Pseudomalus pusillus
- Innhold
- Diagnosis
- Distribution
- Biology
Diagnosis
Figure 29
Mesoscutellum, metanotum and propodeum, lateral view: P. pusillus ♀. Scale 1 mm.
Length 3–5 mm.
The species differs from other Pseudomalus species by having an entirely green, green-golden or green-blue body with usually golden reflections on the mesoscutum, mesoscutellum and metanotum. Dark specimens can be confused with unusually dark specimens of P. auratus, but the apex of the metasoma protrudes more narrowly, the metascutellum is more elevated medially (Fig. 29) and the pubescence is shorter.
Distribution
Denmark, Latvia and Lithuania. Very rare.
Trans-Palearctic: from western Europe and northern Africa to Russian Far East (Kurzenko and Lelej 2007).
Biology
Habitat: sparsely vegetated sandy areas, such as river banks and dunes. Adults are attracted to honeydew of aphids (Trautmann 1927) and they are occasionally found on flowers of Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae and Resedaceae (Kusdas 1956, Rosa 2004).
Flight period: June to August.
Host: Passaloecus eremita Kohl, P. insignis (Vander Linden) and Pemphredon lethifer (Shuckard) (Crabronidae) (Benno 1950, Wickl 2001). We consider records mentioning other crabronids (e.g. Rhopalum coarctatum (Scopoli) and species of Trypoxylon Latreille) as hosts to be uncertain, because their biology is quite different from other hosts.