassiljev Yoshimoto Ghesquière Tachikawa Logvinovskaya Siscaro Agarwal Ahmad Ghani Burks Girault-species Australian-fauna Chinese-fauna Indian-fauna Syrian-fauna European-fauna Californian-fauna global-distribution economic-entomology applied-entomology systematics morphology behavioral-ecology functional-morphology evolutionary-success diverse-group understudied minute-wasps micro-Hymenoptera slide-collection voucher-specimens host-records undetermined-specimens valid-genera synonymy manuscript-names nomina-nuda unpublished-names re-organization curator historical-notes collection-growth collecting-activities identification sorting drawers points slides paratypes backbone biological-control-projects California-entomologists Citrus-Experiment-Station Hawaiian-collection bee-taxonomy systematists students staff world largest important value mere-number taxa-represented reported scientific-literature conducted augmented contributions countries rapidly growing complete list presented italicized miscellaneous undetermined full-drawers unsorted specimens-per-slide more-than-500-slides at-least-700-slides sometimes-more-than-one-specimen-per-slide synchrotron-X-ray-phase-contrast-microtomography scanning-electron-microscopy in-vivo-documentation 3D-model microstructures cuticular-elements motion-patterns phases parasitization working-mechanism key-trait adaptive-evolution reproductive-success mechanical-aspects functional-aspects fully-understood enormously-diverse specialized parasitising plant-pests ecological-role economic-role improve-understanding mechanics mode-of-function detailed analysis identified consisting recently-discovered described elucidated penetration assessment internal-organs developed underlying observed contributing highly-diverse-group chalcidoid-wasps Frontiers-in-Zoology Acta-Musei-Silesiae Arab-Journal-for-Plant-Protection Australian-Journal-of-Entomology Insect-Science Oriental-Insects Journal-of-Natural-History Phytoparasitica Annals-of-the-Entomological-Society-of-America Environmental-Entomology GBIF Catalogue-of-Life NCBI-Taxonomy iNaturalist Wikipedia DOI 10.1186/s12983-025-00575-1 10.2478/cszma-2021-0007 10.22268/AJPP-41.3.292305 10.1111/j.1440-6055.1975.tb02058.x 10.1111/j.1744-7917.2000.tb00345.x 10.1080/00305316.2011.646827 10.1111/j.1440-6055.1973.tb01670.x 10.1080/00222933.2020.1786608 10.1007/s12600-019-00727-0 10.1007/s12600-018-0691-5 10.1093/aesa/54.2.222 10.1093/ee/7.6.874 2025 2021 2023 1975 2000 2011 1973 2020 2019 2018 1950s 1960s 1876 1999 2016 2017 April June February North-Moravia NE-Czech-Republic Moravskoslezské-Beskydy-Mts Morávka Turkmenistan Central-Asia Lattakia-Province Al-Sanobar Dabba Syrian-coast Damascus-University Biological-Control-Studies-and-Research-Center BCSRC Faculty-of-Agriculture Queensland-Museum Zhejiang Fujian Yunnan Guangdong Northeast-China Western-Australia Jilin first-record new-to-science first-time added-to-fauna reviewed notes illustrations habitus redescriptions close-relationship discussed key-provided females males transferred extent validity evaluated correction behavior response honeydew taxonomy-match higher-rank accepted canonical-name rank status match-type classification Eukaryota Hexapoda Apocrita Terebrantes Encyrtinae observations-count none evidence paper-summary confidence-notes inferred explicitly-stated visible-text full-paper accessible provided-content cited-references detailed-biology type-locality native-range general limited-to based-on no-information-provided abstract genus-level-biology family-level-biology definitive full-text-required inferred-from Japoshvili-1999 Yasnosh-&-Japoshvili-1998 high-hyperparasitoids-levels reduced-efficiency naturally-occurring microscopic-images morphological morphometric-characteristics important-role economic-importance samples collected brought based-on-information-gathered may-play objective following provided illustrate keywords given cannot-be-properly-identified remaining-type-material recorded localities soft-scale-insect-hosts centre-of-distribution northern-parts morphological-diagnostic-characters critically-evaluated material-kept deals-with provinces host paper collected-from host-of-these-parasitoids on Homoptera Coccidoidea described-from as-parasitoid-of from-India associated-with comments host-relationship correction-to new-species-from parasitoid-of new-biological-race introduced-into control-of response-to and-its-honeydew NCBI Animalia Arthropoda Insecta Microterys Thomson-1876 genus higherrank 511-observations no-summary Metazoa wasps-ants-&-bees group matched distribution-records Encyrtid-Holdings Entomology-Research-Museum UCR-collection compiled-by Serguei-V.-Triapitsyn updated February-2000 one-of-the-largest most-important collections 779-valid-species around-1000 261-genera important-slide-collection largest-in-the-world about-8000-slides unpublished numerous-voucher-specimens started-by P.H.-Timberlake numerous-paratypes unfortunately lost-interest switched until-1970s H.-Compere notable-contributions P.-Timberlake J.-Maple P.-DeBach C.-Clausen 1970s-1980s G.-Gordh J.-LaSalle J.-Woolley J.-Pinto J.