Philanthus
Encyclopedia
Beewolves also known as bee-hunters, burrowing wasps, or philanthuses, are solitary, predatory wasp
s, most of which prey on bee
s, hence their common name. The adult females dig tunnels in the ground for nesting, while the territorial males mark twigs and other objects with pheromone
s to claim the territory from competing males.
As with all other sphecoid wasps the larvae are carnivorous
, forcing the inseminated females to hunt for other invertebrates (in this case bees), on which she lays her eggs
, supplying the larvae with prey when they emerge. The adults collect nectar from flowers or from squeezing the bees they capture for prey; the nectar is their energy source for flight.
The prevalent European species, P. triangulum
, specializes in preying upon honey bees, thus making it a minor pest for beekeeper
s. Other Philanthus species may specialize on other bee species, or they may be generalists which prey upon a wide variety of bees, or other types of Hymenoptera
.
They are notable in stinging their prey in a membranous location on the ventral surface where the venom
quickly paralyzes
major voluntary muscles, yet does not kill the prey. The prey may attempt to sting in return, but it is always grabbed in such a way that only well-armored portions of the beewolf's body are presented. The beewolf carries the prey back to a tunnel, but usually only stores it temporarily, until it is later used to provision a cell burrow, where an egg is laid.
The tunnel of Philanthus triangulum can be as much as 1 m long. The first part of the tunnel slopes downward at an angle of 30o after which it levels out. Up to 34 lateral tunnels each ending in a brood chamber branch off from the main tunnel. Each brood chamber is stocked with one to six honeybees.
Wasp
The term wasp is typically defined as any insect of the order Hymenoptera and suborder Apocrita that is neither a bee nor an ant. Almost every pest insect species has at least one wasp species that preys upon it or parasitizes it, making wasps critically important in natural control of their...
s, most of which prey on bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s, hence their common name. The adult females dig tunnels in the ground for nesting, while the territorial males mark twigs and other objects with pheromone
Pheromone
A pheromone is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting outside the body of the secreting individual to impact the behavior of the receiving individual...
s to claim the territory from competing males.
As with all other sphecoid wasps the larvae are carnivorous
Carnivore
A carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue, whether through predation or scavenging...
, forcing the inseminated females to hunt for other invertebrates (in this case bees), on which she lays her eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
, supplying the larvae with prey when they emerge. The adults collect nectar from flowers or from squeezing the bees they capture for prey; the nectar is their energy source for flight.
The prevalent European species, P. triangulum
Philanthus triangulum
The European beewolf , also called the bee-eating philanthus , is a solitary wasp that lives in Europe and Northern Africa...
, specializes in preying upon honey bees, thus making it a minor pest for beekeeper
Beekeeping
Beekeeping is the maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A beekeeper keeps bees in order to collect honey and other products of the hive , to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers...
s. Other Philanthus species may specialize on other bee species, or they may be generalists which prey upon a wide variety of bees, or other types of Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera is one of the largest orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees and ants. There are over 130,000 recognized species, with many more remaining to be described. The name refers to the heavy wings of the insects, and is derived from the Ancient Greek ὑμήν : membrane and...
.
Venom
Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
quickly paralyzes
Paralysis
Paralysis is loss of muscle function for one or more muscles. Paralysis can be accompanied by a loss of feeling in the affected area if there is sensory damage as well as motor. A study conducted by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, suggests that about 1 in 50 people have been diagnosed...
major voluntary muscles, yet does not kill the prey. The prey may attempt to sting in return, but it is always grabbed in such a way that only well-armored portions of the beewolf's body are presented. The beewolf carries the prey back to a tunnel, but usually only stores it temporarily, until it is later used to provision a cell burrow, where an egg is laid.
The tunnel of Philanthus triangulum can be as much as 1 m long. The first part of the tunnel slopes downward at an angle of 30o after which it levels out. Up to 34 lateral tunnels each ending in a brood chamber branch off from the main tunnel. Each brood chamber is stocked with one to six honeybees.
Species
The genus Philanthus contains about 170 species, some of which are listed here:External links
- Semiochemicals of Genus Philanthus, Pherobase
- The Genus Philanthus, BugGuide.Net
- Philanthus photos, video, digging wasp ecology
- Hymis Photographs of PalearcticPalearcticThe Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth's surface.Physically, the Palearctic is the largest ecozone...
species.