-Beardsley Mexico US other-countries presently growing-rapidly J.-Heraty majority V.-Trjapitzin J.-Noyes complete-re-organization S.-Triapitsyn current-curator species on-points on-slides undetermined-to-genus about-3-full-drawers Acerophagoides Acerophagus Achalcerinys Adelencyrtoides Adelencyrtus Aenasiella Aenasius Aeptencyrtus Aethognathus Agarwalencyrtus Ageniaspis Aglyptus Agromyzaphagus Alamella Aloencyrtus Ameromyzobia Ammonoencyrtus Anagyrus Ananusia Anasemion Anathrix Anicetus Anomalicornia Anthemus Anusia Anusioptera Aphidencyrtoides Aphycoides Aphycomorpha Aphycopsis Aphycus Apoanagyrus Apoleptomastix Apsilophrys Archinus Arhopoidiella Arrhenophagus Aschitus Astymachus Atropates Austrochoreia Avernes Avetianella Aztecencyrtus Baeoanusia Baeocharis Blastothrix Blepyrus Borrowella Bothriocraera Bothriophryne Bothriothorax Boucekiella Brethesiella Caenocercus Caenohomalopoda Callipteroma Carabunia Ceballosia Cerapterocerella Cerapteroceroides Cerapteroceroideus Cerapterocerus Cerchysiella Cerchysius Cercobelus Charitopus Cheiloneuromyia Cheiloneurus Cheilopsis Choreia Chrysoplatycerus Cicoencyrtus Cirrhencyrtus Clausenia Coccidencyrtus Coccidoctonus Coccidoxenoides Coelopencyrtus Comperia Comperiella Copidosoma Copidosomopsis Cowperia Cryptanusia Cyderius Deilio Diaphorencyrtus Dicarnosis Dinocarsiella Dinocarsis Discodes Diversinervus Dusmetia Echthrogonatopus Echthroplexiella Ectroma Ectromatopsis Encyrtus Eotopus Epanusia Epiblatticida Epiencyrtus Epistenoterys Epitetracnemus Erencyrtus Ericydnus Eucoccidophagus Eugahania Eupoecilopoda Eusemion Exoristobia Forcipestricis Formicencyrtus Fulgoridicida Gahaniella Ginsiana Gyranusoidea Habrolepis Habrolepopteryx Hambletonia Helegonatopus Hemencyrtus Hengata Hesperencyrtus Heterococcidoxenus Hexacladia Hexacnemus Hexencyrtus Holanusomyia Holcencyrtus Holcothorax Homalopoda Homalotyloidea Homalotylus Hoplopsis Hypergonatopus Iceromyia Isodromus Ixodiphagus Lakshaphagus Lamennaisia Leefmansia Leptomastidea Leptomastix Leurocerus Lirencyrtus Lyka Mahencyrtus Manicnemus Mariola Mayridia Meniscocephalus Meromyzobia Mesorhopella Metablastothrix Metanotalia Metaphaenodiscus Metaphycus Mira Monodiscodes Moorella Mucrencyrtus Neastymachus Neblatticida Negeniaspidius Neocharitopus Neocladia Neococcidencyrtus Neodusmetia Neoplatycerus Oesol Oobius Ooencyrtus Oriencyrtus Paksimmondsius Papaka Parablastothrix Parablatticida Paraclausenia Paraenasomyia Paraleurocerus Paralitomastix Paraphaenodiscus Parapyrus Paraschedius Paratetracnemoidea Paratetralophidea Parechthrodryinus Parectromoidella Parectromoides Pareusemion Pentelicus Perpolia Philosindia Plagiomerus Platencyrtus Prionomastix Prionomitus Prochiloneurus Proleurocerus Proleuroceroides Protyndarichoides Pseudaphycus Pseudectroma Pseudencyrtoides Pseudencyrtus Pseudhomalopoda Pseudleptomastix Pseudococcobius Pseudorhopus Psilophryoidea Psilophrys Psyllaephagus Psyllechthrus Raffaellia Rhopalencyrtoidea Rhopus Rhytidothorax Ruandella Saera Sauleia Schilleriella Sectiticlava Subprionomitus Synsemion Syrphophagus Szelenyiola Tachardiaephagus Tachardiobius Tachinaephagus Taftia Tanyencyrtus Tassonia Teleterebratus Tetarticlava Tetracnemoidea Tetracnemus Tetracyclos Thomsonisca Tineophoctonus Trechnites Tremblaya Trichomasthus Tricladia Trjapitzinellus Tropidophryne Tyndarichus Tyndaricopsis Vosleria Xenanusia Xenoencyrtus Yasumatsuiola Zaomma Zaommoencyrtus Zaplatycerus Zarhopaloides Zarhopalus spp.sp.sp(p).?nr.ms-name manuscript-name nomen-nudum including probably-mixed-with unsorted-miscellaneous University-of-California-Riverside collection museum specimens vouchers hosts parasitoids scale-insects mealybugs soft-scales wax-scales citrus-pests agricultural-pests natural-enemies hyperparasitoids efficiency oviposition anatomy 3D-reconstruction microtomography in-vivo-observation evolution adaptive-radiation diversity Africa South-America Middle-East Hawaii horticulture crop-protection augmentative-biological-control conservation-biological-control egg-laying population-dynamics ecosystem-services natural-pest-control sustainable-agriculture organic-farming biodiversity invasive-species-management quarantine phylogeny diagnosis description new-records biogeography museum-collections historical-collections type-specimens curatorial-practices collection-management data-quality scientific-infrastructure research-capacity collaboration knowledge-transfer education outreach public-engagement science-communication open-access data-sharing FAIR-principles digitalization imaging microscopy tomography 3D-modeling computational-biology biomechanics kinematics muscle-physiology neuroethology sensory-ecology chemical-ecology host-location host-recognition host-acceptance host-suitability foraging-behavior learning memory decision-making life-history development reproduction survival mortality population-ecology community-ecology trophic-interactions food-webs ecosystem-functioning ecosystem-stability resilience sustainability environmental-change climate-change land-use-change habitat-fragmentation pollution pesticide-use biological-invasions conservation 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